South Carolina Faces No. 19 Vols

On Wednesday, Feb. 16, the South Carolina Gamecocks will face off against the No. 19 Tennessee Volunteers. In a game originally scheduled for Tuesday that got pushed back to Wednesday, the Gamecocks will face a team in Knoxville that is looking to find a semblance of consistency.

The Volunteers

That's that. pic.twitter.com/2OqEMzisLS

— Tennessee Basketball (@Vol_Hoops) February 13, 2021

In their last game, Tennessee fell on the road to LSU, 65-78. Despite a 20-point outing from freshman guard Jaden Springer (his third in a row), the visiting Vols couldn’t overcome 29 percent field goal percentage in the first half. Now, as they return home, Tennessee will look to find some offensive production from all members of the lineup.

A 3rd consecutive 20-point outing for Jaden pic.twitter.com/pH7dDVi7O5

— Tennessee Basketball (@Vol_Hoops) February 13, 2021

The last time that Tennessee won three games in a row was in early January; for a team that had championship aspirations, it will need to improve their ability to carry momentum from one win to the next. Now, as Tennessee rebounds after a loss, the team will look to lay the foundations for energy that can carry them through the last three games of the season and into the SEC Tournament.

The Gamecocks

In their last matchup with the team that calls “Rocky Top” home last season, South Carolina topped Tennessee, 63-61. This year, the Gamecocks have not fared as well; they are currently in the midst of a three-game losing streak since upsetting the Florida Gators in Gainesville. Now, head coach Frank Martin will look to re-energize his team with another chance to upset a conference rival on the road.

https://twitter.com/GamecockMBB/status/1361730513862602754?s=20

In their win over Florida, junior AJ Lawson scored 22 of the team’s 72 points as the team shot over 45 percent from the field. The team hasn’t shot above 45 percent in any of their three losses. To reignite the offense, they will need to start knocking down baskets.

FINAL | Late comeback bid falls shy as Ole Miss wins, 81-74. #Gamecocks travel to Knoxville to face No. 16 Tennessee (14-5, 7-5 SEC) on Tuesday night. 8:30 p.m. ET tip on the SEC Network. pic.twitter.com/eLqh8ibudI

— Gamecock MBB (@GamecockMBB) February 14, 2021

Furthermore, the team will need to start strong; in their most recent game, Carolina outscored Ole Miss in the second half. However, it was not enough to overcome their cold start. In the game against No. 8 Alabama, the Gamecocks tied the Crimson Tide for second-half points. However, the three-point lead that ‘Bama held going into halftime proved to be the deciding factor. These results show that Carolina needs to come out of the gates firing; if they can secure an early lead, they can rely on their second-half scoring to carry them to another upset.

Where to Watch

The game will be broadcasted on the SEC Network, and will tip off at 9:00 p.m.