Short-handed Gamecocks start SEC play tonight against Ole Miss
South Carolina men's basketball coach Dave Odom doesn't want to keep harping on injuries, because no coach wants to be perceived as making excu- ses.
But in the case of the Game- cocks, those in- juries, which seem to be growing by the week, are hard to ig- nore.
When the Gamecocks (6-4) open Southeastern Conference play at home tonight at 7:30 against Mississippi (9-2), Odom will be without two key players and will welcome back another who hasn't played since Nov. 29.
Things might be different if the Gamecocks were opening league play against a lesser team, but the Rebels have won four straight, return four starters from last year's 20-11 team and remember all too well it was the Gamecocks, who knocked them out of the SEC Tournament last March.
"I could go through a lot of superlatives," Odom said, "but everyone knows how good they are. We'll have to play our very best, and we have played great basketball so far. But we're going to have to get to that standard if we're going to be successful in the SEC."
The Gamecocks will have to do it without 6-foot-10 center Marius Petravicius, who partially tore the ACL in his left knee in last week's win against The Citadel. He'll be re-evaluated in two weeks.
Chris Warren, who was averaging 6.5 points and 2.2 re- bounds, broke his left ankle in practice Sunday. He'll be re-evaluated next week, but is expected to be out three weeks.
The good news is 6-10 center Tony Kitchings, out since Nov. 29 with a broken left (shooting) hand is back. While he has been able to run and do some non-contact work the past few weeks, Kitchings, who has always fought conditioning problems, won't be in game shape.
That's not good news when he's facing a small, but quick Ole Miss front court that includes 6-8 Justin Reed, one of the league's top players, 6-7 Aaron Harper and 6-8 Derrick Allen.
Plus, Ole Miss tops the SEC in scoring defense (55.4) and defensive rebounding.
The Gamecocks, averaging only 67.9 points, have had problems scoring, particularly from the perimeter and rank last in the SEC in field goal percentage (.418).
"I don't want to lament our problems," Odom said. "It's easy to say injuries are a part of the game, and by golly they are. We've got to come closer together as a team and give more, not less. You've got to slap yourself in the face with reality. We don't have these guys, and we've got to get better with what we have.
"I don't want to throw those out as excuses, but the facts are the facts. The injuries have come at us hard and fast."
Just days before Petravicius and Warren went down, Odom had made a change in the lineup, giving 6-7 senior Chuck Eidson the major ball-handling responsibilities. Against The Citadel, Eidson didn't score, but ran the offense well, and Michael Boynton came off the bench to score a career-high 14 points.
Boynton, who had been trying to play point, looked more comfortable shooting rather than trying to run the team.
The Gamecocks at least had a plan Odom thought would help get them ready for the SEC.
Petravicius had been starting at center, and Warren had started a couple of games and was averaging 18 minutes off the bench. Odom had established a rotation, while knowing Kitchings was on the way back.
While he's not starting over, Odom certainly has to adjust again.
"It's been tough," Odom said, "but by the same token we've got guys who should be standing up and playing better than they are. We expect them to do that."
Kitchings could be a key tonight.
"He's in running shape, but definitely not in playing shape," Odom said. "We expect an all-out effort for short periods. He can still be one of the best inside players in the league."
Odom knows he has to have a plan quickly. The Gamecocks go to Kentucky on Saturday, then play Auburn and Florida at home where the Gamecocks are 6-0.
"We're excited about the start of the SEC," Odom said. "It brings on a life of its own, a regeneration."
South Carolina men's basketball coach Dave Odom doesn't want to keep harping on injuries, because no coach wants to be perceived as making excu- ses.
But in the case of the Game- cocks, those in- juries, which seem to be growing by the week, are hard to ig- nore.
When the Gamecocks (6-4) open Southeastern Conference play at home tonight at 7:30 against Mississippi (9-2), Odom will be without two key players and will welcome back another who hasn't played since Nov. 29.
Things might be different if the Gamecocks were opening league play against a lesser team, but the Rebels have won four straight, return four starters from last year's 20-11 team and remember all too well it was the Gamecocks, who knocked them out of the SEC Tournament last March.
"I could go through a lot of superlatives," Odom said, "but everyone knows how good they are. We'll have to play our very best, and we have played great basketball so far. But we're going to have to get to that standard if we're going to be successful in the SEC."
The Gamecocks will have to do it without 6-foot-10 center Marius Petravicius, who partially tore the ACL in his left knee in last week's win against The Citadel. He'll be re-evaluated in two weeks.
Chris Warren, who was averaging 6.5 points and 2.2 re- bounds, broke his left ankle in practice Sunday. He'll be re-evaluated next week, but is expected to be out three weeks.
The good news is 6-10 center Tony Kitchings, out since Nov. 29 with a broken left (shooting) hand is back. While he has been able to run and do some non-contact work the past few weeks, Kitchings, who has always fought conditioning problems, won't be in game shape.
That's not good news when he's facing a small, but quick Ole Miss front court that includes 6-8 Justin Reed, one of the league's top players, 6-7 Aaron Harper and 6-8 Derrick Allen.
Plus, Ole Miss tops the SEC in scoring defense (55.4) and defensive rebounding.
The Gamecocks, averaging only 67.9 points, have had problems scoring, particularly from the perimeter and rank last in the SEC in field goal percentage (.418).
"I don't want to lament our problems," Odom said. "It's easy to say injuries are a part of the game, and by golly they are. We've got to come closer together as a team and give more, not less. You've got to slap yourself in the face with reality. We don't have these guys, and we've got to get better with what we have.
"I don't want to throw those out as excuses, but the facts are the facts. The injuries have come at us hard and fast."
Just days before Petravicius and Warren went down, Odom had made a change in the lineup, giving 6-7 senior Chuck Eidson the major ball-handling responsibilities. Against The Citadel, Eidson didn't score, but ran the offense well, and Michael Boynton came off the bench to score a career-high 14 points.
Boynton, who had been trying to play point, looked more comfortable shooting rather than trying to run the team.
The Gamecocks at least had a plan Odom thought would help get them ready for the SEC.
Petravicius had been starting at center, and Warren had started a couple of games and was averaging 18 minutes off the bench. Odom had established a rotation, while knowing Kitchings was on the way back.
While he's not starting over, Odom certainly has to adjust again.
"It's been tough," Odom said, "but by the same token we've got guys who should be standing up and playing better than they are. We expect them to do that."
Kitchings could be a key tonight.
"He's in running shape, but definitely not in playing shape," Odom said. "We expect an all-out effort for short periods. He can still be one of the best inside players in the league."
Odom knows he has to have a plan quickly. The Gamecocks go to Kentucky on Saturday, then play Auburn and Florida at home where the Gamecocks are 6-0.
"We're excited about the start of the SEC," Odom said. "It brings on a life of its own, a regeneration."
