Basketball is a game of runs. It’s no secret.
Runs like the seven-game frenzy South Carolina went on earlier this season that saw them knock off No. 9 Iowa State. And also runs like the six-game losing streak the Gamecocks ran into last season when they opened up conference play.
After losing back-to-back conference games to kick off its SEC slate, South Carolina nearly fell into the hole that just about swallowed their season a year ago. Head coach Frank Martin’s squad squeaked out an ugly two-point win over Alabama on Tuesday to avoid falling to 0-3 in conference play, but it’s the kind of game his team could have just as easily lost last season.
With the team’s first conference win under its belt, Martin knows better than to be complacent.
“When you understand how hard it is to win one game and you go out there and prepare, you have to stay humbled by the opponent and by how difficult it is to win,” Martin said. “So, when you start getting comfortable because you’ve won one game, you’re getting ready to get a loss across your head.”
The Gamecocks led a much more balanced offensive attack in their win against Alabama. Five players scored at least eight points, while two players managed to reach double digits. However, two South Carolina players who scored below the eight-point threshold are sophomore guards Duane Notice and Sindarius Thornwell, who each finished with six points.
But there is some good news in the team’s two leading scoring going ice cold: South Carolina has figured out a way to win without heavily relying on consistent guard play. Junior forward Michael Carrera benefited from Notice and Thornwell’s lack of production Tuesday night, pulling down eight rebounds to go with 12 points. Carrera also shot 7-of-8 from the free throw line, pushing his season average from 63 percent (12-19) to 70 percent (19-27).
Now the Gamecocks are provided with the task of knocking off an Auburn team that has not lost at home since the beginning of December. After amassing a 462-145 record over six seasons at Tennessee, head coach Bruce Pearl has earned the respect of many coaches around the league, including South Carolina’s Martin.
“[Pearl] gets kids to believe in themselves, to believe in what he’s doing. And he gets them playing at a high, high level,” Martin said. “When you watch [Auburn] play live, his teams play with his charisma. He’s got a passion for life and for what he does that’s special. When you see his teams play, they play that way.”
Pearl’s Tigers are shooting nearly 42 percent (347-829) from the field, but are dead last in the SEC in rebounding, something the Gamecocks have prided themselves on, along with their defense. South Carolina out-rebounded the Crimson Tide 33 to 23 in its win and are currently fourth in the conference in the statistic, averaging over 39 rebounds per game.
South Carolina was especially successful pulling down offensive rebounds and generating second chances. The Gamecocks registered 13 offensive rebounds to Alabama’s four Tuesday night.
Although Martin’s squad was able to edge out a win, they still sit at 10th place in the conference, holding a 1-2 record in league play. South Carolina would have to do more than lose two in a row to shake Martin’s confidence in the team, however.
“We lost two in a row back in November and then won seven in a row after that and played real good basketball,” Martin said. “So, from a confidence standpoint, there is no issue. There’s no ands, ifs or buts. We just got to go out and play the way we’re capable of playing.”