South Carolina look to move to 2-0 on the season when it hosts Stony Brook on Friday night.
The Gamecocks started the new campaign with a 65-52 victory over USC Upstate, but it likely wasn’t the complete performance that Frank Martin was looking for from his squad.
Meanwhile, Stony Brook scored a big overtime win at George Washington to open up the season, with the Seawolves rallying from an early 22-0 deficit.
Let’s run through what to watch for in this matchup.
Game Details
- Stony Brook (1-0) at South Carolina (1-0)
- Location: Colonial Life Arena – Columbia, SC
- Game Date: Nov. 9
- Game Time: 7 p.m. EST
- Watch: SEC Network +
Players to Watch
Chris Silva (South Carolina)
Silva started the season the way most expected him to in earning a double-double by scoring 13 points and adding 11 rebounds in the win over USC Upstate.
He played 27 minutes and only committed one foul, which is promising when you consider that he was in foul trouble in the exhibition loss to Augusta and had similar issues last season.
There’s no doubt that Silva is among the best talents in the SEC, and when he’s on the court, South Carolina is simply a better team.
He also continues to be effective at getting to the foul line, as he went 9 of 12 from the charity stripe in the opener.
Keyshawn Bryant (South Carolina)
The 6-6 freshman had quite the debut on Tuesday in leading the team with 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting.
He was also grabbed seven rebounds, and if he can offer consistent production in both areas this season, it’ll give the Gamecocks a huge boost.
While he only played 21 minutes in his first game, it’s clear that Martin saw some things that should give Bryant more opportunities to increase his minutes going forward.
Elijah Olaniyi (Stony Brook)
Stony Brook’s offense will likely run through Olaniyi, who racked up 18 points and 10 rebounds in the win over George Washington.
Even more impressive, the 6-5 guard played 40 minutes and offered a little bit of everything on both sides of the court.
Jeff Boals should certainly have a confident squad heading into Columbia after the incredible comeback win, and Olaniyi will be the driving force of this feisty Seawolves group.
Key Stats
It seems unlikely that 3-point shooting will be the focus of this game, as neither team was particularly impressive in its first game.
However, South Carolina’s struggles were rather glaring, with the Gamecocks missing all 18 of their shots from beyond the arc.
Martin’s team wasn’t much better overall in shooting 33 percent from the field, so those offensive woes are definitely worth monitoring after South Carolina had significant problems in the same areas last year.
The Gamecocks also turned it over 19 times against USC Upstate, and Stony Brook will probably look to attack those backcourt inconsistencies as well in this game.
Game Outlook
- Spread: Not yet available
- Over/Under: Not yet available
- KenPom Projection: South Carolina, 93 percent chance to win
- ESPN BPI Projection: South Carolina, 90.4 percent chance to win
South Carolina has more size and experience than Stony Brook, but the shooting woes are still concerning.
Luckily, having potential breakout players like Bryant and sophomore forward Justin Minaya gives Martin and his staff some options to work with.
This is the type of game where the Gamecocks should use their aggressiveness to add pressure and attack the glass, and if that happens, it should result in a solid win.
But if Silva gets in early foul trouble and the offense stagnates, it may give the Seawolves a chance to pull off another upset.
Prediction: South Carolina 72, Stony Brook 60
For more SEC basketball coverage, follow me on Twitter @theblakelovell.