South Carolina basketball: Freshman phenom leads Gamecocks to victory
By Jacob Elsey
The South Carolina basketball team bounced back in a big way on Sunday to close out the Asheville Championship Tournament. The 75-64 win over Western Kentucky puts the Gamecocks at 2-1 on the young season and gives the program a little momentum as it heads into a three-game homestand.
The team was led by an unlikely star in the win over the Hilltoppers as true freshman guard Devin Carter broke out for a career performance in just his third appearance. Playing in a reserve role, the NBA legacy notched a career-high 16 points off the bench. The rookie shot 40% from the field and was aggressive enough to get to the free throw line a game-high eight times. He also recorded a team-high four assists and finished with eight boards.
Carter came to South Carolina as a four-star prospect and the son of former Miami Heat guard Anthony Carter. He was ranked as a top 100 player in his high school class and his talent has become obvious over his first three collegiate contests. His role only figures to grow as the season continues.
South Carolina basketball team exploits advantage in the paint
In a matchup with Princeton on Friday, the Gamecocks failed to play aggressively at times, settling for too many jump shots in a 66-62 defeat. In that game, the team shot just 4-of-26 from three-point land in its worst performance of the year.
South Carolina turned things around on Sunday, though, using a size and athleticism advantage to attack the rim and find easy looks. The Gamecocks posted 34 points in the paint and outrebounded the Hilltoppers by a margin of 46-28.
The success in the paint led to open looks from the outside, as the Gamecocks shot 33% on their three-point attempts. James Reese and Jermaine Couisnard combined to go 7-for-15 beyond the arc to put up 14 and 16 points, respectively.
Transfer Erik Stevenson continues to struggle offensively, going just 1-of-8 from three-point land (2-for-25 on the year), but his excellent defense is keeping him on the court. He’s already notched five blocks and 10 steals to lead the team in both categories. If he can figure it out on offense, he could be a major player for the Gamecocks moving forward.
Frank Martin’s group will lace ’em back up on Thursday to take on UAB in Colonial Life Arena. South Carolina hopes to move to 3-1 in non-conference play.