South Carolina will hope to have a better performance in its regular season opener against USC Upstate than it did in a surprising exhibition loss to Division II foe Augusta.
The Gamecocks fell 77-72 on Oct. 26, and it seems likely that Frank Martin will have his team’s attention ahead of the first game that actually counts.
As for USC Upstate, the Spartans are coming off a seven-win season and have an experienced backcourt that should present some challenges.
Let’s run through what to watch for entering this one.
Game Details
- USC Upstate at South Carolina
- Location: Colonial Life Arena – Columbia, SC
- Game Date: Nov. 6
- Game Time: 7 p.m. EST
- Watch: SEC Network+
Players to Watch
Chris Silva (South Carolina)
Silva should be the best player on the floor on Tuesday night as goes into what should be a monster senior season in Columbia.
The reigning SEC co-defensive player of the year should be in the running for the league’s most valuable player, and his ability to stay out of foul trouble could be what decides South Carolina’s success this season.
He racked up four fouls and did not play in the final 10 minutes of the exhibition contest against Augusta, so that certainly played a role in the loss.
South Carolina obviously a much better team with Silva on the court, and his well-rounded skill set should help the team make significant strides this year.
Justin Minaya (South Carolina)
Minaya is a potential breakout player worth watching this season after averaging 7.9 points and 4.2 rebounds in 26.9 minutes per game as a freshman.
The 6-5 forward has the versatility to be effective in a variety of ways, and the Gamecocks will likely need him to step into a more expanding scoring role this year.
If Minaya can take another step forward, he should be able to help South Carolina move up the SEC ladder.
Deion Holmes (USC Upstate)
The 6-2 senior was the Spartans’ top scorer last season in averaging 15.5 points in 26.5 minutes per game.
He was efficient from the floor in connecting on 46.9 percent of his shots, so the preseason All-Big South Second Team selection should garner a lot of attention from Martin’s squad.
Holmes has proven scoring help in senior forward Malik Moore (13.5 ppg), and that combination will be USC Upstate’s best shot at pulling off the upset.
Key Stats
If the Gamecocks want to return to the upper half of the SEC, they simply have to be more effective shooting the ball.
South Carolina shot just 43.5 percent from inside the perimeter last season (344th nationally), and what made matters worse is that Martin’s team also finished 231st in 3-point shooting (33.8 percent), and 242nd in free-throw shooting (69.9 parent).
Of course, what could ease those woes is the fact that the Spartans ranked 349th in field-goal percentage defense (50.1 percent) and last nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency in ’17-18.
Game Outlook
- KenPom Projection: South Carolina, 98 percent chance to win
- ESPN BPI Projection: South Carolina, 96.1 percent chance to win
This is a game that South Carolina should dominate from start to finish, but only if Silva can stay on the floor so that the offense can run through him.
The Gamecocks have added some solid players with good offensive skills, and that should help provide more balance.
However, Silva is still the star of the show, and getting a stellar performance from him right off the bat would ease some worries for South Carolina fans after the exhibition struggles.
Game Pick: South Carolina
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