South Carolina was forced to postpone its last two scheduled conference games due to complications from COVID-19, but the team returns to the court on Saturday night in Baton Rouge vs. LSU, a 8:30 pm tip on the SEC Network. Gamecocks (3-2, 1-0) will only play their second game of the season at the SEC.
GAME INFORMATION
Arena: Maravich Center (13,215)
Broadcast: SEC Network
Game by game: Mike Morgan
Analyst: Mark Wise
Radio: Gamecock Radio Network
In columbia: 107.5 The Game
Game by game: Derek Scott
Analyst: Casey Manning
Sirius: – | XM: 381 | Internet: 971
To watch: App WatchESPN / ESPN
Live Stats: GamecocksOnline.com
LSU Series: Carolina leads 18-17
In Baton Rouge: LSU takes 8-6
Series Trend: Tigers have won twice in a row in the series
Last meeting: 86-80 LSU win on February 22, 2020 in Columbia
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GAMECOCK NOTES
— Due to the COVID-19 health and safety protocols, South Carolina Head Coach Frank Martin, technical assistant Chuck Martin, and Doug Edwards, who oversees the team’s student-athlete development, will not be present at Baton Rouge on Saturday. Assistant coach Bruce Shingler will be the interim head coach for the Tigers clash, along with assistant coach Will Bailey, video coordinator Brian Steele, and special assistant to head coach John Reynolds.
– Carolina opened the game at the SEC on January 6 with a 78-54 victory over visitor Texas A&M at Colonial Life Arena. Junior Guard AJ Lawson set a career record of 30 points in victory, second-year redshirt guard Jermaine Couisnard added 15 points and second year striker Wildens Leveque set a season record of 10 points for Gamecocks.
– Over the past two games, Lawson has averaged 27.5 points per game and has hit 50 percent of his attempts (19-38) from the ground. He outperforms Gamecocks with 17.8 points per game, the sixth in the SEC.
– Carolina reached her record for the assist season in consecutive disputes, first 16 against Florida A&M, before a season 17 record against Aggies.
– The Gamecocks reached a record of 10 points in the season of three points in the victory against Texas A&M, with half of them in the high performance career of five by Couisnard. Lawson added three and Justin Minaya hit a pair as well.
– Tre-Vaughn Minott, a freshman center in Montreal, joined Gamecocks and is immediately qualified for the competition. Minott has been with the NBA Academy Latin America since September 2019. During his time at the Academy, his team competed at the National Prep School Invitational in Rhode Island and the Skill Factory Tournament of Champions in Atlanta in 2020.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
– The Tigers are commanded by coach Will Wade in his fourth season in Baton Rouge. LSU is 9-2 in the year and 4-1 in the SEC game.
– In home games, LSU is 7-0, including 3-0 in home games from the SEC.
– Four double-digit midpoints for Tigers, led by 21.8 points per game for freshman Cameron Thomas, who leads the SEC. Trendon Watford (18.3 / 4th in the SEC), Javonte Smart (15.2) and Darius Days (13.9) also have a two-digit average. Dias gives the rhythm to the team with 8.5 rebounds per dispute, which is the second in the SEC.
– The Tigers’ attack averages 86.2 points per game, which is the second in the league, and the LSU defense is holding opponents with 70.5 points per game, which is the seventh in the SEC.
– LSU leads the league and is 23rd nationally in the free throw line, hitting 77.2 percent of attempts. Tigers also lead the championship on the ground, with 49.4 percent of attempts, the 26th national.
TO QUOTE
“That’s the beauty of playing at the SEC, our people signed up in South Carolina, playing against good teams with good coaches every night. Their guys are very talented, but our guys are prepared because of our mentality, the way we train and how we do it as a program.
“Cam Thomas is an incredibly good player. Trendon Watford, Darius Days, Javonte Smart, they are out there and our guys have seen them. In the last few days in practice, they have been excited about the challenge. We are focused on the details and we will consider it just another SEC game. ” – Shingler in the challenge when facing LSU