Men's basketball looks to build on 2nd-half momentum from Alabama loss
After South Carolina got off to a rough start on the road against Alabama Saturday, coach Frank Martin said junior guard Bruce Ellington brought back the energy the team has lacked throughout its six-game losing streak.
Although the Gamecocks (12-13, 2-10 SEC) eventually lost the game 68-58, they won the second half and showed a greater willingness to chase after loose balls, take charge and play with “fervor and passion,” Martin said.
USC will look to build on its second-half showing against the Crimson Tide when it hosts Ole Miss (19-6, 8-4 SEC) at Colonial Life Arena tonight.
Ellington scored 11 points against Alabama, playing a team-high 36 minutes. But Martin said he also contributed on the defensive end, and other players followed Ellington’s lead.
“I saw Bruce Ellington say, ‘You know what, man? I am done with this nonsense. I’m going to do this, and whoever else wants to help me, come on,’” Martin told reporters in a press conference on Tuesday. “I can help Bruce because he put his foot in the ground.”
The coach refused to criticize specific players, something he said he has never done and will never do in his career. But he said South Carolina’s current roster does not have enough individuals who understand what it takes to win, adding that the Gamecocks need to learn what it takes before they can focus on winning.
“Our culture — our approach — is no good,” Martin said. “That has to change.”
The Rebels’ roster has veteran leadership that will pose a substantial challenge for the Gamecocks. Martin described senior forward Murphy Holloway as a “strong bull” and said USC senior Lakeem Jackson will have to be solid in his matchup against him.
Nick Williams, a fifth-year senior guard for the Rebels and a player Martin recruited as the coach at Kansas State, will return from an injury that sidelined him at the end of January. Martin described him as a “guy that, when things aren’t going the way they need to go, is going to put his arms around guys and make them do the right thing,” adding that he brings an element of stability to the Rebels.
Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy, who is in his seventh year in the position, arranges his offense to make sure his best players can take shots from parts of the court where they are most efficient. Martin said he is still figuring out how to take advantage of his players’ abilities in a similar manner.
“This year I feel like I continue to put guys in places where they’re playing to a weakness rather than a strength,” Martin said.
But the coach highlighted his track record of success as a high school and collegiate coach, saying that although South Carolina has limitations as a program, he and his staff will continue to build the program and prepare his players for success.
“There’s no magic wand to the formula,” Martin said. “There’s no shortcut to the process ... but I do understand what it takes to win.”