Gamecocks overcome sloppy performance to beat FMU, improve to 12-0
It wasn’t perfect, but it was a comfortable win. Problems were blamed on one more day of a break than necessary.
All said, they’ll be fixed before Saturday’s final non-conference game.
“I probably gave the guys one day too many off for Christmas,” a cheerful Frank Martin said after Wednesday’s 78-56 win over Division II Francis Marion. “We didn’t have no oomph on offense.”
The No. 24 Gamecocks (12-0) overcame a sloppy 40 minutes to continue their best start since 1933-34 and remain one of the country’s four undefeated teams. It was often ugly – 8-of-27 from 2, 16-of-30 from the line, allowing a smaller team to get 17 offensive rebounds and finishing ahead by five in total rebounding – but it got the job done.
That nobody seemed concerned said it was more rust from an eight-day break than anything really worrisome.
“It took us a little bit of time to get back on track and move the way we used to move at the beginning of the season,” said freshman Chris Silva, who led the team with 13 points. “But, we think we got it back.”
Like most of USC’s opponents, FMU (7-3) mostly stayed in a zone defense. It did its job, as the Gamecocks couldn’t find clear lanes to bigs Laimonas Chatkevicius and Mindaugas Kacinas, and settled for 3-point attempts. Despite their rep as one of the best long-range teams in the country, very few went in.
“We started off a little sluggish against them, then we started attacking them,” Martin said. “Once again, our lackadaisical play on offense leads to some bad turnovers. That’s got to stop.”
The game slogged, foul trouble and turnovers hitting each team, until Martin sent in his freshmen. Silva, Eric Cobb and Jamall Gregory triggered the Gamecocks’ run, pacing the final eight minutes of the first half.
From there, the Patriots couldn’t shoot nearly well enough to get back in the game. USC continued to struggle on offense, but with its defense locking FMU into a 30 percent shooting night, there was never any panic.
Memphis visits on Saturday. The Tigers mean a perfect non-conference record and confidence going into what truly determines the season – the SEC.
“I think we just got to do a better task of trying to stay aggressive,” junior Duane Notice said. “We’re kind of an inside-out team. We just got to stick to our principles and get organized.”
NOTE: Division II Francis Marion played the game as an exhibition, so the result didn’t affect its record. Lower-division schools have the option to list games against Division I teams as exhibitions, as long as they declare it beforehand. The game counted either way for the Gamecocks.
Coker did the same last year when it played USC.
TURNING POINT
Notice connected on 3-pointers in a span of three possessions midway through the first half to stretch a six-point lead to 25-12. The Gamecocks, one of the top 3-point shooting teams in the country coming in, were 3-of-14 in the first half from long range, all three from Notice.
3 POINTS
Star of the game: Silva led the Gamecocks with 13 points and added six rebounds, three blocks and two steals.
Play of the game: Chris Who? Gregory elevated from the left wing and one-hand jammed the ball in the first half. He may challenge Thornwell and Silva for “SportsCenter” highlights.
Stat of the game: The Gamecocks were 8-of-27 from the 3-point line (29.6 percent). USC was hitting above 40 percent for the year coming in, a figure that ranked 18th in the nation. Outside of Notice (3-of-7), nobody could find the consistent range.
FROM THE BASELINE
The O-for zone: The Gamecocks continue to have problems with zone defense. When their 3-point shooting disappears, as it did Wednesday, they are still tentative to attack the paint early in the game. Against an SEC team, I can see a zone full of athletes opening a sub-50 point game.
Damned if you do: The Gamecocks were getting to the line in lieu of attacking the zone – and were barely .500 from the stripe (16-of-30). Cobb, while he played well, was 0-for-7.
UP NEXT
Who: South Carolina vs. Memphis
When: 6 p.m. Saturday
Where: Colonial Life Arena, Columbia
TV: ESPNU
Follow on Twitter at @DCTheState
FRANCIS MARION (7-3)
Browning 6-14 0-2 14, Parker 0-1 0-0 0, Alexander 2-8 2-7 6, Talko 2-5 0-0 4, Bryant 0-1 0-0 0, Davis Jr. 5-13 3-5 17, Fenner 2-9 9-10 13, Nnaji 0-0 0-0 0, Jerome 0-0 0-1 0, Harris 1-8 0-0 2, K. Jackson 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 18-60 14-25 56.
SOUTH CAROLINA (12-0)
Thornwell 2-5 2-2 7, Chatkevicius 0-1 0-0 0, Dozier 3-8 0-0 6, Carrera 2-8 0-0 5, Kacinas 5-8 1-2 12, Stroman 0-0 2-2 2, Doby 2-5 4-8 8, Gregory 2-6 1-2 6, Blanton 0-2 2-2 2, Notice 3-9 1-2 10, McKie 1-3 0-0 3, Ragin 1-1 0-0 2, Cobb 1-1 0-7 2, Silva 5-7 3-3 13, Holliman 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 27-64 16-30 78.
Halftime: South Carolina 38-20. 3-Point Goals_Francis Marion 6-23 (Davis Jr. 4-10, Browning 2-7, Harris 0-1, Talko 0-2, Fenner 0-3), South Carolina 8-27 (Notice 3-7, Kacinas 1-1, McKie 1-1, Gregory 1-4, Thornwell 1-4, Carrera 1-5, Blanton 0-1, Dozier 0-4). Fouled Out_Davis Jr., Jerome, Silva. Rebounds_Francis Marion 42 (Alexander 9), South Carolina 47 (Cobb 7). Assists_Francis Marion 7 (Browning, K. Jackson 2), South Carolina 16 (Thornwell 4). Total Fouls: Francis Marion 29, South Carolina 18.
This story was originally published December 30, 2015 at 8:57 PM.