Carter and Carter power South Carolina past Army. What we learned
After losing on the road to rival Clemson with a short-handed roster, the South Carolina men’s basketball team snapped back into form against visiting Army on Wednesday.
Though still limited due to COVID-19 cases in the program, the Gamecocks defeated Army 105-75.
The win moved the Gamecocks to 9-3 on the season, with just one non-conference game remaining before SEC play begins Jan. 4 against Auburn.
“A good way for us to break, and everybody gets three or four days to decompress,” head coach Frank Martin said after the game. “We’ve got a good basketball team. We just need our guys.”
Here’s what we learned about the Gamecocks.
Gamecocks short-handed again
After missing five players at Clemson due to a combination of COVID-19 protocol and injuries, the Gamecocks once again played with a limited roster Wednesday against Army.
The good news for the Gamecocks was that freshman Devin Carter and sophomore Josh Gray both returned to action after being in COVID-19 protocol, but veteran starters James Reese and Wildens Leveque were not yet cleared to play and were not in the building Wednesday.
After playing at less than 100% against Clemson, Jermaine Couisnard (ankle) sat against Army, while A.J. Wilson (knee) is expected to be sidelined two to three weeks. Walk-on Ford Cooper also sat out Wednesday with a foot injury.
Both Carters put up big numbers
The return of the freshman Devin Carter was a nice shot in the arm for the Gamecocks, who have relied on him in key moments all season. The 6-foot-3 guard put his dynamic athleticism on display Wednesday with a couple of highlight-reel dunks and a deep 3-pointer that gave USC a lead midway through the first half. He finished with a team-high 22 points, marking his first career 20-point game.
“It was very frustrating (sitting out last game) because everybody, like my teammates, they want me to play and everything,” Carter said. “I feel like having me on the court is a great addition to the team to help our team win.”
Meanwhile, veteran teammate Chico Carter Jr. — a Cardinal Newman graduate — continued his recent hot streak for the Gamecocks. The Murray State transfer’s minutes have ticked up in recent games due to injuries, with Carter Jr. playing 22 minutes against Allen and 30 against Clemson.
On Wednesday he drew the start at shooting guard and set the tone early with a 3-point shot to open the game. Shaken up early with an apparent leg injury, Carter Jr. returned to the locker room briefly but showed no ill effects upon his return to the court. He led the Gamecocks with 16 first-half points and made all three of his 3-point looks. He also set up an explosive alley-oop in transition that the other Carter finished, electrifying the crowd. Carter Jr. finished the game with 20 points.
Gamecocks put up gaudy first-half numbers
Army led early in the game, as the Gamecocks struggled to find rhythm with their makeshift starting lineup. However, once the Gamecocks started clicking midway through the half, they played some of their best offense of the season.
USC’s 61 first-half points are the most a Martin team has put up in the half since the Gamecocks scored 65 in the second half of 2017 second-round NCAA tournament win against Duke.
Up until four minutes to play in the first half, the Gamecocks were shooting a dominant 70% from the field before settling at 66.7% to end the half. Sharpshooting from both Carters and Erik Stevenson helped fuel that offensive explosion.
Next USC men’s basketball game
Who: South Carolina vs S.C. State
When: 3 p.m. Dec. 29
Where: Colonial Life Arena in Columbia
Watch: Streaming on SEC Network Plus
South Carolina 105, Army 75
ARMY (6-6): Mann 4-10 2-3 12, Peterson 1-6 0-0 2, J.Caldwell 8-15 1-2 18, Duhart 2-4 0-1 5, Rucker 5-15 0-0 12, Dove 2-3 1-2 5, Cross 1-1 0-0 3, Allenspach 0-4 0-0 0, Small 2-3 1-1 5, I.Caldwell 0-1 1-2 1, Davis 2-5 2-2 7, Coleman 0-0 0-0 0, Johnson 0-0 0-3 0, Thiele 1-1 0-0 3, St. Clair 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 29-70 8-16 75.
SOUTH CAROLINA (9-3): Bryant 3-6 1-3 8, Minott 4-4 0-1 8, C.Carter 7-13 3-3 20, Stevenson 4-6 4-4 13, Wright 4-8 1-2 11, D.Carter 8-13 5-6 22, Martin 4-5 0-1 8, Woodley 2-3 0-0 4, J.Benson 2-4 0-0 4, Gray 3-7 1-1 7, Green 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 41-70 15-21 105.
Halftime—South Carolina 61-43. 3-Point Goals—Army 9-18 (Mann 2-3, Rucker 2-7, Cross 1-1, Duhart 1-1, Thiele 1-1, J.Caldwell 1-2, Davis 1-2, Small 0-1), South Carolina 8-15 (C.Carter 3-3, Wright 2-4, Bryant 1-1, Stevenson 1-2, D.Carter 1-3, J.Benson 0-2). Fouled Out—Bryant. Rebounds—Army 32 (Peterson, Allenspach 6), South Carolina 36 (Stevenson, Martin 6). Assists—Army 15 (Rucker, Dove 4), South Carolina 16 (Stevenson 5). Total Fouls—Army 20, South Carolina 18.
This story was originally published December 22, 2021 at 5:01 PM.
