Big games set to alter standings
FAYETTEVILLE — The shape of the top of the SEC basketball race is sure to be impacted this week as there are a few pairings among the strongest contenders, starting with tonight’s South Carolina at Tennessee matchup at 5:30 p.m. Central on the SEC Network.
The Gamecocks (17-3, 5-2 SEC) are perhaps the biggest surprise team in the conference under secondyear Coach Lamont Paris.
South Carolina already has two SEC road wins, a 71-69 overtime decision at Missouri on Jan. 13 and a convincing 77-64 win at Arkansas on Jan. 20.
The win over the Razorbacks kick-started a 3-0 run for the Gamecocks, who are coming off a
2-0 week at home. South Carolina thumped No. 6 Kentucky 79-62 at home on Tuesday and followed that with a rugged 72-64 win over Missouri.
The Gamecocks had some struggles against Missouri’s zone defense, which Coach Dennis Gates has used to a solid effect in recent games. South Carolina guard Meechie Johnson, the team’s leading scorer at 15.7 points per game, did not score against the Tigers with an 0-of-9 shooting performance that included 0 of 7 from threepoint range.
South Carolina trailed 40-20 on points in the paint against Missouri while holding the Tigers to 2 of 8 from three-point range.
The Gamecocks are 5-2 in league action for the ninth time in school history, but history is not on their side tonight.
Tennessee (15-4, 5-1 SEC) held at No. 5 in Monday’s Associated Press Top 25 after rallying from a ninepoint deficit to down Vanderbilt 75-62 on the road Saturday. Guard Santiago Vescovi made his UT-record 129th career start in that game.
The Volunteers have won nine of the last 10 games in the series after crushing the Gamecocks in both meetings last year. Tennessee’s 8542 win in Columbia, S.C., last season was the largest margin of defeat for South Carolina as an SEC team. The Vols also won 85-45 on Feb. 25 in Knoxville, Tenn.
In addition to tonight’s marquee game between South Carolina and Tennessee, the SEC will offer up other critical matchups this week, including the first of two Egg Bowl hardwood editions with Mississippi State visiting Ole Miss tonight at 7:30 p.m. on the SEC Network.
Saturday will feature a pair of games with a bearing on the league leaders. Tennessee will visit Kentucky in the 7:30 p.m. ESPN game and Auburn will travel to Ole Miss for a 5 p.m. tip on the SEC Network.