Gamecocks blown out by Kentucky to finish regular season
In many ways, South Carolina’s final regular season game was microcosm of the entire season.
Once again playing short-handed, the Gamecocks flashed their talent Saturday in an up-tempo back-and-forth first half. But as has been the case through much of the season, Frank Martin’s team wasn’t able to find a way to finish.
Playing on the road against a Kentucky team (9-15, 8-9 SEC) that has faced its own struggles this season, the Gamecocks allowed yet another 90-point effort, losing to the Wildcats 92-64 and falling to 6-14 (4-12) on the season. It marked the sixth time USC has allowed 90-plus points to an opponent this season.
“Obviously, the second half was embarrassing,” Martin said. “The resolve, the lack of fight, was disappointing. ... We lost our fight defensively, and if you don’t have fight when you play teams in the SEC, they’re going to score at will.”
With the SEC men’s basketball tournament set to begin Wednesday in Nashville, the Gamecocks currently project as the No. 11 seed. However, they would drop to the No. 12 seed should Vanderbilt defeat Ole Miss on Saturday night.
“I feel like the SEC tournament anybody can win, and so I feel like we have a chance, honestly,” sophomore forward Jalyn McCreary said after Saturday’s loss. “It’s open for anybody to win the SEC tournament, so we got to lock in and get ready for these next couple of days.”
3 Observations from USC-Kentucky
1. Gamecocks short-handed yet again
In a surprise shortly before the game, it was announced that Jermaine Couisnard wouldn’t play due to a rib injury he suffered in Thursday’s practice. Couisnard, who just recently returned from an ankle injury, put up a season-high 23 points in USC’s win at Georgia and had seemed to improve on his shooting struggles from earlier in the season.
“All the medical tests came back negative,” Martin said. “Doctors felt there’s some kind of a muscle pull or something in the rib cage. With it being an early game, it’s not like he could spend all day getting treatment to get that to quiet down. He tried to practice yesterday and couldn’t go.”
Worsening matters for the Gamecocks, fellow guard Seventh Woods suffered a groin injury late in the first half Saturday and did not play in the second half. Martin said the team won’t know the injury’s severity until they get back to Columbia.
It appeared South Carolina would catch a break on the injury front when Kentucky point guard Devin Askew didn’t draw the start for the Wildcats. However, Askew still managed to play off of the bench, and fellow guards Davion Mintz and Brandon Boston Jr. both scored at least 20 points.
2. Gamecocks can’t protect perimeter
The Gamecocks matched Kentucky nearly blow for blow in the first half, trailing by just eight points heading into halftime while shooting at a 41.4% clip from the field. The Gamecocks didn’t shoot many 3s in the first half — missing all five attempts — but with the way they were attacking the paint and scoring on the fast break, they didn’t need to.
However, in the second half, USC’s poor perimeter defense once again opened the scoring floodgates. Coming off a loss to Arkansas in which USC allowed the Razorbacks to make 15 3-pointers, South Carolina allowed open shot after open shot in the second half at Kentucky. The Wildcats sunk eight of their first 10 3-point attempts after halftime to create separation and pull away with the win.
Mintz and Boston were the main culprits, combing for 12 of Kentucky’s 13 3-pointers in the game.
“We did pretty good in the first half with defense,” McCreary said. “And then the second half, they just got hot with the 3 balls, and it got out of hand then.”
3. USC backcourt struggles
McCreary had by far his best game of the season, scoring a career-high 14 points with a smooth scoring touch near the basket. Forward Keyshawn Bryant added 16 points in yet another strong game for the junior. USC’s frontcourt was not the problem Saturday.
Without Couisnard and Woods, the Gamecock backcourt sputtered, especially shooting from deep. The Gamecocks finished with just two 3s for the game on 17 attempts. In all, USC’s guards combined to shoot just 3 for 31 from the field, while Boston and Mintz combined to make 14 of 26 field-goal attempts on the other side.
“We missed shots that were right there,” Martin said. “We can’t go 3 for 31 and win — just can’t do it. And there’s no mystery offense that helps you shoot better. Players got to make shots.”
SOUTH CAROLINA (6-14): Bryant 6-12 3-7 16, Minaya 3-5 0-0 6, Minott 1-1 0-0 2, Lawson 2-10 2-2 6, Moss 1-11 1-2 4, Hannibal 0-8 1-2 1, McCreary 6-9 2-2 14, Leveque 4-4 0-0 8, Woods 0-2 0-0 0, Anderson 2-2 1-1 5, Nelson 1-1 0-1 2, Benson 0-1 0-0 0, Green 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 26-68 10-17 64.
KENTUCKY (9-15): Jackson 5-8 3-4 13, Sarr 6-10 2-2 15, Toppin 1-4 0-0 2, Boston 7-13 1-3 21, Mintz 7-13 0-0 20, Askew 1-3 4-4 6, Brooks 3-6 1-1 7, Ware 1-2 0-0 2, Allen 0-4 2-2 2, Fletcher 1-2 0-2 2, Payne 1-2 0-0 2, Welch 0-0 0-0 0, Canada 0-0 0-0 0, Watkins 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 33-67 13-18 92.
Halftime—Kentucky 36-28. 3-Point Goals—South Carolina 2-17 (Bryant 1-3, Moss 1-4, Benson 0-1, Green 0-1, Hannibal 0-1, Minaya 0-2, Lawson 0-5), Kentucky 13-27 (Boston 6-10, Mintz 6-11, Sarr 1-1, Toppin 0-1, Allen 0-4). Rebounds—South Carolina 30 (Hannibal 6), Kentucky 44 (Jackson 10). Assists—South Carolina 14 (Hannibal 6), Kentucky 17 (Mintz 7). Total Fouls—South Carolina 16, Kentucky 17. A—3,075 (23,500).
This story was originally published March 6, 2021 at 2:05 PM.
