South Carolina Basketball: 5 players Gamecocks don't want to see in SEC Tournament
By Kevin Miller
5 Players South Carolina Basketball Wants to Avoid in Nashville
Florida Gators Guard Walter Clayton
South Carolina and Florida haven't played yet (they play on Saturday), but even before they tip off for the first time this season, it seems obvious that the Gators' top scorer could pose problems for the Gamecocks.
Walter Clayton, Jr. is a dynamic scorer, and he is a big-time shooter. However, arguably his best quality for making life difficult for Lamont Paris' team is his elite free throw shooting. Clayton gets to the line at a decent clip, but when he gets there, he makes his shots. After shooting over 90% from the line last season while playing at Iona, Clayton is shooting around 85% this year and hasn't missed more than 1 foul shot in a game since November.
The Gamecocks' physical brand of basketball results in more fouls than one would hope on a per-play basis. Despite being the slowest-paced team in the SEC, the Gamecocks still surrender 17.1 free throw attempts per game, and that number is growing as they've allowed their last two opponents to combine to shoot 57 times from the charity stripe.
If USC lets Clayton and the Gators get to the line a bunch, they will lose. Avoiding Todd Golden's team in Nashville would be a good thing for South Carolina basketball.