@South Carolina 79 A&M 68 F

[jbcarol]

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/gogamecocks/status/817876108804689920

Preseason SEC #2

Carolina's defense wasn't lucky as it worked to an 11-3 record and became the SEC's best unit in scoring defense, field goal percentage defense and 3-point defense – which was also the country's best 3-point defense. Gamecocks' plan is to swarm the perimeter and limit passes inside, forcing them to shoot 3s with a hand in their face and the shot clock winding down.

It's a plan made of necessity, since USC's backcourt has the experience and the frontcourt doesn't, plus gets a lot of fouls. And it's worked very well.

So why was A&M able to get through it and shoot 52.9 percent, with 11-of-19 3-pointers and nearly a 70 percent performance in the first half?

Rotations.

"I thought our initial hit defensively was solid, but once they made that extra pass ... " coach Frank Martin said. "That's what people do to us."

Generally USC can collapse on the inside and force a pass back out to where a defender lurks. A&M got it inside and stayed there, using Tyler Davis and Robert Williams to get to the rim.

Officials let the teams play on each side, with sparse fouls, and while that hurt USC on the offensive end, it helped on defense. The Gamecocks were at least able to hurriedly inbound after a make and get downcourt, which forced Davis, the 270-pounder, to be wheezing like a freight train after a few possessions.