USC vs. Tenn --- Clash for the SEC East

Tonight it is for all the marbles.....this is part II of the battle tonight as we won the 1st.

The winner of Thursday's contest between the Gamecocks and Vols secures at least a share of the SEC East title. Carolina has already got a 1st round bye in the SEC Tourney but I want to see USC win the EAST!!

S. Carolina is 9-5 in the SEC and 20-7 overall and in their last 12 games they are 8-4. Tennessee is 9-5 in the SEC and 18-10 overall and 7-5 in their last 12 games. The game is being played in Columbia a place were USC is 16-1 this season and undefeated in SEC play. So "We must protect this house" one more time against a UT team that was the favorite to win the SEC East to start the year due to winning it last year. Those pesky gamecocks were picked to finish 5th...so much for that forecast. Tennessee leads the all-time series with South Carolina, 30-23, however, the Gamecocks hold a 14-8 advantage in games played in Columbia.

UT comes in hot with recent wins over MSU and Florida so they are peaking at the right time. Carolina must do these 5 things to win tonight -

1. Erase the Vandy loss from their minds and focus one game at a time....UT is beatable as they are 7-5 in last 12 games just play the game like USC has done all season. Don't for one minute think about the bulldogs this weekend. This is the biggest game of the year.
2. Stop UT Freshman guard Scotty Hopson.....I know we need to concern ourselves with Chism or Tyler Smith but really Hopson has been the spark plug to get UT looking like the SEC Contender that everyone thought they were going to be. USC must slow him down. Really it will go down to stopping penetration and SC playing excellent perimeter defense.
3. Play big...USC must win or at least keep up in the rebounding battle. Box out! USC is not a big team nor a deep team so they have to play fundamental basketball against a team like UT. Do not get in foul trouble so don't try to block every shot just play solid D.
4. USC Offense has to stand out....from pressuring the ball to being scrappy and getting lose balls. USC has to bring their A game tonight. We have seen it before just need it to come out vs. UT. I want to see some driving and dishing to go along with some raining 3's mixed in with timely FT making.
5. USC has to want it.....simple here....the USC men's basketball team and the fans their tonight must want this game. Play above the rim!

Interesting stats to think about....

• The Gamecocks are 12-4 in games in which a Carolina player scores at least 20 points.
• A team that uses its defensive prowess to spark its offensive performance, South Carolina is 19-1 in games in which it scores more points off turnovers than that of its opponent.
• Carolina is 19-4 in games in which it forces 15 or more turnovers.
• The Gamecocks rely heavily on their starting lineup for the majority of their point production on the season. Carolina is 20-3 when its starters outscore the starting five of its opponent.
• Gamecock starter points account for just better than 80 percent of South Carolina's overall point production on the year.

ESPN will be in the house...
Brent Musburger, Bob Knight and Holly Rowe will be on hand to take in the game. The contest against Tennessee marks the 22nd of 23 regular-season televised games for South Carolina, and the third game on the ESPN family of networks this season for the Gamecocks.

What else is special about tonight besides a big game...tonight will serve as senior day for South Carolina's two seniors - Branden Conrad and Zam Fredrick.

So let's not only win one for Gamecock Jesus but let's get the 'W' for Conrad, Fredrick, Coach Horn, future SEC Player of the Year Devan Downey and the garnet army.

Related coverage---

• Chism has unfinished business
• Q&A with Brent Musburger
• A lot on the line
• Tennessee Basketball Notes - South Carolina Game

---Make sure to visit the Garnet and Black Attack this evening to participate in the live game thread!---