South Carolina Faces No. 19 Volts – ESPN 98.1 FM – 850 AM WRUF

South Carolina Faces No. 19 Volts – ESPN 98.1 FM – 850 AM WRUF

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On Wednesday, February 16, the South Carolina Gamecocks will face Tennessee Volunteers number 19. In a game originally scheduled for Tuesday that was postponed until Wednesday, Gamecocks will face a team in Knoxville that is looking to find an appearance of consistency.

The volunteers

In their last game, Tennessee hit the road to LSU, 65-78. Despite a 20-point drop from freshman guard Jaden Springer (his third in a row), visitor Vols failed to overcome the percentage of field goals of 29 percent in the first half. Now, as they return home, Tennessee will try to find some offensive production from all the team members.

Tennessee last won three consecutive games in early January; for a team with aspirations to the championship, it will be necessary to improve their ability to maintain momentum from one victory to the next. Now, as Tennessee recovers after a defeat, the team will seek to lay the groundwork for the energy that can sustain them in the last three games of the season and in the SEC tournament.

The Gamecocks

In their last clash with the team that calls “Rocky Top” home last season, South Carolina beat Tennessee 63-61. This year, Gamecocks did not do so well; they are currently in the middle of a three-game losing streak since defeating the Florida Gators in Gainesville. Now coach Frank Martin will try to revitalize his team with another chance to defeat a conference rival on the road.

In his victory over Florida, junior AJ Lawson scored 22 of the team’s 72 points, with more than 45% of field shots. The team has not reached more than 45 percent in any of its three defeats. To rekindle the attack, they will need to start dropping baskets.

In addition, the team will need to start strong; in her most recent game, Carolina overcame Ole Miss in the second half. However, it was not enough to overcome the cold start. In the game against No. 8 Alabama, the Gamecocks drew Crimson Tide on points in the second half. However, the three-point advantage that ‘Bama maintained at halftime proved to be the deciding factor. These results show that Carolina needs to shoot through the gates; if they manage to guarantee an initial advantage, they can count on the score of the second half for another match.

Where to Watch

The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network, and will start at 9pm.

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