South Carolina-Vanderbilt basketball: How, what to watch as USC chases win in finale
South Carolina (18-12, 10-7 SEC) visits Vanderbilt (10-20, 2-15) on Saturday in Nashville in Vanderbilt Memorial Gymnasium. Tipoff is 12:30 p.m.; broadcast is on the SEC Network.
Here are some storylines to watch for the game.
Close out as a favorite
The Gamecocks won’t have an easy matchup, but they are a projected five-point road favorite, according to KenPom.
USC blew the doors off the Commodores in Columbia, and Vandy is sitting at 2-15 in SEC play. They have eight- and seven-game losing streaks in conference.
But of late, coach Jerry Stackhouse’s team has shown signs of life. They won at Alabama, something the Gamecocks were unable to do, and before that had pushed Georgia and Tennessee at various points.
South Carolina has been spry on the road, winning at Clemson, Arkansas and Virginia, but they’ve also lost three of the past four away from Colonial Life. The Gamecocks are looking to improve on the program’s third-highest win total since 2009.
Two guards’ game
One of the challenges in the Commodores combines two factors the Gamecocks do not handle well: Teams with multiple guards that can stress a defense and teams that get to the free throw line.
The Vandy pairing of Scotty Pippen Jr. and Saben Lee average 11.6 combined free throw attempts per contest. Both rank in the top seven in the SEC. Overall, the Commodores are in the top 30 nationally in how often they reach the free throw line.
The Gamecocks’ guard defense has had its issues the past few weeks and was a sore point in losses to Alabama, LSU and Mississippi State.
Furthermore, the Gamecocks couldn’t stop fouling, as those three teams averaged 38 free throws attempts per game in each of those contests. South Carolina puts opponents on the line at a rate higher than any other team in the country.
Jockeying for position
If the Gamecocks want to carve out a case for the NCAA tournament, two more wins are assuredly necessary and three almost feels that way. Realistically, one of those has to be this game.
With Vanderbilt around 150 in the NET rankings, this is a Quadrant 3 game, even on the road. South Carolina simply can’t afford a loss like that on the resume.
Should the Gamecocks win, they’ll draw a bottom four opponent in their first day of the conference tournament. Winning Saturday and in that game would get them to 20 wins, and it remains to be seen if they’d need another Quad 1 win against one of the teams with a double bye, to wedge themselves seriously into the conversation.
VANDERBILT
Coach: Jerry Stackhouse (10-20 in one season overall)
Projected starters: G Saben Lee (18.2 ppg), G Scotty Pippen Jr. (11.6), G Maxwell Evans (8.0), G/F Braelee Albert (1.8), F Dylan Disu (7.0)
Last game: Beat Alabama 87-79 on Wednesday on the road
KenPom ranking: 176 (No. 148 in offense efficiency, No. 223 in defense efficiency)
NET: 148
SOUTH CAROLINA
Coach: Frank Martin (265-171 in 13 seasons overall; eighth season at USC — 148-117)
Projected starters: G A.J. Lawson (13.6), G Jermaine Couisnard (12.1), F Alanzo Frink (5.2), F Keyshawn Bryant (8.9), C Maik Kotsar (11.3)
Last game: Beat Mississippi State 83-71 on Tuesday at home
KenPom ranking: 64 (No. 118 in offense efficiency, No. 45 in defense efficiency)
NET: 60
Game info
Who: South Carolina (18-12, 10-7 SEC) at Vanderbilt (10-20, 2-15)
When: 12:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Vanderbilt Memorial Gymnasium
TV channel: SEC Network
Radio: 107.5 FM in Columbia area
Series: South Carolina leads 29-28
Last meeting: Jan. 25, 2020 — South Carolina 90, Vanderbilt 64
KenPom prediction: South Carolina 77, Vanderbilt 72
