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E-MailAfter turning over the ball on five straight possessions and allowing an 11-0 second-half run against Arkansas on Saturday, South Carolina played what might be its most impressive stretch in SEC play.
The Gamecocks fired off 16 straight points on their next seven possessions — five of which were created from steals. Forward Damontre Harris led the charge with six points, three rebounds and two steals.
Unfortunately, USC was down 23 points when the run started. With 2½ minutes left, the rally fizzled on missed 3-pointers, and the Gamecocks dropped their fifth straight game and fell to 1-9 in the SEC — their worst league mark in 12 years.
“I think we are playing the way we need to play. I think the run shows that. I think the way we started games at Arkansas and at Tennessee shows that,” coach Darrin Horn said. “I think the preparation is there. I think we’re ready to play.”
Heading into tonight’s game against Georgia, the Gamecocks (9-15, 1-9 SEC) can do no better than finish .500 in the regular season. The Gamecocks are trying to avoid a third-consecutive losing season, something they haven’t done in 18 years.
“It’s a game that no question we need a win,” Horn said. “Our guys understand that, and I think there’s a mindset on their part that they want to be rewarded for all the hard work they have done.”
South Carolina plays four of its next five games at Colonial Life Arena, where Horn is 15-13 in four SEC seasons. He’s 7-23 on the road, where the Gamecocks played four of their past five games.
“Everyone wants to win at home and get that momentum going,” sophomore guard Bruce Ellington said.
The key for South Carolina is eliminating stretches of mistakes.
At Arkansas, USC tied the game at 27 with four minutes to go in the first half. But after a missed Damien Leonard 3-pointer, the Gamecocks turned over the ball on their next four possessions. The Razorbacks took an 11-point halftime lead, which they increased in the second half as USC again was unable to take care of the ball.
The Gamecocks committed 21 turnovers in Fayetteville, nine more than their average in SEC games this year. Harris said the team needs to avoid rushing, which has led to mistakes: “If we take our time, we should be OK.”
Horn said many of the miscues — namely turnovers and costly fouls — USC can control.
“You just have find a way to get through that and get over it,” he said. “We’re way too far in our season, and we have to find a way to eliminate them.”
In the Hoop: Georgia comes to Columbia on a two-game winning streak after upsetting then-No. 20 Mississippi State in overtime, 70-68, on Saturday. Senior guard Gerald Robinson is the reigning SEC player of the week after averaging 20 points and 4.5 rebounds in wins against Arkansas and Mississippi State.
… Georgia commits an SEC-low nine turnovers per game while USC forces a league second-best 14 miscues per contest.
... Horn said sophomore forward RJ Slawson will continue to start, which the former South Carolina Mr. Basketball has done in the past two games. Freshman Anthony Gill, the starter at power forward much of the season, gives USC a physical presence off the bench, the coach said. But the pair has combined for 16 points in the past two games.
