Sports

Gamecock Hoops Extends Winning Streak Into SEC Play

SOUTH CAROLINA ENJOYING HIGHEST NATIONAL RANKING IN EIGHTEEN YEARS The University of South Carolina men’s basketball team extended its season-opening unbeaten streak to fourteen games with an 81-69 win over Auburn. Junior guard Sindarius Thornwell scored a season-high 22 points to pace the Gamecocks – who embarked on a game-clinching…

SOUTH CAROLINA ENJOYING HIGHEST NATIONAL RANKING IN EIGHTEEN YEARS

The University of South Carolina men’s basketball team extended its season-opening unbeaten streak to fourteen games with an 81-69 win over Auburn.

Junior guard Sindarius Thornwell scored a season-high 22 points to pace the Gamecocks – who embarked on a game-clinching 7-0 run late in the second half after the Tigers (7-6, 1-1 SEC) pulled within six points.  Thornwell’s performance puts the 6-foot-5, 215-pound Lancaster, S.C. native just nine points shy of the 1,000-point mark for his collegiate career.

“Our team isn’t based on one person,” he said after the game.  “Anyone can step up.  It’s big to start off the SEC with a win.”

Indeed.

After struggling during his first three years in Columbia, head coach Frank Martin‘s resurgent Gamecocks (14-0, 1-0 SEC) are off to their hottest start since 1934 – and are nationally ranked for the first time in more than a decade.  According to the latest Associated Press poll, South Carolina is the No. 22 team in the nation – and the third-best team in the Southeastern Conference.  According to the USA Today/ Coaches’ poll, the Gamecocks are ranked No. 20.

Up next for Martin’s team?  Vanderbilt.  The Commodores (8-6, 0-2 SEC) travel to Columbia, S.C. for a 3:00 p.m. EST tipoff this Saturday (January 9).  That game will be televised nationally on the SEC Network.

Gamecock fans are hoping their team can continue its early success during the grind of conference play and earn its first NCAA tournament berth since 2004 (and first NCAA tournament win since 1974).  Meanwhile head coach Dawn Staley‘s women’s basketball team – which made it to the Final Four last season – is also undefeated and ranked No. 2 in the nation.

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40 comments

erneba January 6, 2016 at 9:31 am

They looked good last night, watched the game on one of the sports channels. Good luck to both the men’s and women teams. The SEC does not look that strong overall in basketball this year with the exception of Kentucky (11-3), Texas A&M(11-2), Ole Miss(10-3), and Alabama(9-3) with the best records so far.

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Bible Thumper January 6, 2016 at 9:34 am

14 – 0, but they play in a weak conference. Where have I heard that before?

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erneba January 6, 2016 at 9:49 am

You would not be referring to the Tigers?

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R.Dudley Verputz January 6, 2016 at 10:21 am

Houston destroyed Florida State
Baylor destroyed UNC
Clemson beat ND by 2 at home/Ohio State beat ND by 16 on a neutral field and without the #1 pick in the NFL draft

ACC is a weak football conference.

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mamatiger92 January 6, 2016 at 10:34 am

40-35

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R.Dudley Verputz January 6, 2016 at 10:53 am

You appear to be a person that lives in the past.

mamatiger92 January 6, 2016 at 10:57 am

Oh, I am more than happy to talk 2015 football.

R.Dudley Verputz January 6, 2016 at 11:01 am

Ohio State will have 7 players drafted in the 1st round,9 total in the first 2 rounds and 15 players drafted over all in the NFL draft-and will be even better next year.

mamatiger92 January 6, 2016 at 11:01 am

And, next Monday, they will be watching from home.

R.Dudley Verputz January 6, 2016 at 11:03 am

Laughing at Clemson and crying that they fucked up cause Clemson and Bama ain’t got shit.

mamatiger92 January 6, 2016 at 10:37 am

Alabama 38, Michigan State 0
Georgia 24, Penn State 17
Tennessee 45, Northwestern 6
Stanford 45, Iowa 16
Duke 44, Indiana 41

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R.Dudley Verputz January 6, 2016 at 10:52 am

You left out Wisconsin’s beat down of USC and Michigan’s destruction of SEC runner-up Florida(the truth has never been one of your virtues). HOUSTON!!!! LMAO!!!
Mel Kiper said Clemson would get wacked by Ohio State.

mamatiger92 January 6, 2016 at 10:56 am

Just as you left out Louisville’s win over Texas A&M and, of course, Clemson’s dismantling of #4 Oklahoma.
Based on your logic, Bama would beat y’all by what… 70?

R.Dudley Verputz January 6, 2016 at 10:59 am

Bama? Ask Bama about Ohio State! Oklahoma was a fraud and when they lost their 2 running backs it was over.Oklahoma was created to keep Ohio State out.

Brian Kelley from ND said Ohio State was by far the best team in the country and the best team they played.

mamatiger92 January 6, 2016 at 11:00 am

“Bama? Ask Bama about Ohio State!”
You appear to be a person that lives in the past.

R.Dudley Verputz January 6, 2016 at 11:02 am

As far as I know Ohio State is STILL the UNDISPUTED NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!!!!

mamatiger92 January 6, 2016 at 11:03 am

Then, using your logic, Clemson is still your daddy.
40-35

R.Dudley Verputz January 6, 2016 at 11:05 am

Brian Kelley played them both this year.Said Ohio State would destroy Clemson.

Checkmate.

mamatiger92 January 6, 2016 at 11:06 am

LMAO

THE Ohio State-NFL U. January 6, 2016 at 11:33 am

Testing

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mamatiger92 January 6, 2016 at 11:44 am

Maybe you should re-think the new username.

Current players in NFL:
Clemson 34
OSU 35

http://espn.go.com/nfl/college/_/letter/c

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THE Ohio State-NFL U. January 6, 2016 at 12:00 pm

1. Florida State – 124
Round 1 picks: 30
Highest overall pick: Andre Wadsworth, No. 3 (1998) – Florida Christian (Miami) High School
Round 2 picks: 18
NFL connection: Tampa Bay has drafted eight players from Florida State since 1994.

2. Ohio State – 123
Round 1 picks: 31
Highest overall pick: Orlando Pace, No. 1 (1997) – Sandusky (Ohio) High School
Dan Wilkinson, No. 1 (1994) – Dunbar (Dayton, Ohio) High School
Round 2 picks: 22
NFL connection: St. Louis has drafted nine players from Ohio State since 1994.

3. USC – 113
Round 1 picks: 25
Highest overall pick: Carson Palmer, No. 1 (2003) – Santa Margarita (Calif.) High School
Keyshawn Johnson, No. 1 (1996) – Dorsey (Los Angeles) High School
Round 2 picks: 48
NFL connection: Jacksonville has drafted seven players from USC since 1994.

4. Miami (FL) – 111
Round 1 picks: 33
Highest overall pick: Andre Johnson, No. 3 (2003) – Miami (Fla.) High School
Round 2 picks: 22
NFL connection: Baltimore and Cleveland have drafted seven Miami players since 1994.

5. Florida – 107
Round 1 picks: 23
Highest overall pick: Gerard Warren, No. 3 (2001) – Union County (Lake Butler, Fla.) High School
Round 2 picks: 32
NFL connection: Chicago has drafted nine Florida players since 1994.

5. Georgia – 107
Round 1 picks: 17
Highest overall pick: Matthew Stafford, No. 1 (2009) – Highland Park (Dallas) High School
Round 2 picks: 26
NFL connection: Cincinnati has drafted eight Georgia players since 1994.

7. Tennessee – 106
Round 1 picks: 20
Highest overall pick: Peyton Manning, No. 1 (1998) – Newman (New Orleans) High School
Round 2 picks: 36
NFL connection: Kansas City has drafted seven Tennessee players since 1994.

8. Nebraska – 99
Round 1 picks: 9
Highest overall pick: Ndamukong Suh, No. 3 (2010) – Grant (Portland, Ore.) High Shool
Round 2 picks: 32
NFL connection: St. Louis has drafted eight Nebraska players since 1994.

9. LSU – 98
Round 1 picks: 19
Highest overall pick: JaMarcus Russell, No. 1 (2007) – Williamson (Mobile, Ala.) High School
Round 2 picks: 32
NFL connection: Dallas and Seattle have drafted six players from LSU since 1994.

10. Notre Dame – 97
Round 1 picks: 11
Highest overall pick: Bryant Young, No. 7 (1994) – Bloom (Chicago Heights, Ill.) High School
Round 2 picks: 18
NFL connection: San Francisco has drafted six Notre Dame players since 1994.

11. Alabama – 96
Round 1 picks: 21
Highest overall pick: Trent Richardson, No. 3 (2012) – Escambia (Pensacola, Fla.) High School
Marcell Dareus, No. 3 (2011) – Huffman (Birmingham, Ala.) High School
Chris Samuels, No. 3 (2000) – Shaw (Mobile, Ala.) High School
Round 2 picks: 32
NFL connection: Baltimore has drafted seven Alabama players since 1994.

12. Oklahoma – 87
Round 1 picks: 14
Highest overall pick: Sam Bradford, No. 1 (2010) – Putnam City North (Oklahoma City) High School
Round 2 picks: 26
NFL connection: Baltimore has drafted six Oklahoma players since 1994.

13. Wisconsin – 84
Round 1 picks: 13
Highest overall pick: Joe Thomas, No. 3 (2007) – Brookfield Central (Wis.) High School
Round 2 picks: 18
NFL connection: Dallas, New Orleans and the New York Giants each have drafted five players from Wisconsin since 1994.

14. Penn State – 83
Round 1 picks: 16
Highest overall pick: Courtney Brown, No. 1 (2000) – Macedonia High School (S.C.), now closed
Ki-Jana Carter, No. 1 (1995) – Westerville South (Ohio) High School
Round 2 picks: 10
NFL connection: Indianapolis has drafted six players from Penn State since 1994.

15. Michigan – 82
Round 1 picks: 16
Highest overall pick: Jake Long, No. 1 (2008) – Lapeer East (Mich.) High School
Round 2 picks: 14
NFL connection: New England has drafted seven players from Michigan since 1994.

20 More schools
16. Virginia Tech – 80
17. California – 78
17. North Carolina – 78
19. Colorado – 71
20. Texas – 71
20. Texas A&M – 71
22. Iowa – 68
23. Clemson – 67
23. Oregon – 67
25. Arizona State – 66
26. Stanford – 65
27. Auburn – 64
28. Michigan State – 61
29. Virginia – 59
30. UCLA – 57
31. Arkansas – 55
32. South Carolina – 54
33. Kansas State – 52
33. Washington – 52
35. Arizona – 50

mamatiger92 January 6, 2016 at 12:26 pm

Damn, behind a weak ACC school How embarrassing for you.

THE Ohio State-NFL U. January 6, 2016 at 1:03 pm

The ACC has ruined Florida State and their credibility.

THE Ohio State-NFL U. January 6, 2016 at 12:02 pm

Below is schools in the last 20 years with most players drafted (thru 2014).

I see Clemson down there about #25.

mamatiger92 January 6, 2016 at 12:04 pm

You appear to be a person that lives in the past.

THE Ohio State-NFL U. January 6, 2016 at 12:06 pm

How about the FUTURE?LMAO!!!!!I just love kicking your ass!!! :)

Luckily, I’m ahead of the game, as I have studied and given draftable grades to 12 Buckeyes with NFL potential. And that is probably a conservative number. That dozen does not include QB J.T. Barrett (I actually have a 1st/2nd on him for future reference) who backed up Jones in Monday night’s win over Virginia Tech. Nor does it include juniors CB Eli Apple and S Tyvis Powell. They too figure to have NFL futures at some point; I just hadn’t fully studied them this summer.

If all draft eligible Buckeyes declare for 2016, there’s a chance they’ll have the most selections by a program in any one draft. The all-time mark in a seven round draft is 14, held by none other than Ohio State in 2004.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/sports/wp/2015/09/09/ohio-state-buckeyes-could-break-record-for-most-nfl-draft-picks-produced-by-one-program/

Thomas January 6, 2016 at 12:38 pm

Love kicking whose ass? The last 3 games you’ve played South Carolina and Clemson you’re 0-3.

Rocky Verdad January 6, 2016 at 4:38 pm

Florida has like 42. So does Ba-ba-ba-bama.

9" January 6, 2016 at 10:23 pm Reply
The Colonel (R) January 6, 2016 at 10:38 am

Both men’s and women’s teams undefeated, best start ever in USC history!

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mamatiger92 January 6, 2016 at 12:27 pm

I like Dawn Staley a lot. Was rooting for her in the tourney last year.

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The Colonel (R) January 6, 2016 at 12:31 pm

It would be nice to see them run the tables this year.

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mamatiger92 January 6, 2016 at 12:33 pm

Beat UConn, please. I hate Auriemma.

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THE Ohio State-NFL U. January 6, 2016 at 1:02 pm

Never hate anyone-especially winners out of pure jealousy.

Squishy123 January 6, 2016 at 2:39 pm

When did Ohio State replace Nebraska as having the most annoying fans?

9" January 6, 2016 at 1:33 pm

have to buy tickets on the googler,now .oh well

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Squishy123 January 6, 2016 at 4:09 pm

At what age do black people start getting tattoo’s? I’m seeing Freshman players with full sleeves of tattoo’s and they can’t be more than 18-19 years old.

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Squishy123 January 7, 2016 at 9:34 am

Im sure the black guy doing your mom knows

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thanksfortakingdowntheflagnikk January 7, 2016 at 6:53 pm

panthers gamecock men-women, tiger football 57-1 coincidence ?

Reply

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