The last game of the South Carolina regular season is a rescheduled competition in Kentucky, originally to be played as the opening of the conference for both teams on December 29. The Gamecocks (6-13, 4-11) are now in Lexington for the 16th and final regular season conference game before heading to Nashville for the SEC tournament next week. Tip time at the Rupp Arena on Saturday is 12:00 (Eastern Time) on ESPN.
GAME INFORMATION
Arena: Rupp Arena (23,500)
Streaming: ESPN
Game by game: Karl Ravech
Analyst: Jimmy Dykes
Radio: Gamecock Radio Network
In columbia: 107.5 The Game
Game by game: Derek Scott
Analyst: Casey Manning
Sirius: – | XM: 386 | Internet: 976
Watch: App WatchESPN / ESPN
Live Stats: GamecocksOnline.com
Series: Kentucky leads 52-13
In Lexington: Kentucky leads 28-2
Series Trend: Carolina has won two of the last three meetings
Last meeting: 81-78 Victory in South Carolina (horn), on January 15, 2020, in Colombia
GAMECOCK NOTES
– The South Carolina pair of AJ Lawson (18.1) and Keyshawn Bryant (15.8) on average 33.9 points combined per SEC game this season, which is the third ranked tandem in the league game, behind LSU’s Cameron Thomas and Trendon Watford (38.5) and Vanderbilt’s Scotty Pippen Jr. and Dylan Disu (36.3).
Lawson has 17 games with double-digit scores this season, with 10 of them being performances of more than 20 points. Lawson scored several points in 13 of the 15 SEC competitions played this season, and scored three or more in 11 of them. He leads the SEC in league games with 3.3 points made per game.
– The Gamecocks suffered a 101-73 defeat to Arkansas number 12 in the home final on Tuesday at the Colonial Life Arena. The Razorbacks hit 55.2 percent (37-67) on the field, and had three 20+ scores led by the freshman guard Moses Moody28. South Carolina broke its streak of six straight losses with a 91-70 victory in Georgia last Saturday.
– Gamecocks are leading the SEC and ranking 13th nationally with 13.16 offensive rebounds per game this season. Carolina had a season 23 record in the offensive glass in her home win against Georgia a week ago.
– South Carolina travels to the SEC’s 2021 Men’s Basketball Tournament in Nashville next week. Gamecocks await the official SEC key, which will be released on Saturday night after the day’s games are over.
SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
– Kentucky has 8-15 overall this season and 7-9 in SEC competitions. In home games this season, the UK is 4-6, including a 3-4 mark in SEC home games.
– Five double-digit midpoints for the United Kingdom, led by Brandon Boston Jr.11.6 points per game. Davion Mintz (11.0), Terrence Clarke (10.7), Keion Brooks Jr. (10.6) and Olivier Sarr (10.5) also on average two digits. Brooks Jr. leads the team with 6.8 rebounds per game. Isaiah Jackson measures the team’s pace with 2.70 blocks per game, which is one of the best at the SEC and ranks 12th nationally.
– As a team, the UK leads the nation in blocked shots per game with 6.1 per exit.
– Wildcats are fourth in the SEC and 41 in the country, with 12.04 offensive rebounds per game.
TO QUOTE
“I am very confident in our team. We had ups and downs, but that will not stop us from trying to get to the tournament. We have one game left in the season and we still have the SEC tournament to prove a point. ”- Keyshawn Bryant