USC’s Seventh Woods misses practice ahead of road game with No. 10 Houston
When the South Carolina men’s basketball team takes on No. 10 Houston this weekend, the Gamecocks could be missing a key veteran.
Senior guard Seventh Woods tweaked his knee in the first half of Sunday’s game against Tulsa and did not practice with the team Tuesday, head coach Frank Martin said.
“If we had a game today, he’d be out,” Martin said during Wednesday’s Zoom news conference with reporters. “He didn’t practice yesterday. And we’re hopeful he’ll be able to practice some tomorrow and then (have a) normal Friday. And then if his knee responds the right way, he’s good for Saturday.”
Woods, who debuted with the Gamecocks on Nov. 28 after transferring from North Carolina, played 16 minutes in the Gamecocks’ opener against Liberty, scoring eight points on 4-of-7 shooting. He played just nine minutes the next day against Tulsa after injuring his knee in the first half, although Martin said after the game that Woods could have played through the injury if needed.
While Woods has yet to draw a start for the 1-1 Gamecocks, he is expected to serve as a key piece of the backcourt this season, rotating with leading scorers A.J. Lawson and Jermaine Couisnard off of the bench. Woods has experience running the point and seemed to provide stability on the court Saturday while his younger teammates battled through opening-day nerves.
“He’s been great,” Martin said. “He’s added a dimension to our team, an energy, an athleticism, a stability, that our team needs.”
The Gamecocks have the depth at guard to withstand Woods’ absence, should he miss Saturday’s game, as sophomores T.J. Moss and Trae Hannibal have each figured heavily into the mix through two games.
“Obviously, I want to see him practice because he’s an integral part of our team right now, and we need him to maximize who we are,” Martin said. “The one thing that we have is some depth and experience with guards, so we should be able to absorb one guy not playing.”
South Carolina might not be the only team missing an important piece of its backcourt on Saturday.
Houston sophomore guard Caleb Mills, one of the Cougars’ top players, is in doubt for Saturday’s game after suffering his second ankle sprain of the young season.
NEXT GAME
Who: South Carolina (1-1) at No. 10 Houston (3-0)
Where: Fertitta Center in Houston
When: 8 p.m. Saturday
Watch: Streaming via ESPN-Plus
