MBB: Gamecocks fall to Yellow Jackets 83-66
South Carolina's season ended Monday with an 83-66 loss to Georgia Tech in the second round of the NIT. South Carolina finishes with a season record of 25-9, tied for the most wins in program history.
It was a disappointing performance to conclude a disappointing finish to what had been a season of optimism. South Carolina was outplayed from the opening tip and never mounted a challenge. Georgia Tech won every statistical category, including the areas South Carolina does best.
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Sindarius Thornwell scored the first basket of the game, but then the Yellow Jackets scored the next eight points. The Gamecocks pulled within a point at 10-9 five minutes into the game, but the Yellow Jackets went on a 12-2 run to take firm control of the game. Adam Smith got things started with a three, Tadric Jackson and Nick Jacobs got inside baskets, Marcus Georges-Hunt added a three, and Charles Mitchell capped the run with a layup.
"The guys on our side had no steam," Frank Martin said. "We've played with unbelievable passion all year, and today we just had no 'oomph.'"
South Carolina played Georgia Tech almost evenly the rest of the first half and trailed 42-28 at halftime, a manageable deficit. But South Carolina came out flat and Georgia Tech came out determined to make the game a blowout. Jacobs opened with back-to-back dunks, and Stephens nailed a wide open three to put Georgia Tech up 21 points just 82 seconds into the half. Martin called a timeout, and Thornwell scored a free throw after the break, but it did little to counter the onslaught. Smith hit another three, and Jacobs made two free throws to stretch the lead to 25. The lead got as high as 31, and Georgia Tech lead by at least 20 until Duane Notice made a meaningless three with 19 seconds left to cap an 8-0 game-ending run.
"A guy like (Michael) Carrera, he never gives up on a play," Georgia Tech head coach Brian Gregory said. "We had eight guys who never gave up tonight."
Georgia Tech dominated every category. It shot 51 percent from the floor, holding South Carolina 10 42 percent. It outrebounded South Carolina 39-21, including 12-4 on the offensive glass. Georgia Tech outscored South Carolina 32-26 in the paint, and until the final minutes had more free throw attempts. It also shot 11-22 from three.
"I thought we were ready, but never in my wildest dreams did I think it would be like that," Gregory said. "To beat a Frank Martin team you have to do two things. You have to play well and you have to play with unbelievable toughness. We did both things."
Smith scored a game-high 21 points to lead the Yellow Jackets as all five starters scored in double figures. Georges-Hunt had 14 points and eight assists, Mitchell had 12, Stephens had 11, and Jacobs had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Carrera led South Carolina with 17 points, but he shot only 33 percent from the floor. PJ Dozier added 16 points off the bench, but South Carolina played only eight players due to the suspensions of five players. The absence of Marcus Stroman, a calming presence on offense, and Chris Silva, a defensive playmaker, was felt particularly hard as South Carolina struggled. Carrera said after the game he thought South Carolina had a good week of practice, but it just wasn't their night.
"It was just a bad day," he said. "We weren't making anything and they were making everything."
Notes:
Thornwell said he has not yet made a decision on whether to enter the NBA Draft. ... Carrera broke down during the post game press conference. "I will never leave this team," he said. "I just love this team." He thanked several individuals, then added, "They've helped me with my English a lot." ... Martin's former assistant Brad Underwood, who left to take the job at Stephen F. Austin, was announced as the new coach at Oklahoma State earlier Monday. Martin called the news "phenomenal." "He's a Big 12 guy through and through," Martin said. "I'm ecstatic for him. No one deserves the opportunity more than him." ... Martin said he asked AD Ray Tanner to hold off on contract talks until after the season ends. Talks will resume soon. ... Attendance was 2,856. ... South Carolina's season is over.
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