For the second consecutive game in the middle of the week, South Carolina faces a qualified opponent, this time at home against No. 11 in Alabama. The tip on Tuesday night at Colonial Life Arena is at 6:30 pm. The Gamecocks (5-7, 3-5) are coming out of a home defeat on Saturday for the state of Mississippi.
GAME INFORMATION
Arena: Colonial Life Arena (18,000)
Broadcast: SEC Network
Game by game: Tom Hart
Analyst: Jon Sundvold
Radio: Gamecock Radio Network
In columbia: 107.5 The Game
Game by game: Derek Scott
Analyst: Casey Manning
Sirius: – | XM: 191 | Internet: 962
To see: App WatchESPN / ESPN
Live stats: GamecocksOnline.com
Series: Alabama leads 31-16
In columbia: Carolina leads 12-7
Series Trend: Alabama won five in a row
Last meeting: 90-86 Alabama victory on February 29, 2020 in Tuscaloosa
GAMECOCK NOTES
– South Carolina appears to recover after suffering a 75-59 loss to the state of Mississippi last Saturday at the Colonial Life Arena. Gamecocks hit just 31.1 percent of their attempts from the ground (19-61), and Bulldogs hit 46.4 percent (26-56) in victory. Carolina was also defeated, with MSU having a 46-30 lead on the glass.
– Senior Guard Seventh woods scored in double digits in each of the last three games, averaging 11.0 points per game while stretching. Junior guard AJ Lawson became the 47th member of the the Gamecock vs. 1,000-point club. MSU last Saturday. He is the sixth Gamecock to hit the mark under the direction of the head coach Frank Martin; joining Michael Carrera, Sindarius Thornwell, Duane Notice, Chris silva, Maik Kotsar.
– Gamecocks are forcing 16.50 opponents’ turnovers per game (general games), which is the third in the SEC and the 26th nationally. South Carolina is the sixth in the SEC and 47 nationally with 8.0 steals per game this season. In league games, that number jumps to 8.3 per game. Gamecocks are leading the SEC and in seventh place nationally with 14.0 offensive rebounds per game this season. Carolina had a season 23 record in the offensive glass in the win against Georgia (January 27).
– Before her dispute with the State of Mississippi, in her three previous games, Carolina scored at least 31 field goals in each, with a season high of 33 in her home win against Georgia (January 27).
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SCOUTING THE CRIMSON TIDE
– Alabama is ranked No. 11 in this week’s polls and 15-5 in the year, and 10-1 in the SEC game entering Tuesday’s clash against the Gamecocks. Head coach Nate Oats is in his second season leading the Crimson Tide.
– Alabama suffered its first SEC loss of the season on the Missouri nationally ranked road last week. Tide lost 22 in the second half, before fighting again to make it a game of possession with just over a minute to go. Missouri would close the victory at home.
– Four double digit midpoints for Alabama, led by second year guard Jaden Shackelford13.9 points per game. In SEC games, John Petty, marks the team with 14.1 points per game and reached 49.3 percent (34-69) of their attempts at three points in the league.
– Alabama leads the SEC and is 10th nationally with its 10.5 points made of three points per game, and on the other side of the court, its three-point defense leads the league and is 28th nationally, since Tide is preventing opponents just 29.6 percent beyond the arc this season.
TO QUOTE
“We have to keep the ball in front of us. (Nate) will tell his players to drive the ball. Nate encourages you to drive the ball. When they become stagnant it is because they are not leading the ball. We have to be really good with the ball. They are very creative with the screen configuration. Whatever they are trying to make you make a mistake and then attack you. Everyone talks about how they throw three, but they probably throw more layups than anyone in the league. ” – Martin knows how to fight Alabama