Gamecocks bounce back in Asheville, defeat Western Kentucky. Here’s what we learned
After an ugly shooting display Friday night, the South Carolina men’s basketball team finished off the Asheville Championship on Sunday with a much cleaner effort.
The Gamecocks defeated Western Kentucky 75-64 on Sunday, led by better outside shooting and a tighter defensive performance.
Here’s what we learned.
A crisper shooting performance
Shooting had been a glaring issue through the first two games of the season, with the Gamecocks making four of 19 3-point attempts (21.1%) in the season opener and four of 26 (15.4%) Friday against Princeton. Brought in to help with perimeter shooting, transfer guards Erik Stevenson and James Reese combined to shoot 6 for 30 against the Tigers and just 1 of 15 from the 3-point line.
Though the Gamecocks still haven’t found their groove from the 3-point line, they shot with more consistency Sunday against the Hilltoppers. The Gamecocks sunk five 3-pointers in the first half alone, surpassing their total from each of the previous two games.
Reese was especially sharp from deep, making four of his nine attempts. Stevenson made his first 3-pointer of the weekend on his 16th attempt, drawing applause from the USC bench when he made the second-half bucket. Guard Jermaine Couisnard scored 16 points and made three shots from beyond the arc.
USC finished 9 for 26 (34.6%) from the 3-point line.
Brandon Martin makes a splash
When Frank Martin brought in Brandon Martin from USC Upstate, he wasn’t sure how much action his son would actually see on the court. But after the summer and fall, Martin said he believed his son would find a way to help the Gamecocks this year.
Brandon Martin played just five minutes between the first two games of the season, but with the elder Martin frustrated with his frontcourt in Sunday’s game, he sent his son into the game in the first half, and Martin would go on to play a season-high 18 minutes.
As the 55-year-old coach gets to learn his new group of players, the trust factor with Brandon Martin is obviously high. And Martin made a positive impact on Sunday’s game, including making a 3-pointer in the first half. He finished with seven points.
Defense bends but doesn’t break
On Friday night, the Gamecocks jumped out to a 10-point lead against Princeton, but then wilted defensively to allow the Tigers to go on a 22-6 run and enter halftime with a lead. USC was never able to recover.
Similarly, the Gamecocks got off to a hot start Sunday night before allowing the Hilltoppers to rip off an 18-7 and tie the game at 35-35 early in the second half.
The Gamecocks regrouped, however, going on an 18-6 run to re-establish a double-digit lead.
Next USC men’s basketball game
Who: South Carolina vs. UAB
When: 7 p.m. Thursday
Where: Colonial Life Arena in Columbia
Watch: Streaming on SEC Network Plus
This story was originally published November 14, 2021 at 6:58 PM.
