Gamecocks enjoying undefeated basketball start – for each team

Frank Martin hasn’t spoken about it to his team, because why would he? He’s never been the kind of guy to mention what could be on the table to his players, so why would he mention it when they’re playing well and could, thus, achieve all of their goals?

Although he admits South Carolina is in uncharted waters.

“Seven-and-oh is nice, you sleep a little better because you won your last game,” the Gamecocks’ fourth-year coach said of the best start of his college career. “I didn’t speak to them about it when we were 1-7 in league play two years in a row or whatever we were, I’m not going to speak about it when it’s the other way.”

Life is fun for USC these days, plugging along as an undefeated squad and one of four Division I teams in the country who have a men’s and women’s team yet to lose. Oregon, Kentucky, UTEP and the Gamecocks have played 50 combined games and don’t have a loss, which, at USC, was definitely expected from the No. 2 women’s squad but just hoped for with the men’s team.

Martin’s team has controlled games, weathered opponent runs and adjusted what it has needed to instead of collapsing. While the coach has advised everyone to keep a foot on the brake – not because he doesn’t believe in his team, but because there are at least 24 games to go – he’s excited.

One more win and the Gamecocks have matched their best start since 2003-04, the last time they reached the NCAA tournament. A win after that, and they’re off to their best start since they won their only ACC championship.

“I’ve never brought it up,” he said.

USC has surpassed its previous mark for combined undefeated starts, set in 1988-89 when the teams each went 6-0 (the women’s team won three more after that before losing).