(25) USC in Crucial SEC Game at (8) Texas A&M Saturday Afternoon

By: USC SID

COLUMBIA, S.C. (USC SID) — The Gamecocks conclude a two-game road swing Saturday at No. 8/8 Texas A&M. It marks the fifth meeting between the two schools, and the third all-time in College Station. South Carolina aims for its 20th win of the season against the Aggies. Saturday’s contest marks the first Gamecock matchup vs. a top 10 opponent since Carolina upset then-No. 9/9 Iowa State at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Jan. 3, 2015.

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 back in the Associated Press’ Top 25 Poll this week, checking in at No. 25, while Carolina is No. 23 in the USA Today/Coaches Top 25 Poll. The Gamecocks have been receiving votes or have been ranked for the past 10 weeks in the Coaches Poll, rising to as high as 15th, and also for 10 straight weeks in the AP poll, rising to as high as 19th.
– Carolina hit just 31.6 percent from the floor, and was out-rebounded for just the fourth time this season in a 69-56 loss at Georgia on Tuesday. The Bulldogs didn’t shoot much better, hitting only 38.6 percent from the floor, but UGA hit four more shots in the game to clinch the SEC win. Junior guard Sindarius Thornwell collected his second double-double of the season with team highs of 18 points and 11 rebounds, while senior forward Michael Carrera tallied his third-straight double-double with 11 points and 10 boards.
– With Thornwell and Carrera both collecting double-doubles at Georgia, it marked the first time two Gamecocks have reached the mark in the same game since Carrera and Lakeem Jackson both had double-doubles in Frank Martin’s first-ever SEC win, an 82-73 overtime victory at LSU on Jan. 16, 2012.
– South Carolina is 32nd in the most recent NCAA RPI (Feb. 5), and the Gamecocks are 6-2 against teams in the top 100 of the RPI.
– Saturday’s game marks the first time Carolina has faced a top-10 opponent on the road since traveling to face top-ranked Kentucky on Jan. 24, 2015.
– In the most updated NCAA stats (games through Feb. 4), South Carolina ranks in the top 20 in field goal percentage defense (13th), rebound margin (14th), free throw attempts (3rd), free throws made (9th), offensive rebounds per game (9th) and total rebounds per game (7th).
– The Gamecocks are in their 25th season of competition in the Southeastern Conference in 2016. Carolina owns a 150-249 (.375) all-time record in SEC play.
– Frank Martin owns a 71-74 (.489) all-time record in conference games.

GAMECOCKS IN THE POLLS

South Carolina is back in the Associated Press’ Top 25 Poll this week, checking in at No. 25, while Carolina is No. 23 in the USA Today/Coaches Top 25 Poll. The Gamecocks have been receiving votes or have been ranked for the past 10 weeks in the Coaches Poll, rising to as high as 15th, and also for 10 straight weeks in the AP poll, rising to as high as 19th.

SCOUTING TEXAS A&M

The Aggies are ranked eighth this week in both the Associated Press and USA Today Top 25 polls, and enter Saturday’s matchup with an 18-4 overall record, which includes a 7-2 mark in league games. A&M suffered a 77-60 loss at Vanderbilt on Thursday night, and have now lost two of their last three games. At home, the Aggies are a perfect 13-0, including a 4-0 mark in league games. Three average double-figure points for A&M, led by senior guard Jalen Jones’ 16.1 per game. He also paces the team in SEC games with 17.6 points per outing. Senior guard Alex Caruso adds 8.0 points and team-leading marks of 5.0 assists and 2.2 steals per game. His steals per game mark ranks 18th nationally as well. In league stats, A&M ranks first in scoring defense (64.7), first in scoring margin (+12.1), first in assists (18.1 per game) and third in steals (7.5). The Aggies are led by head coach Billy Kennedy in his fifth season in College Station.