GamecockCentral.com Blog

79-53 Volunteers, final

posted by David Cloninger, 2/06/2010 07:59:00 PM

Maze dribbling time off the shot and into Chism. He scores his 30th points on his own putback. USC miss, Steven Pearl backdoor lay-up.

Downey tied up and gets the mercy foul. He'll shoot two to avoid his lowest output of the SEC season. He's got 26 and is pulled.

Tennessee emptying the bench in an attempt to get them all some points. Somehow, the refs call a foul with 33 seconds left in a 25-point game.

It's over.

69-48 Vols, 3:20, second

posted by David Cloninger, 2/06/2010 07:46:00 PM

This is bad, folks, and could get worse. I really don't want to have to look up the worst loss and lowest output ever.

Muldrow gets low for a loose ball and comes up with it. Downey fouled on the ensuing drive to the hole and he'll shoot 1-and-1.

Make and make, he's got 22. Raley-Ross swats a shot but got Woolridge with the body.

Woolridge makes one, 66-40.

Woolridge fouls Jackson on the other end and Muldrow will shoot two. He bricks both.

Jackson fouls Hall and Hall will shoot two. The Gamecocks aren't giving them anything easy, but they shouldn't at this point.

Hall makes one, 67-40. Evka airballs a 3. UT misses, Downey to Raley-Ross, for 3, good. 67-43.

Raley-Ross with another 3, 67-46. Block and a rebound, USC ball.

Downey fouled and makes both. He's got 24, USC down 67-48.

Chism inside, Vols up 21.

Vols holding the ball on their possessions now. Might as well.

Raley-Ross airballs a 3.

65-38 Vols, 8:26, second

posted by David Cloninger, 2/06/2010 07:35:00 PM

Downey swishes his first and his second. Gamecocks perfect from the line tonight. Lead down to 20.

Hopson nets over Spinella, but the freshman played good D. Nothing you can do on that one. Downey strokes another 3, he's got 19.

Jackson fouled and on the line. You know what happened -- Gamecocks no longer perfect from the line. You talk about someone with no confidence in his shot -- each barely hit front rim. 15-of-50 for the year.

These guys are just too athletic. USC cannot compete with it.

Fans chanting "You can't stop it," and boy, are they right. Chism knocks down a 3 and it's 63-37.

52-30 Vols, 11:54, second

posted by David Cloninger, 2/06/2010 07:28:00 PM

Spinella tries a 3, off the back rim. Chism scores, then Downey hits a 3. He's got 14 and it's 51-30.

Steven Pearl hits one of his two free throws and the Vols lead by 22. I'm thinking of the miracle comeback that almost was during last year's game up here.

Downey fouled going to the rim. He'll have two coming up.

49-24 Vols, 13:49, second

posted by David Cloninger, 2/06/2010 07:20:00 PM

Downey steals and flashes downcourt, only to see the shot blocked off the glass. Muldrow there to clean up with a dunk, Chism answers on the other end. 44-24.

Hopson drills a 3, Vols up 23. This is getting uglier than a Clemson coed's orthodonture.

Downey fouled, but on a non-shoot. Raley-Ross inbounds from the baseline, throws it high and deep, Downey called for backcourt. When it rains (and snows), it pours.

42-20 Vols, 15:48, second

posted by David Cloninger, 2/06/2010 07:02:00 PM

Second half beginning and Darrin Horn has doffed the suitcoat. Gamecocks are still in this but need to find someone who can create his own shot besides Downey. And everyone needs to hit something.

Inside to Chism, who gets tied up but recovers and puts it in. 32-16.

Tennessee called for a hold while USC is setting up. That gets a fresh 35 on the shot.

In to Muldrow, to Downey, tries to throw in to Jackson, lost.

Maze takes the feed from Chism and makes it, downcourt thumping his chest. 34-16. Downey into the lane, AIRBALLS, but Steed recovers and puts it back. 34-18.

Woolridge picks up his third foul. Raley-Ross drives the lane, off the glass and in, 34-20.

Woolridge blocked, USC rebound, Muldrow gets a pass right under the basket, avoids the contact, travels. I wish I was making that up.

Maze right past Downey and to Chism inside, Downey somehow called for the foul although it was Jackson who shoved Chism, basket went in. And-1 goes down, 37-20.

Three USC cracks at the basket and all miss. This is not the way to start the end-of-season stretch.

Evka misses, Brandis misses, Jackson climbs up a guy trying for the rebound but no go. Hopson bombs away from way downtown, nothing but net, 42-20.

Halftime

posted by David Cloninger, 2/06/2010 06:57:00 PM

Both teams freezing from the field but Tennessee heated up late. The Vols are shooting 36.7 while the Gamecocks are hitting 25 percent.

Downey leads with nine points, Muldrow has 10 rebounds. The difference -- USC has eight turnovers and the Vols have one. That's led to nine points, which is only five less than the deficit.

Tennessee up 9-0 on the break and 16-4 in the paint. Wayne Chism has 11 points while Bobby Maze has seven.

30-16 Vols, halftime

posted by David Cloninger, 2/06/2010 06:52:00 PM

Tatum limps off with almost no weight on his right leg. That doesn't look good.

USC ball with 1:01 to go. Downey passes to Muldrow, Muldrow loses it out of bounds.

UT fouls, USC ball. Downey holding for the last shot. Tries a 3, long rebound, out of bounds to UT.

UT will have 1.2 seconds to shoot. Vols have to call time on the inbounds.

Re-set to UT. McBee from halfcourt, no chance.

30-16 Vols, 1:01, first

posted by David Cloninger, 2/06/2010 06:45:00 PM

It was 16-10 when Downey came out and now it's 25-12. Five of those points came on fouls after USC threw away the ball. The Gamecocks are becoming way too dependent on Downey doing everything and everybody else doing nothing.

Raley-Ross coming up and to Downey. Downey to the left, throws to Muldrow on the right, he's not there and it's a turnover.

Chism pushes Muldrow around and scores. Too easy. 27-12.

Muldrow trying to shoot from outside again and no good. The Gamecocks can't get anywhere against that zone.

Muldrow yanks his 10th rebound (two points) and then Downey gets a soft roller. 27-14.

Hopson to Chism wide-open in the corner. Big man for the 3, net. 30-14. Downey answers with a J, 30-16. Tatum stays down clutching his right ankle.

25-12 Vols, 3:36, first

posted by David Cloninger, 2/06/2010 06:31:00 PM

USC went 10 minutes without scoring but UT couldn't hit either. The Vols are hitting now and the Gamecocks have to find a way to answer. Looks like that long break isn't affecting UT so far.

Downey waits until 8 on the shot, then flies for a 3. Good, 16-10.

UT misses ANOTHER chip shot and Pearl hacks Downey as he's going inside. Quick timeout.

Apparently USC isn't the only SEC team freezing. Ole Miss has scored 11 points in 13 minutes.

Downey into traffic and this time, It's Chism. Then he's off the screen,, misses, Jackson rebound, to Downey, misses again, UT rebound. A frenetic pace that didn't result in any points.

Chism inside and hits from under the basket, Muldrow called for goaltending. It was in anyway, 18-10.

Jackson in to Muldrow, jam, 18-12. Maze answers, Downey then picked off, Raley-Ross hammers Prince as he's going downcourt and the refs may look at that one to see if it's intentional. Looked like Raley-Ross was going for the ball -- it's a foul, but not intentional. Prince will get two shots.

Prince makes one, 21-12. Raley-Ross misses without Downey on the floor, then Spinella blocks Hopson, although they call Spinella got him with the body.

Hopson makes both, 23-12. Jackson tries to bounce-pass, picked off. Chism coming for the dunk, hacked to the floor.

Chism makes both, 25-12. Gamecocks need some serious catching-up.

Jackson blocked by Woolridge and there's somehow a jumpball. Hopson misses a 3 and Muldrow has another board.

Muldrow 3 misses (that hasn't gone in in three weeks) and UT misses again. Another timeout.

16-7 Vols, 8:28, first

posted by David Cloninger, 2/06/2010 06:23:00 PM

Eight combined points in the first eight minutes. Yikes. But Tennessee's going to start hitting these inside shots soon.

UT ball under its own basket. Maze misses a chippy, Woolridge has the rebound on the 3, airball. God, that was ugly.

Downey tries the stop-and-pop, Maze blocks it. Can't remember the last time I saw that.

Baniulis nails a 3 for the first time in forever, 8-5 Vols. McBee gets it on the wing, net. 11-5.

Downey hangs in and draws a foul. He'll shoot two. Make and make, as the UT students shout "Gary Coleman." Hilarious. 11-7.

Maze makes Steed look foolish on a spin, 13-7. Can't allow UT to start exploiting its athleticism. Downey bleeding clock, to Raley-Ross, mises a 3. Maze makes his 3 and it's 16-7.

6-2 Vols, 11:44, first

posted by David Cloninger, 2/06/2010 06:16:00 PM

UT 1-of-7 so far from the field. Gamecocks struggling to get shots off after that first Jackson spin-and-shoot.

Game on and UT comes up. Tatum gets away with a double dribble, Downey called for a hand check.

Hopson in for the leaper and it rims out. USC rebounds. Downey gets the hand-check by Goins given to him.

Downey tries another long 3, long rebound, UT ball. Tatum goes up, Muldrow just catches it on the block, but McBee clips the pass and soars in uncontested. 4-2 Vols. Steal, then Hall gets a putback.

Galloway tries a 3, no good. Both teams having loads of trouble outside. Tatum outside, no. Raley-Ross passes to the REFEREE, recovers it, then Galloway picks it up and loses it out of bounds. He's having a very rough time these days.

Goins misses, Muldrow has his fifth board. Downey in, to Galloway in the corner, his 3 rims out.

2-2, 15:44, first

posted by David Cloninger, 2/06/2010 06:02:00 PM

USC wins the tip and Downey takes it up. In to Jackson, he spins, wide-open, good. 2-0 USC.

Chism tries a 3 with Steed on him, front rim and Downey rebounds. He comes up, Muldrow tries the baby hook, no good.

Three Vol shots, USC finally rebounds. Vols zoning out, Steed tries the J, no good. Chism inside on the other end, Steed fouls him, Chism will have two.

Miss and miss, USC rebounds. Muldrow 3 off the screen, no good. Prince 3 from the wing, no good. Still 2-0.

Jackson tries to go up, Chism just takes it from him. UT ball, Hopson into Chism, spin and off the glass, 2-2.

Downey off-balance 3, long off the rim, but UT misses inside. Downey takes his time on the next possession, out to Jackson, he looks for Muldrow and throws it away.

About to begin

posted by David Cloninger, 2/06/2010 05:57:00 PM

UT's team comes down through the crowd as USC comes onto the court. All 10 healthy/eligible players are accounted for.

7 minutes to go

posted by David Cloninger, 2/06/2010 05:51:00 PM

If I counted all the seconds of my life that have been wasted listening to "Rocky Top," I would cry. I have no doubt.

15 minutes to go

posted by David Cloninger, 2/06/2010 05:34:00 PM

Starting lineups: Tennessee -- Renaldo Woolridge, Bobby Maze, Wayne Chism, Scotty Hopson, J.P. Prince.

USC -- Sam Muldrow, Lakeem Jackson, Austin Steed, Brandis Raley-Ross, Devan Downey.

30 minutes to go

posted by David Cloninger, 2/06/2010 05:11:00 PM

Arena starting to fill in here, all wearing the orange with a small scattering of garnet and black. I understand Brian Williams has been reinstated to UT's roster, although he's not expected to play. He was the last of the four Vols arrested in January.

50 minutes to go

posted by David Cloninger, 2/06/2010 04:57:00 PM

Just took a walkabout around the concourse, which I forgot to do the last time I was here. As you might imagine, lots of pictures up of past Vol greats, particularly the ginourmous amount of national champions Pat Summitt has coached.

All of the students were here early, although the garnet-and-black camo is still much more attractive than that heinous orange.

55 minutes to go

posted by David Cloninger, 2/06/2010 04:21:00 PM

Wonderful spaghetti supper. Much more nutritious than that purple piece of paper we get in Columbia.

Greetings from Knoxville

posted by David Cloninger, 2/06/2010 04:19:00 PM

We're here, Paul "Rand McNally" Collins and I, to do the Gamecocks' game with No. 14 Tennessee tonight. I thought I was lost, but then I passed a burning mattress with "KIFFIN SUCKS" in big black letters on it in the middle of the road.

Stay tuned.

78-77 Gamecocks, FINAL

posted by David Cloninger, 1/30/2010 08:56:00 PM

Georgia inbounds from the baseline. Ware goes up top. Thompkins has it below, rainbows it over the rim, rebound and Georgia has it. Bulldogs call timeout.

Jackson got the board and was falling backward. The bench called timeout before hit the floor. See what I mean about that rule? That should have been a travel.

19.8 seconds left, Georgia ball. From the baseline again. Anya almost loses it, gets it to Ware, back to Anya, Downey chases it to the sideline. Both tumble out of bounds, Downey called for the foul.

Ware on the line for one-and-one, 3.5 to go. The shot -- MISS and Galloway grabs it and huddles in the paint.

Georgia fouls him with 1.8 on the clock, USC ball. USC timeout.

Gamecocks will inbound from the baseline. Can't move your feet, but just bomb it deep to the other end and have somebody touch it, no problem. Don't get cute with a short pass because you do NOT want to win this from the free-throw line.

In to Galloway short, Georgia fouls, 0.2 seconds left. Galloway will go to the line for a 1-and-1. Shouldn't matter if he makes them or not.

Miss, Thompkins tries a shot, well short.

78-77 Gamecocks, 34.9, second

posted by David Cloninger, 1/30/2010 08:53:00 PM

USC coming out of a 30-second timeout with the ball, down one with 1:05 to go. Ware's shot was a dagger, but only if USC can't answer.

Galloway running point, to Downey. In the lane, off the glass, good, USC leads by one.

Ware driving on Downey, Downey fouls him. No bonus, shot clock off, 34.9 to play. Georgia calls timeout.

Bulldogs can hold for the last shot and if it goes in, could be the winner.

77-76 Bulldogs, 1:05, second

posted by David Cloninger, 1/30/2010 08:47:00 PM

Downey has 29 and has scored the last five, plus assisting on two more. Gamecocks have got to get a defensive stop here and keep it up. Bulldogs don't want to let another one slip away.

Leslie tries to hit an alley-oop, too far off. Rebound to Thompkins, he takes it in, Georgia up two.

Muldrow misses, Georgia loose ball, USC has it. Downey drives, fouled by Jackson, he'll have two to tie.

Make and make, 74-all.

Thompkins misses, Downey rebounds it off Thompkins as he's falling out. Make-up call, USC ball.

Downey in, misses, Muldrow softly tips it in, USC leads 76-74.

Ware answers with a HUGE 3.

72-72, 3:48, second

posted by David Cloninger, 1/30/2010 08:45:00 PM

Bulldogs will have the ball with a one-point lead. USC has hit its last five shots from the field. "Sandstorm" pumping.

Out to Ware, foot on the line, got it. 72-69.

Downey NAILS from 3. Tie game. Thank you, Chester, S.C.

70-69 Bulldogs, 4:27, second

posted by David Cloninger, 1/30/2010 08:42:00 PM

Ware misses a 3, Leslie rebounds. Georgia re-sets, to McPhee, for 3, got it. 70-64.

Downey to Raley-Ross for 3, answers. 70-67.

Leslie inside, Jackson swats it. Downey down, lifter in the lane, net and it's 70-69. Bulldogs call time.