The South Carolina men’s basketball team will be looking to bounce back from three straight losses against SEC East opponents when it travels to Thompson-Boling Arena to face the Tennessee Volunteers on Wednesday.
The Gamecocks are currently last in the SEC East with a conference record of 4-6 and an overall record of 13-10.
South Carolina’s current three-game losing streak includes a road loss to No. 18 Vanderbilt and home loses to No. 15 Florida and Georgia.
However, South Carolina coach Darrin Horn remained optimistic following Saturday’s loss to the Bulldogs.
“Obviously, our confidence was shook with our young group,” Horn said. “For us to bounce back and fight the way we did the second half and make the plays that we did with contributions from so many different guys is really a step for our team.”
The Gamecocks are one of the youngest teams in the league. Sam Muldrow and Johndre Jefferson are the only seniors on the team. The team’s starting five includes one sophomore and three freshmen.
One of the most valuable freshmen from the Gamecocks’ young roster is point guard Bruce Ellington. Ellington is trying to replace standout point guard Devan Downey, who averaged 22.5 points per game, including a 35-point game in an upset victory against then-No. 1 Kentucky, last season.
“Ellington is a terriffic point guard,” UT coach Bruce Pearl said. “He leads them in scoring, minutes played. He’ll remind people of a young Devan Downey, a tough cover.”
Ellington has been one of the few bright spots for the Gamecocks this year, averaging 13.9 points per game and 3.3 assists per game going into Wednesday night. However, he was slowed by an injury toward the end of the Gamecocks’ loss to Georgia, a game in which he scored only two points.
“He didn’t want to come out, but I think it started cramping and it was sore,” Horn said. “But you know the bigger the moment, the more he wants to be a part of it. I said, ‘You know I’ll run (the final play of the game) for you if you want it, and he said, ‘Absolutely, I want it, Coach.'”
The Gamecocks offense will also rely on senior forward Sam Muldrow. Muldrow enters the game averaging 10.8 points per game, 7.1 rebounds per game and 3.4 blocks per game. Muldrow has been a key contributor for the Gamecocks key victories this season, including wins against Vanderbilt and Florida.
Muldrow will have has hands full against Tennessee forward Tobias Harris. Harris will continue to be a main scoring option for Tennessee with a likely increase in touches following Scotty Hopson’s ankle injury. The freshman continues to prove why he’s regarded as one of the best freshmen in the SEC, with 14.4 points per game and 7.4 rebounds per game.
The Gamecocks will also need to rely heavily on the success of Ellington against the Vols.
