Gamecocks jump to first

With the head of the SEC East at stake, the Gamecocks picked a great game to show their talent with a 77-59 win.

The crowd seemed to sense the high stakes of the game. The volume of the student section reached unheard of levels as a result of the explosive performance by juniors Dominique Archie, Devan Downey and sophomore Sam Muldrow. USC filled the game with dramatic three-pointers, explosive slam dunks, and controlling blocks.

From the moment the doors were opened the stadium started to fill and the crowd's presence immediately paid off for USC. Archie started the scoring for the Gamecocks with a bucket directly off the tipoff. Archie's layup opened up a lead that Carolina would not relinquish for the entire game.

Downey followed the opening bucket up with a steal, and USC's defense would force another turnover. Although neither of the two UK turnovers resulted in points for USC, the tone was set for the rest of the game and the fans recognized that they were playing a role on the court.

"The crowd was absolutely unbelievable," USC coach Darrin Horn said. "I challenge anybody to say that we don't have a home court advantage now in the Colonial Life Arena. Our fans were phenomenal. That building was as loud as I've ever heard and I've been in a lot of nice venues in my time."

The crowd kept the Gamecocks moving at a breakneck pace, opening up a six-point lead. UK would close to within one possession three times in the first eight minutes, but the Garnet Army stood behind its team and USC responded.

After UK's Jodie Meeks knocked down a 3-pointer to within one, Downey hit a three to open the gap back up. UK forward Patrick Patterson hit a free throw to keep UK within striking distance and Archie answered with another three. After minutes of back and forth Downey and sophomore Austin Steed would combine for five unanswered points to bring the Gamecock lead to double digits.

After that, there was no looking back for Carolina.

"I have [been in a game like that], but not since high school," Kentucky's Perry Stevenson said. "They are really good. They are great athletes. That's what great athletes do."

Downey dominated the end of the first half and beginning of the second. Although he sparked the offense the entire night, it was his play during this period that sparked his team. Downey drilled a jumper with six seconds left in the first half and opened the second half with an alley-oop assist to Muldrow and a steal-to-fastbreak layup to follow that.

By the time that was said and done, the Gamecocks had a lead of 22 points.

"You saw one team with a point guard, and one team without a point guard," Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie said. "That had a lot to do with tonight...They play hard, they play smart and they play together. They maximize their offensive possessions and defensive posessions and they should be commended for that."

The previous largest margin of victory the Gamecocks had over the Wildcats was by 12 points in the 2004-2005 season. At one point during last night's contest Carolina led UK by 28 points.

After building up a lead of that size USC coasted for the rest of the second half. Carolina dropped into a zone defense. Kentucky would close to 18 points by the time the game was over.

A win for Carolina puts the team in an almost certain position for a spot in the NCAA tournament. This win will be a nice cushion going into a road game against Vanderbilt this upcoming Saturday.

"We want to build a program that's hopefully in this position," Horn said. "Playing for first place in late February, more often than just on a given year. The only way I know how to do that is to just come out and keep working hard. We have an extremely tough game this Saturday against a good Vanderbilt team...The only way I know how to get ready for that is to come back tomorrow and start working."

The Gamecocks will be doing just that as they prepare to take on Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tenn. on Feb. 28.