Gamecocks MBB: Key Takeaways From The Colossal Win Over UGA

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The South Carolina Gamecocks snapped a three-game losing streak with a humongous 25+ point win.

The South Carolina Gamecocks Men’s basketball team finally get over a tough three-game bump, with an astounding performance from Junior Keyshawn Bryant. 

The team has struggled at quite a few facets throughout the season, where the team underperforms on the road and at home. The roster dropped the ball to LSU, then went over to Missouri to take a loss to the Tigers before heading back home and taking a loss from the other Tigers, Auburn. 

The Gamecocks did bounce back, HARD! With a 27 point win over the Bulldogs, the team looks to be turning the corner and can make a successful season out of this team yet. The next four games are a real toss-up for the men’s team, with easier games against Vanderbilt and Mississippi State, the team also play against a tough Florida Gators and a top-ten ranked Alabama. 

So the Gamecocks did put up a good win last night, and it wasn’t JUST because Georgia isn’t a great team. The roster legitimately looked better from tip-to-buzzer on both ends of the court. But here are TSUS’ keys to last night’s victory. 

Better defensive effort

Coach Frank Martin has always been hailed as a “defensive heavy” coach but until tonight that was just hearsay. The Gamecocks had been allowing an average of 78.5 points per match. However, the roster suffocated the Georgia guards and only allowed 59 points from the Bulldogs. They guarded so well on the perimeter and only allowed Georgia to shoot 15 percent from three-point land.  South Carolina also notched nine steals and seven blocks(where they previously averaged about three a game). Sophomore Jaylyn McCreary stepped up and sent four shots back, a career-high. The roster has to continue this defensive energy if they expect to remain competitive in SEC play. 

A stellar night from behind the arch

The Gamecocks have averaged 31 percent from the field this season so tonights stellar performance really put them over the top. South Carolina shot 47% from the perimeter with AJ Lawson hitting 75 percent from the field. The Gamecocks were letting it fly from behind the arch, hitting nine of their 19 attempts. If the team can continue to shoot this well from the arch then they can cause some serious trouble on the arch. 

Great play by Keyshawn Bryant and Jermaine Couisnard

I have always been a huge supporter of Keyshawn Bryant, I believe so much in his athleticism and intangibles that he can be a really good player. Bryant has a tendacy to create posters everytime he drives to the rim and he was effecient all over the floor. Bryant picked himself up a poster tonight against UGA. Bryant even dropped 19 points and recorded ten boards, giving him a double-double on the night. 

 

Jermaine Couisnard even recorded 18 points, while shooting 43 percent from the field. Couisnard played phenomenally as a starter this week and after winning SEC All-Freshman he’s been great at playmaking. 

The Gamecocks look to take on Vanderbilt away on the 30th of January. So going further into this season, South Carolina can hopefully get their rhythm back. 

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