Storylines to watch as USC men’s basketball battles No. 10 Houston
A collection of basketballs hang on the wall of Frank Martin’s office. Each represents a win by the South Carolina men’s basketball team over a top-20 opponent.
“There’s 17 or 18 of them,” Martin said, from his office, over Zoom on Wednesday. “I don’t feel like looking up there and counting right now.”
In his nine-year tenure as head coach, Martin has steered his Gamecocks to a 33-45 record against ranked opponents, including four wins against top-5 opponents and two wins against No. 1 teams.
On Saturday night, Martin hopes to add another basketball to his wall. The Gamecocks (1-1) travel to Houston to play the No. 10 Cougars (3-0) at 6 p.m. for what is easily USC’s toughest test of the young season.
While acknowledging that he views Houston coach Kelvin Sampson as one of “the better coaches of (his) generation,” Martin said he doesn’t want his players to step into the arena with an underdog mentality. The basketballs in Martin’s office are evidence of the program’s past successes against elite teams. Just last year, USC took down defending champion Virginia in Charlottesville.
“We should be in a place where we get excited because we’re playing a really good team,” Martin said. “But there shouldn’t be any doubt in our minds that we’re good enough or capable to go play the way we’re supposed to play and figure out a way to win.
“That doesn’t diminish the respect that I or we will have for Houston. On the contrary, it should generate unbelievable enthusiasm from our part that we get to play a high-caliber team that that we feel is a representation of an SEC opponent.”
The game will air at 6 p.m. on ESPN-Plus. Here are five storylines to watch throughout the contest.
Can the confidence carry over?
Martin said he thought his players looked “nervous” and “tight” in their first game of the season against a red-hot Liberty team at the Hall of Fame Classic. The next day, the Gamecocks rebounded with a strong finish against Tulsa, holding the Golden Hurricane scoreless for more than nine minutes at the tail end of the second half.
Multiple players acknowledged that they felt out of sync in the season opener, but the Gamecocks seemed to find their groove in Game 2.
“I think that (after) playing those games now you’re able to ease in and now you kind of know what to expect going into the next weekend,” junior forward Justin Minaya said. “It was almost eight months since we played our last game. It was definitely different.”
One of USC’s key leaders, Minaya said he didn’t feel comfortable until South Carolina’s second game, in which he put up 11 points and nine rebounds and played stingy defense down the stretch. For the Gamecocks to compete with the Cougars, a faster, more confident start to the game is imperative.
Leading up to the game this week, the Gamecocks certainly sounded confident.
“I feel like we can go in there and surprise everybody,” sophomore forward Jalyn McCreary said. “I feel like it’s going to be a very big game, and we could have a chance to win and knock off a ranked team, honestly.”
Injuries on both sides
A transfer from North Carolina, senior guard Seventh Woods has served as a key reserve for the Gamecocks, playing 16 minutes off the bench in the team’s opener behind starting guards A.J. Lawson and Jermaine Couisnard.
Woods tweaked his knee in the first half of USC’s game against Tulsa and missed USC’s practice on Tuesday. Although Martin said he’s hopeful that Woods will be able to play, he said Wednesday that if South Carolina had a game that day “he’d be out.”
On the other side of the court, Houston could be without star shooting guard Caleb Mills, who is battling sprains to both ankles. Though the Cougars are deep, Mills’ potential absence is significant.
“Caleb Mills is huge for them,” Martin said. “He’s their hard shot-maker. He’s the guy that the clock is starting to wind down and he figures out a way to get the ball and put it in the basket. Every team needs one of those. We’re actually trying to figure out who that guy for us is right now.”
Clash of the Guards
The Gamecocks lost to Houston in Columbia, 76-56, one year ago, setting up an enticing rematch. In terms of roster construction, both teams return the bulk of last season’s rosters, and both teams boast exceptional depth and length in the backcourt — even if Woods and Mills don’t suit up.
The Cougars feature four guards who are averaging double-digit points, led by sophomore guard Marcus Sasser’s 17.5 points per game and Quentin Grimes’ 16.5. Combined with 6-foot-5 freshman Tramon Mark, the 6-foot-5 Grimes helps create mismatches and provides versatility with his size and physicality. Like the Gamecocks, the Cougars often employ guard-heavy lineups.
USC also features length and experience at guard, with the 6-6 Lawson (14.5 points per game) and 6-4 Couisnard (15 points per game) once again leading the team in scoring. Along with Woods, sophomores Trae Hannibal and T.J. Moss have each played sizable roles for USC through two games. And with Houston’s defense built around protecting the paint and forcing jump shots, USC’s perimeter play becomes all the more important.
“That’s gonna be an interesting part of the matchup Saturday is the depth of guards, the length of guards and the experience of guards,” Martin said. “It’s all three things.”
NEXT GAME
Who: South Carolina (1-1) at No. 10 Houston (3-0)
Where: Fertitta Center in Houston
When: 6 p.m. Saturday
Watch: Streaming via ESPN-Plus
