Cockholio
11-09-2007, 02:03 PM
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Archie: USC won't be surprised by S.C. State
By Travis Haney
The Post and Courier
Friday, November 9, 2007
COLUMBIA — Dominique Archie was tuned in to ESPNU on Wednesday night. He saw with his own eyes as tiny Gardner-Webb dismantled No. 20 Kentucky at fabled Rupp Arena.
The South Carolina sophomore forward knows, too, that Michigan State and Ohio State have lost basketball exhibition games to, respectively, Division II stalwarts Grand Valley State and Findlay.
But Archie, the team's only returning starter, said not to look for a repeat tonight as the Gamecocks open their season against South Carolina State at the Colonial Center. In fact, he said don't expect it to happen at any point this season.
"I don't think that's going to happen here," Archie said. "Kentucky didn't come out and play like they wanted to win. ... We're going to play like we want to win every night."
Even so, USC coach Dave Odom said he's "aware" of the upset factor — especially considering an in-state team like South Carolina State. The campus is just
40 miles down Interstate 26 from Columbia.
The schools met in football earlier this fall for the first time in more than 100 years of playing the sport.
"When you get into a neighborhood rivalry," Odom said, "where the schools know each other like this ... I'm not sure you could determine it too much as an upset."
He likened it to a conference game that could always go either way depending on the varying emotions.
Use last year as a case in point. South Carolina hit 1 of 18 3-point attempts and had to hold on for a three-point, 55-52 victory to start the year. In 2004, the Gamecocks needed overtime to outlast the Bulldogs.
"We could have easily lost both games," Odom said.
And this year's installment of the series, which USC leads 15-0, has a new variable. It's former Florida State assistant Tim Carter's first game as S.C. State's head coach.
"We're going to do the very best we can to upset the home crowd, the home team," Carter said. "It's going to be difficult. But that's why you play."
With Carter running things, Odom said it's difficult to know what to expect from the Bulldogs. South Carolina State can say the same thing, considering the Gamecocks' seven newcomers.
Three, including point guard Devan Downey, will be in the starting lineup. So will off guard Zam Fredrick and big man Mike Holmes.
Downey, the transfer from Cincinnati, had 27 points, seven steals and six assists in Monday's exhibition win against Guilford College.
Fredrick had 10 points and four assists. Holmes, the freshman from Bishopville, had 19 points and 10 rebounds in his first college experience.
The Gamecocks, though, were actually outrebounded 46-43 by the Division III Quakers.
"I don't want to downplay the fact that we got outrebounded," Odom said, crediting some of the disparity to the fact that USC is now more of a running team. "That's never good."
Alarming as it might've been, Odom said it would take a series of games to understand if it's a trend or an aberration.
Even so, Archie said the Gamecocks have devoted 30 minutes to rebounding drills in practice rather than the usual 5-10 minutes.
The official debuts for Downey and Fredrick will come, predictably, with friends and family on hand. Downey, from Chester, said he thinks about 200 people are coming down to see him play. He wondered who's going to show up for the Chester High football game.
Fredrick's father, former USC standout Zam Sr., will assuredly be in the crowd. He'll be honored Monday when the Gamecocks host The Citadel.
Reach Travis Haney at thaney@postandcourier.com (thaney@postandcourier.com).
Archie: USC won't be surprised by S.C. State
By Travis Haney
The Post and Courier
Friday, November 9, 2007
COLUMBIA — Dominique Archie was tuned in to ESPNU on Wednesday night. He saw with his own eyes as tiny Gardner-Webb dismantled No. 20 Kentucky at fabled Rupp Arena.
The South Carolina sophomore forward knows, too, that Michigan State and Ohio State have lost basketball exhibition games to, respectively, Division II stalwarts Grand Valley State and Findlay.
But Archie, the team's only returning starter, said not to look for a repeat tonight as the Gamecocks open their season against South Carolina State at the Colonial Center. In fact, he said don't expect it to happen at any point this season.
"I don't think that's going to happen here," Archie said. "Kentucky didn't come out and play like they wanted to win. ... We're going to play like we want to win every night."
Even so, USC coach Dave Odom said he's "aware" of the upset factor — especially considering an in-state team like South Carolina State. The campus is just
40 miles down Interstate 26 from Columbia.
The schools met in football earlier this fall for the first time in more than 100 years of playing the sport.
"When you get into a neighborhood rivalry," Odom said, "where the schools know each other like this ... I'm not sure you could determine it too much as an upset."
He likened it to a conference game that could always go either way depending on the varying emotions.
Use last year as a case in point. South Carolina hit 1 of 18 3-point attempts and had to hold on for a three-point, 55-52 victory to start the year. In 2004, the Gamecocks needed overtime to outlast the Bulldogs.
"We could have easily lost both games," Odom said.
And this year's installment of the series, which USC leads 15-0, has a new variable. It's former Florida State assistant Tim Carter's first game as S.C. State's head coach.
"We're going to do the very best we can to upset the home crowd, the home team," Carter said. "It's going to be difficult. But that's why you play."
With Carter running things, Odom said it's difficult to know what to expect from the Bulldogs. South Carolina State can say the same thing, considering the Gamecocks' seven newcomers.
Three, including point guard Devan Downey, will be in the starting lineup. So will off guard Zam Fredrick and big man Mike Holmes.
Downey, the transfer from Cincinnati, had 27 points, seven steals and six assists in Monday's exhibition win against Guilford College.
Fredrick had 10 points and four assists. Holmes, the freshman from Bishopville, had 19 points and 10 rebounds in his first college experience.
The Gamecocks, though, were actually outrebounded 46-43 by the Division III Quakers.
"I don't want to downplay the fact that we got outrebounded," Odom said, crediting some of the disparity to the fact that USC is now more of a running team. "That's never good."
Alarming as it might've been, Odom said it would take a series of games to understand if it's a trend or an aberration.
Even so, Archie said the Gamecocks have devoted 30 minutes to rebounding drills in practice rather than the usual 5-10 minutes.
The official debuts for Downey and Fredrick will come, predictably, with friends and family on hand. Downey, from Chester, said he thinks about 200 people are coming down to see him play. He wondered who's going to show up for the Chester High football game.
Fredrick's father, former USC standout Zam Sr., will assuredly be in the crowd. He'll be honored Monday when the Gamecocks host The Citadel.
Reach Travis Haney at thaney@postandcourier.com (thaney@postandcourier.com).