All four opponents who became defeated teams in the four-game winning streak of the Florida Gators in men’s basketball had this or that to recommend them: Tennessee was once considered the SEC class, Georgia had home court, Vanderbilt The future NBA player Scotty Pippen Jr. and West Virginia had a rugged attacking court.
South Carolina? Not much.
The besieged Gamecocks, plagued by problems of the COVID-19 so deep that they spent almost the entire month of December without seeing the ground, found a new bottom for the SEC game this season last Saturday, being drilled by Vanderbilt, previously without victory – and by 12 points in a game that wasn’t really that close. Frank Martin’s team has SEC wins – over Texas A&M and Georgia, each winery resident in their own right – and has the distinction of being among the top 10 nationally in offensive rebound rate, but that’s all there is to it recommend the ‘Cocks.
They shoot badly: AJ Lawson’s 38 percent clip in three is the best on the team, and they are below 34 percent in depth and below 50 percent in two together. Its owner, the old YouTube legend Seventh Woods, is hemorrhaging, giving up almost two out of five possessions. They can’t defend, not really – 93 points for Vandy, 109 for Auburn – and still push the pace like Formula 1 drivers.
They are, in many ways, prepared for Florida to have a field day this day at the O’Connell Center. And Florida owes South Carolina led by Martin a comfortable loss or three.
But, as always, there is a reason for them to play.