Strong start: Three observations as Gamecocks move to 3-0 with win over VMI
After a sharp-shooting opening night last week at Colonial Life Arena, the South Carolina men’s basketball team’s home game Monday against VMI wasn’t nearly the same nothing-but-net-style of offense.
But it was a win, 74-64, and an important one at that.
The Gamecocks are now 3-0 for the first time since the start to the 2019-20 season, and for the first time in the Lamont Paris era.
Limiting personal fouls, or not
VMI had 10 fouls by halftime, five of which came before the first timeout of the game. South Carolina finished the half with seven. VMI picked up 10 more fouls in the second half, and USC had six more.
The large number of VMI fouls sent USC to the free throw line a lot, scoring 17 points.
The only USC players who had any foul trouble were forward Stephen Clark and Ta’Lon Cooper, who finished the game with three. After Myles Stute and BJ Mack both played through the last game with three fouls each, the two weren’t called for any against the Keydets.
Sparkman sets it up, Mack finishes it off
Paris elected to make a new substitution in the first half — putting sophomore guard Eli Sparkman in for Jacobi Wright. Sparkman hadn’t played in the first half of either game prior to Monday night, and Paris needed the Gamecocks’ offense to start clicking.
Maybe it’s the magic of Sparkman’s presence, but the move worked and the Gamecocks came alive — particularly Mack, who finished the game with the first USC double-double of the season.
Mack has come close to a double-double against USC Upstate and Virginia Tech, along with Stute, they’ve a rebound or two off from hitting that mark.
Open 3s
Let the rest of South Carolina’s nonconference opponents be warned: If you give the Gamecocks time and space to take a 3-pointer, they’re going to shoot the ball. And once USC gets into a rhythm, it can start raining very quickly.
After going 0-for-6 beyond the arc for the first seven minutes, South Carolina connected on five of its next six 3-pointers. It’s become the Gamecocks’ go-to play and thus far has been successful. There weren’t nearly as many successful treys in the second half. That single spurt was enough to propel the Gamecocks to a large enough lead from which the Keydets couldn’t catch up.
South Carolina’s next four games
vs. DePaul (Arizona Tip Off) - 11:30 p.m. (CBS Sports Network)
vs. Grand Caynon/San Franscico (Arizona Tip Off) - TBA (CBS Sports Network)
vs. Notre Dame (ACC/SEC Challenge) - 7 p.m. (SEC Network)
vs. George Washington - 7 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
