Gamecock Clips

So gamecocks news for you today. Theme is Carolina lost to MSU and now must wait to see if it is a NIT trip or NCAA trip ---

• Bubble watch: What others say about USC
• Mississippi State knocks off USC in SEC quarterfinals
• USC's ouster at SEC could cost spot in NCAAs
• Keeping Downey in check key to Dogs' win
• Morris: USC's bubble bursts, leaving path to NIT
• Bulldog rally renders Gamecocks speechless
• Postgame: Bost, MSU stop Downey
• Postgame interviews: Horn, USC players
• USC Report: Bulldogs put clamps on Downey
• USC falls in first round
• SEC baseball opener for USC rained out
• Only two Gamecocks advance at track championships
• Gamecocks fall to Vols in men's tennis
• Gamecocks women golfers in eighth

Interesting----
Clemson reports 6 NCAA violations

Gamecocks lose to MSU

Terrible way to start the weekend with a loss to MSU in the SEC Tourney.....82-68 ....not sure what else can be said as the lackluster 2nd half performance sucked!

Related News---

--South Carolina falls to Mississippi State, 82-68
--USC falls to Mississippi State, awaits NCAA fate

LOHD Question - Are the gameocks NIT bound or NCAA bound now??

I say NIT due to South Carolina losing three of four coming down the stretch. At 21-9 their resume lacks the 'wow factor' for the tournament committee. Wins at Kentucky and Baylor are just not that special nor is home wins against Kentucky and Florida. And it is said to say but being SEC Co-Champs in the East in the eyes of experts means nothing.

I am proud of the gamecocks for the 08-09 season as they surprised many and if you asked me back in December that USC would be co-champs even have a shot at the NCAA tourney....I would have answered no way but hats off to the team and coach Horn! Go Cocks!

Gamecocks take on MSU

Yes it is them again, the Bulldogs won the lone regular-season meeting between the two schools in Starkville with a 75-70 win. But the Gamecocks have won three of the last five meetings between the two schools. I hope to make that 4 out of 6 today.

The second-seeded gamecocks come in with a 21-8 record (South Carolina reached double-digit victories in league play this season for the first time since the 1998 SEC campaign) and has a Mississippi State 20-12 record. MSU is the third seed from the West. Tip time for the contest is set for 3:15 p.m today.

Carolina owns a 16-17 (.485) overall record in SEC Tournament action, including a 2-4 (.333) record in six semifinal appearances. The Gamecocks have reached the Championship game twice - 1998, lost to Kentucky and 2006, loss to eventual national champion Florida. South Carolina owns a 6-5 (.545) record in the last five SEC Tournaments.

What does Carolina have to do today to win? Well 4 things....

1. Inside Play---Well the first is to have positive play versus SEC Defensive Player of the Year Jarvis Varnado. Varnado leads the NCAA in blocks per game not to mention he gets about 13 pts per game. So matching up with him down low is a key. Which means Carolina must Crash the boards just like in prior games. We have to hold our own in the rebounding stat.

2. SC shot selection -- I hope Darrin Horn showed his tape to the crew going in. We need Carolina to be smart, play as a team and spread the wealth concerning scoring. I do not want to see Zam just throwing up prayers. Devan will get his pts but we really need Archie, Holmes and Muldrow to play great. Archie especially!

3. SC has to play lights out D --- from playing great perimeter D to playing tough under the goal. No easy baskets for MSU so the pressure full court D has to be real tight today. USC has to bring their A game today vs MSU. MSU likes to score from the outside so that is a area that USC must stop today to get a win. Watch out for Dee Bost for MSU and Ravern Johnson.

4. USC must win the small battles --- USC has to produce TOs on D, not make mistakes on offense, win loose balls, be scrappy, stay out of foul troblue and be hungry!

I do not have to mention how important this game is for USC despite a SEC East Co-Championship. I want USC to give it 110% for the entire 40mins! Do not give up if down!

I think USC wins a close, hard fought game by 4 points due to a late surge.

***Visit the live game thread at the Garnet and Black Attack today***

Gamecock Clips

Here is a dose of gamecock related news for ya -

• USC begins run in SEC
• 5 questions with USC coach Darrin Horn
• Mississippi St. counts on an extra element
• Morris: Blueprint for success works perfectly
• 25 random things about Devan Downey
• 'Pumping gas' not filling up UT staff
• Jeffery’s coach tries to get past gas-gate
• Chris Low’s ESPN.com story. on the UT/SC issue
• The State Paper - five SEC Tournament storylines to follow and 12 players to watch.

As of yesterday here is the updated info on USC ---

RealTimeRPI.com ranking: 49
Strength of Schedule ranking: 94
Overall Record: 21-8
Conference Record: 10-6
Last 10 Games: 6-4

USC Baseball --- USC begins a ‘new’ season & South Carolina Begins SEC Baseball Season At Mississippi State

Gamecock Blogs

• Against Automatic Bids for Conference Tournament Winners
• Renaldo Balkman Shows His Stuff (h/t: Garnet & Black)
• A Response to Lane Kiffin

congrats

Devan Downey named 1st team All-SEC

Dominique Archie and Zam Fredrick were both named to the second-team All-SEC.

Brandis Raley-Ross was named the SEC sixth man of the year.

Devan Downey and Dominique Archie were both named to the SEC all-defensive team.

Congrats to all, and good luck this weekend in Tampa, the Gamecocks still need one more win to lock up a spot in the NCAA tournament. 

You can see the other SEC award winners here. 

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GAMECOCKS are SEC East Co-Champs

Thanks to Bama beating UT today!!! Coach Horn and the USC men's basketball team get a to share the SEC East crown with UT!

Bama won 70-67

It’s the second time USC has earned at least a share of a division title since it joined the league in 1992. It won the East in 1997 with a 15-1 record.

And the experts said we would finish 5th in the East.....Go Cocks! We here at LOHD have stated for awhile now that SEC Coach of the Year honors should go to Coach Horn....this is again another reason why!