This season isn’t going as Gamecock fans hoped.  In fact, the last few seasons haven’t gone as fans had hoped.  The team hasn’t made the NCAA tournament since 2004 and hasn’t won a tournament game in a much longer time than that.  There are many problems.  Today, I want to focus on the Colonial Life Arena.

The CLA was built specifically for the South Carolina Gamecocks’ basketball programs.  Well, that’s not completely accurate.  The Arena was built for, among other things, the basketball teams.  It was also built for the city of Columbia to host concerts, circuses and other entertainment events in addition to basketball.  It was hoped it could serve as a host for an NCAA tournament game.¹

In fairness to the designers of the CLA, it has served masterfully as a mixed use facility, but as a home for South Carolina Gamecocks basketball, it has failed.  That's not the leading reason for the program's recent struggles, but it may be a factor.

Attendance for basketball games hasn't increased dramatically since the last season in the Frank McGuire Arena.²  However the size of the arena has increased from 12,000 to 18,000.  This has given the impression that the basketball programs aren't supported by the fans very well.  That carries the implication that the program isn't doing well.  Whether that's true or not, it doesn't help the current players or the recruits.

Large numbers of unused seats make the arena a ripe target for an opposing fan base to take over.  Whenever Kentucky comes to town, the CLA sells out. Unfortunately for Carolina, it's mostly filled with blue.  This season when Ohio State came into town, the Gamecock fans, the players and coaches had to endure the Buckeye fans' O-H-I-O chants that made the game feel like a neutral site game.

Perception can become reality.  If our arena looks like the fans don't support the team, other fans will decide they have better things to do with their time.  If the arena feels cavernous and empty, recruits will decide to play in front of a big crowd, or at least a packed house.

Of course, there is little we can do about the arena at this point.  There's nothing physically wrong with it, and it would be way too expensive to build a smaller, more fitting arena.  But, when you find yourself watching the Gamecocks end up on the short end of the scoreboard and you find yourself wondering how this could keep happening, look at the Colonial Life Arena and remember the role it can play in the development of a program.  Remember that too when it comes time to build another facility for any of the other programs.

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¹ Due to the Confederate Flag on the State House, and later State House grounds, the NAACP has boycotted the state of South Carolina.  The NCAA has honored this boycott, and no NCAA tournament events have been held at the Arena, nor are any planned.

² The last season at the Frank McGuire Arena averaged 10,435 fans per game in 2001-02.  At the CLA the lowest season average was 9,091 in 2005-06; The highest season attendance per game was 12,941 in 2002-03.

The USC Gamecocks blew their best chance of winning an SEC game this season at Auburn yesterday.  They lost to the Tigers by the score of 63-52.  

This is the second straight year that the Gamecocks have lost to Auburn. Some national pundits considered Auburn the worst major D-1 program last year and of course they beat USC at home.  Now this.  Auburn had been labeled bottom tier and they made USC look silly on the court in their last match-up.  Well, the Gamecocks did not help themselves in the second half of that game but the point is, the Gamecocks lost to a team yet again they should have beat.

At the beginning of the season, I personally thought that Coach Horn would earn one more year to figure it out at South Carolina, but this team is bad and it doesn't look like it is going to get better anytime soon.  

Who and what is to blame for this team being as bad as they are?  I think there are a few factors that have played a major role in this team stinking it up so far.  Recruiting, developing players, style of play, and the conference talent getting better.  I continue....  

Hopefully, you have read the takeaways from the South Carolina loss to Florida in their recent basketball clash. Now here are the video highlights:

The South Carolina Gamecocks lost to the Florida Gators by the score of 79-65.  The loss moves USC's overall record to 8-9 and 0-3 in SEC play.

So what did we learn in the defeat, here is our takeaways:

1.  USC needs one more offensive threat to emerge:  Bruce Ellington had 17 points and Malik Cooke had 10 points.  No one else was in double-digits. The Gamecocks need at least three threats.

2. USC must not live beyond the three point line:  USC shot 9-of-24 from 3 ball land.  Maybe make the extra pass or drive the lane to get a closer shot.  No need to put the fate of the game on a long-range shot.

3.  USC has to play better perimeter defense:  UF shot 12-of-24 from 3 ball land and all three starting guards for the Gators had double-digit scoring games.  USC needs to put forth a more solid effort defensively.  USC is rebounding well this year and shooting better but needs to play better defense.

Football season is over now and there is no reason for fans not to show up tonight for the SEC home opener against Vanderbilt.  Well there are actually two reasons -  the game is on TV and tipoff is at nine o'clock eastern. 

There has been plenty of talk about ESPN putting east coast games on at nine o'clock during the week and I understand the reasoning (money). I don't think people would be complaining if the Gamecocks basketball team was having a better season.  If the team was winning and a good team like Vandy was coming to town, it would usually bring a pretty good crowd out to the Colonial Life Arena.

Well they aren't winning so I don't know how many people will show up tonight but it probably won't be that many.  I was at the game last week against SC State and there couldn't have been more then 400 people at the game.  The students were still gone on holiday break and the band was still returning from Orlando.   

I guess it all comes down to how good of a product you can put on the floor and this year it hasn't been a very good product.  Look for attendance to continue to decline until the Gamecocks can start winning some games.

The team still needs your support so if you have the chance go support our Gamecocks and keep those fingers crossed that USC pulls a upset tonight against the 'Dores.

 

The South Carolina men's basketball team (8-6) travels to face No. 2 Kentucky (14-1) on Saturday to open up SEC play.  The game will take place at Rupp Arena with a tip scheduled for 4 p.m. 

Kentucky holds a 44-10 advantage in the all-time series against South Carolina, including a 23-2 upperhand in games played in Lexington. The Gamecocks face a tall task in attempting to defeat the mighty Wildcats but it can be done.

For it to happen, the Gamecocks must execute these three things:

1.  Ellington and Cooke Have to Carry the Team - Sophomore guard Bruce Ellington has been stellar from beyond the arc over the course of the last two games, hitting 8-of-9 attempts from 3-point range.  He has to have a hot hand today versus UK.  If he can get hot from beyond the arc, then the Gamecocks have a chance to keep up with UK.  Underneath, Malik Cook has to play his best game of the season.  He must be aggressive in his rebounding and get the easy baskets to fall.

2. SC must out-rebound UK - it is a mighty feat but stranger things can happen.  South Carolina ranks first in the SEC in rebounding defense, as Carolina opponents collect just 31.9 rebounds per game. The Gamecocks have out-rebounded nine of 14 opponents this season.  If USC can do this, it limits the second chance opportunities for UK and that is a plus in this game.

3. Help from UK - Let's be honest, for USC to straight up defeat UK is hard to accomplish so the Gamecocks need help.  They need UK to be cold in their shooting, turn the ball over, making mental mistakes and USC must capitalize off these errors.

So, will the upset happen?  Doubt it but hoping for a miracle.  Look for UK to win by 13.

Give a listen to South Carolina head basketball coach Darrin Horn talk about his team heading into SEC conference play:

The South Carolina Gamecocks defeated the Wofford Terriers by the score of 72-66 to move their record to 7-6 overall.

Here is video highlights of the win:

The South Carolina Gameoccks basketball team square off in a home game against the USC-Upstate Spartans.  Tip-off is noon today at the Colonial Life Arena.

Here is a quick preview:

The South Carolina Gamecocks defeated the Wofford Terriers by the score of 57-45.  This win gives USC is fourth win in the past five games, the lone loss was against second ranked Ohio State.

Nailing the three point shots is what contributed to the win as USC hit a season high 11 three-pointers. 

The Gamecocks were paced by guard Bruce Ellington, who scored a season-high 17 points. Ellington, who will fly down to Orlando Thursday to join the Gamecock football team, hit five of Carolina’s season high 11 three pointers.

The win puts USC at an even record as it now stands at 6-6 overall.

Let’s look at five things we learned from the win: