First Place SEC Showdown: USC Welcomes Wildcats

COLUMBIA, S.C. (USC SID) — South Carolina looks to remain atop the SEC standings on Saturday when Kentucky visits Colonial Life Arena for a Noon matchup. Both the Gamecocks and Wildcats hold 8-3 records in league play and both squads have won two-straight entering Saturday’s game. The contest vs. UK marks the second sellout at Colonial Life Arena this season for a men’s basketball game.

GAME STORYLINES

– South Carolina is in its 108th season of varsity basketball in 2015-16.
– Carolina is led by fourth-year head coach Frank Martin. Alongside him are associate head coach Matt Figger, assistant coaches Perry Clarkand Lamont Evans and director of men’s hoops operations, Andy Assaley.
– South Carolina is receiving votes in the Associated Press’ Top 25 Poll this week, while Carolina is No. 20 in the USA Today/Coaches Top 25 Poll. The Gamecocks have been receiving votes or have been ranked for the past 11 weeks in the Coaches Poll, rising to as high as 15th, and also for 11 straight weeks in the AP poll, rising to as high as 19th.
– South Carolina held off Ben Simmons and the LSU Tigers on Wednesday to jump to the top of the SEC standings with a 94-83 victory over the visitors. Junior guard Sindarius Thornwell led Carolina for the second straight game, hitting six shots, and adding 11 points from the charity stripe for a game high 24. Once again the Gamecocks shot well in the game, hitting 48.4 percent from the field, and 75.0 percent from the free throw line.
– Senior forward Mindaugas Kacinas was named CoSIDA Academic All-District on Thursday, as he holds above a 3.3 cumulative GPA. The honor is the first of his career, and Kacinas now moves onto the national ballot for Academic All-America honors.
– Over the course of the past two games, the Gamecocks have hit 50.4 percent from the field and 47.5 percent from 3.
– The Gamecocks notched their first road win over a top-10 opponent in 10 years on Feb. 6, winning a thriller at Reed Arena vs. No. 8/8 Texas A&M, 81-78. Junior guard Sindarius Thornwell had his top game of the season, posting 25 points – just one shy of matching his career high – while also dishing an impressive nine assists to lead the Gamecocks in the win. Senior forward Michael Carrera continued his hot streak as well, scoring 20 points en route to the 1,000th of his career. Carrera also dished two assists in the win.
– South Carolina’s win at No. 8/8 Texas A&M marked its first road win over a top-10 opponent since defeating No. 6/7 Florida in Gainesville on Feb. 8, 2006.
– The win at A&M was the Gamecocks’ second top-10 win in the last two seasons, as the Gamecocks defeated then No. 9/9 Iowa State in a neutral site meeting in New York City on Jan. 3, 2015.

GAMECOCKS IN THE POLLS

South Carolina is receiving votes in the Associated Press’ Top 25 Poll this week, while Carolina is No. 20 in the USA Today/Coaches Top 25 Poll. The Gamecocks have been receiving votes or have been ranked for the past 11 weeks in the Coaches Poll, rising to as high as 15th, and also for 11 straight weeks in the AP poll, rising to as high as 19th.

SCOUTING KENTUCKY

The Wildcats enter Saturday’s contest with an 18-6 overall record, which includes an 8-3 mark in SEC games, after UK most recently posted an 82-48 win vs. Georgia on Tuesday in Lexington. Three average double-figure points for the Wildcats, let by freshman guard Jamal Murray’s 18.5 per game. Sophomore guard Tyler Ulis (16.2) and senior forward Alex Poythress (10.0) also average over 10 points per game. Poythress’ 6.6 rebounds per outing also mark a team high. Murray averages slightly better in league games at 20.9 per outing, which ranks third in the league. The Wildcats pace the conference in overall games with 5.8 blocks per game, which is 11th nationally, and UK is also one of the top rebounding teams in the league with a +6.2 rebound margin, second only to South Carolina’s +8.6 per game. Kentucky is led by head coach John Calipari in his seventh season.