10 years after a win there, Devan Downey has advice for USC at Rupp Arena. ‘Hit back.’
The 5-foot-9 basketball player from South Carolina still stands tall in Kentucky.
Devan Downey, nearly a decade removed from a career highlighted by a few Wildcat slayings, was in the Bluegrass State’s Lexington in 2017 for his daughter’s basketball tournament when he was spotted.
“A couple people recognized me,” Downey said, “and that’s all they wanted to talk about — that game.”
When it comes to Downey and UK, “that game” could refer to any one of three. He twice led the Gamecocks to wins over Kentucky in Columbia, including a legendary 30-point performance that took down the top-ranked ‘Cats on Jan. 26, 2010. And then, in perhaps his greatest hit, there was his pull-up jumper over Jodie Meeks with three seconds left on Jan. 31, 2009, that gave USC a rare victory at Rupp Arena.
The latter of those moments comes into focus this week as the current Gamecocks (11-10, 6-2 SEC) travel to face No. 5 Kentucky (18-3, 7-1) on Tuesday.
What’s it like to hush a blue-clad crowd of over 21,000? Downey is one of the few USC players who can share such an experience.
“At the end of the day, that’s like the biggest arena I ever played in in my life,” Downey told The State. “Just the atmosphere, when it gets loud, it gets loud. To silence a place like that, it’s always good.”
Carolina is 2-27 all-time against the Wildcats on the road, including a 2-24 mark at Rupp. A special player — Downey — and a special team — the 1997 SEC champions — represent USC’s only wins in Lexington.
When the 2008-09 Gamecocks upset the then-No. 24 Wildcats, it marked their third win over a ranked opponent that season. A win Tuesday and the 2018-19 Gamecocks would have the same.
“Hit back,” Downey said of his advice to Frank Martin’s team. “When Kentucky’s in Rupp, they want you to lose the game before you walk out there.
“When they make runs, just stay the course. Keep running your offense and stay level-headed. They want to make a run and you get all rattled and, all of a sudden, a six-point lead turns into 20.
“You gotta hit back. When they hit, you gotta hit back because they’re not used to getting hit back.”
Downey’s heroics came after a forgetful first half when he didn’t score until the period’s final two minutes. He finished with 23, including the dagger 7-footer over Meeks.
“A whole lot of that game, I was horrible,” Downey admitted. “But the big-time moments are the only things that people remember.
“On that last play, it was a pick and roll that kind of broke down. They kind of switched. You know me, it’s time to get busy after that. I don’t need no play call. I know what to do.”
South Carolina beat Georgia on Saturday to snap a two-game losing streak and continue a surprise start in league action after disappointing non-conference results.
These Gamecocks have proven to have some Downey in them. They’ve delivered in the clutch with five SEC wins by six points or fewer.
“Frank’s an amazing coach,” said Downey, who played last season in Venezuela. “We had tough losses, there were some dark moments and instead of the team folding — like a lot teams do — Frank got them to respond. That’s always a good sign. That shows the character of the staff, character of the players he has.”
Martin has two wins over Kentucky — but never at Rupp.
“It’s of those moments you’ll never forget,” Downey said. “People won’t let you forget. Because every time you see somebody, that’s what they want to talk about.”
Next game
Who: South Carolina (11-10, 6-2 SEC) at Kentucky (18-3, 7-1)
When: 7 p.m. Tuesday
Where: Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky
TV: SEC Network
This story was originally published February 4, 2019 at 10:18 AM.
