Gamecocks Slip by Kentucky Wesleyan in Exhibition Play

Image by Kyle S. Brown

Tonight Carolina fans got their first chance to witness the 2012-2013 Men’s Basketball team (under the leadership of 1st year head coach Frank Martin) face off against fresh faces. Following last week’s public practice, the Panthers from Kentucky Wesleyan again traveled to Columbia to take on the Gamecocks in exhibition play. The result was bittersweet.

The Gamecocks were without Damian Leonard, LaShay Page,Minduagas Kacinas, Carlton Geathers, and Bruce Ellington (all of whom are expected to contribute heavily this season). The result was a look at a shell of this years team that displayed some young talent.

It wasn’t the prettiest preseason game I’ve ever witnessed. The Gamecocks certainly didn’t win any style points. But, they did just enough to get the win. The team showed some resolve, as they trailed the majority of the game and were down by as many as 11 points in the first half.

Brenton Williams (Jr – Guard) and Lakeem Jackson (Sr – Forward) carried the Gamecocks with a combined 35 points. Jackson also brought down 10 rebounds to complete a double-double.

It was clear from the tip-off that the Panthers had come not just to play, but to win. They quickly took control of the tempo and scoreboard. In the closing minutes of the first half, the Cocks rallied to carry a 6 point lead into the locker room. In the second half, Kentucky Wesleyan continued to largely control the game. They outscored the Gamecocks 36-31 in the second frame. Late KWU foul trouble would slow Panther momentum, allowing the Cocks to keep the game manageable. Brenton Williams drove to the hoop, laying in the game winner with 2.6 seconds remaining.

It was only an exhibition, and the team we saw on the court tonight is far from the team the Gamecocks will be putting on display a month from now. Still, here are a few game observations from Garnet & Cocky.

The Good

Brenton Williams – This young man was impressive. His 22 points (including the game winner in the closing seconds) are not enough to properly reflect the impact he had on the game.
In Transition – I was most impressed with the team’s transitional play. They did an impressive job of creating turnovers and scoring quick points.

The Bad

The Charity Stripe – I was frustrated with the teams free-throw shooting. I know it’s just the preseason, and there’s plenty of time for improvement; but the Gamecocks need to give us better than 71% from the stripe.
Rebounding – When the Gamecocks were pounding the boards, they were clearly in control of this contest. So what’s the problem? The good guys were out-rebounded by the Panthers 35-31.

The Ugly

Shooting – Overall, the team’s shooting left a lot to be desired. Offensive sets in the half-court seemed to be working. But, shooters were hesitant to let the ball go. They often worked themselves too deep into the shot clock and threw up ill-advised shots.
Defense – This is the biggest disappointment I took away from the exhibition. Early on, the Gamecocks showed a difficulty in defending the perimeter shot. As they adjusted to the outside game, they offered far too many easy looks from the baseline. This is the last thing I expected to see from a Frank Martin team.

The Gamecocks will return to the hardwood on Nov. 11 at 3pm, facing Milwaukee. It will be interesting to see which areas of the game the Cocks will focus on improving until then. As always, you can expect Garnet and Cocky to bring you coverage.

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The Good

Brenton Williams – This young man was impressive. His 22 points (including the game winner in the closing seconds) are not enough to properly reflect the impact he had on the game.

In Transition – I was most impressed with the team’s transitional play. They did an impressive job of creating turnovers and scoring quick points.

The Bad

The Charity Stripe – I was frustrated with the teams free-throw shooting. I know it’s just the preseason, and there’s plenty of time for improvement; but the Gamecocks need to give us better than 71% from the stripe.

Rebounding – When the Gamecocks were pounding the boards, they were clearly in control of this contest. So what’s the problem? The good guys were out-rebounded by the Panthers 35-31.

The Ugly

Shooting – Overall, the team’s shooting left a lot to be desired. Offensive sets in the half-court seemed to be working. But, shooters were hesitant to let the ball go. They often worked themselves too deep into the shot clock and threw up ill-advised shots.