The Official #1 Tennessee @ South Carolina Game Thread, 6:30 PM ET, SEC Network

[YankeeVol]

#1 Tennessee Volunteers: 18-1 (7-0 SEC)

@

South Carolina Gamecocks: 10-9 (5-1 SEC)

GAME 20 | TENNESSEE at SOUTH CAROLINA - Jan. 29, 2019 | 6:30 p.m. ET | Colonial Life Arena (18,000)


Line: UT -8.5
O/U: 154.5


TV: SEC Network
Radio: Vol Network
Satellite Radio: Sirius: 99, XM: 191
Online: WatchESPN.com

 

[YankeeVol]

THE SERIES

Tennessee leads the all-time series with South Carolina, 44-27, dating to 1927. The Vols have won each of the last two meetings.

South Carolina owns a 16-15 advantage when the series is played in Columbia.

 

[YankeeVol]

A WIN WOULD...

Extend Tennessee's win streak to 15 games, which would tie the longest win streak in program history. The Vols won 15 straight from Feb. 19, 1915, through Jan. 13, 1917 (spanning parts of three seasons).

Stretch the Vols' true road game win streak to seven.

Give UT an eight-game win streak in regular-season SEC contests.

Give Tennessee its first undefeated January since 1945.

Give the Vols a .500 record against South Carolina in Columbia.

Make the Vols 4-1 all-time as the AP's top-ranked team.

 

[YankeeVol]

STORYLINES

At tipoff Tuesday, 66 full days will have elapsed since Tennessee's last loss.

This is Tennessee's best start to SEC play since it won its first eight league games in 1981-82.

The Volunteers received 48 of 64 first-place votes in this week's AP Top 25 poll. This is the third week in history that Tennessee has been ranked No. 1.

This is Rick Barnes' longest win streak since he led Texas to a 17-0 start to open the 2009-10 season.

The Vols have shot 50 percent or better in 13 games this season.

Tennessee's average home attendance of 18,406 ranks fourth nationally.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Beat those Cocks

 

[YankeeVol]

LAYUPS

Grant Williams leads the SEC in scoring (20.2 ppg), ranks second in field-goal percentage (.571), 10th in assists (3.6 apg) and ninth in rebounding (7.3 rpg).

Admiral Schofield is the SEC's fifth-leading scorer (16.6 ppg), and is shooting .409 from 3-point range.

Williams and Schofield both earned a spot on the 25-man Wooden Award Midseason Watch List.

Point guard Jordan Bone owns the eighth-best assist/turnover ratio (3.53) in Division I and ranks 18th in the country in assists per game (6.3 apg).

Lamonté Turner is averaging 10.3 points off the bench in SEC play and scored a season-high 23 points Saturday vs. West Virginia.

During league play, SEC Sixth Man of the Year candidate Jordan Bowden ranks second on the team and eighth in the SEC with 16.2 points per game.

 

[YankeeVol]

ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA

One of the biggest surprises in SEC play this season has been the performance of South Carolina. The Gamecocks (10-9, 5-1 SEC) struggled during non-conference play, but head coach Frank Martin's team has it rolling in league play.

South Carolina boasts conference wins over Auburn, Florida and Mississippi State. Carolina played a tough non-conference slate, with games against Clemson, Michigan, Oklahoma State and Virginia in order to get ready for league play.

The Gamecocks brought back their best player from last year's squad in Chris Silva. The 2018 SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year and first-team All-SEC honoree is averaging 13.1 ppg, 6.9 rpg and 2.1 bpg. The junior forward is shooting 51 percent from the floor and has a knack for getting to the free-throw line, where he is 85-of-112 (.759) on the season.

Freshman guard A.J. Lawson leads the team in scoring (13.2 ppg), assists (2.7 apg) and steals (1.4 spg). He's joined by redshirt senior guard Hassani Gravett (11.4 ppg, 2.3 apg) in the backcourt. Gravett has been the team's leading scorer (15.0 ppg) in conference play and is threat from beyond the arc (36 3FG; .400 3FG%).

South Carolina also has a versatile performer in junior forward Maik Kotsar (8.5 ppg), who is second on the team in rebounding (5.3 rpg), blocks (1.4 bpg) and steals (1.2 spg).

 

[YankeeVol]

Game Notes

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

I thought that TN started 1981-82 at 9-0, not 8-0. Hung on for a share of the title with 4-5 on the back 9 (13-5).

 

[tnvols72]

I hope Schofield has his head right and stops with the silly turnovers and has his shot working and Tn D can get out and at least get a hand up on the 3s and get the win.

 

[OleRockyTop]

I thought that TN started 1981-82 at 9-0, not 8-0. Hung on for a share of the title with 4-5 on the back 9 (13-5).

Yup it was a 9-0 start through one of the SEC games (Auburn) was played during nonconference play, but it was still counted as a conference game.

 

[BruisedOrange]

What I most want is a game that produces next day newspaper articles, in both Tennessee and S.Carolina, that don't mention the referees until the ninth paragraph.

But given the matchups in the paint...

 

[ttocswob]

Gravitt had a sick move the other night, came from nowhere to slam down a missed shot - I think against Auburn. Tough to defend if he gets hot.

 

[W.TN.Orange Blood]

GBO!!!

 

[Johnnyreb#VFL]

I hope Schofield has his head right and stops with the silly turnovers and has his shot working and Tn D can get out and at least get a hand up on the 3s and get the win.

Schofield a smart guy. He understands when his shot isn’t falling, he has several other ways to impact a game.

 

[VeeOhElEsYes]

Going to need to start fast and go a full 40 against these guys in Columbia. I think Scho has a big game.
Go Vols!!!

 

[Ernest T. Vol]

Admiral is due...

 

[YankeeVol]

They done did it

 

[chuckb1448]

Lol good early morning Vol Fans! About to leave for work, will be forced to record the game and dodge my phone this evening so that I can get home and watch it tonight.

I hope you guys are correct and Schofield lights it up today, we need his scoring.

Go Big Orange

 

[Roustabout]

Of the last two top players in their state, one signed with Duke and the other with us. Winning!!

 

[RollerVol]

I imagine it will get a little fractious tonight...

GO VOLS...RECRUIT LIKE HECK!

 

[volsportsfan]

I'm not understanding why our game is on sec network and the ku Tex game is on ESPN. Just the way the contracts work?

 

[orangemadam]

I'm not understanding why our game is on sec network and the ku Tex game is on ESPN. Just the way the contracts work?

What's not to understand? They wear blue don't they? If we are playing on ESPN, the N'ers will pre-empt our last 15 min. of 2nd half just to show the Dukie or Ky warmups!

 

[golfballs]

Vols win by 8-9 points. My theme in SEC play - need to focus on defensive rebounding. Will be a challenge against USC.

Silva obviously is key in defending, but Gravett is a threat. He’s shooting 46% from 3 in SEC play. Need to be glued to him on and off the ball. Haase can also step out and shoot the 3, but he’s not going to light you up.

Game sets up well for Bowden to continue his solid SEC play. USC obviously defends the paint and it opens some opportunities for our wing players. Don’t want Schofield to force it, but need to get him some open looks to get him going again.

 

[Zues1]

Pound them cocks