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USC beats LSU, improves to 2-0 in the SEC

January 13, 2010 By
Downey drops 29 to lead the Gamecocks over LSU

Downey drops 29 to lead the Gamecocks over LSU

USC battled back from an eight point halftime deficit to knock off LSU 67-58 Wednesday night at the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia. The win improves the Gamecocks to 2-0 in the SEC, their best start in the league since 1997. They are 11-5 overall.

LSU came into this game with something to prove. The Tigers were embarrassed at home against Alabama over the weekend and they were ready to give USC their best shot.

Early in the game it looked like the Tigers might have a chance to take one from the Gamecocks. They were finding easy baskets in the paint and they led for most of the first half by capitalizing on dunks and uncontested layups. The Tigers shot 54% from the floor and would have had an 11 point lead at the break if not for a Devon Downey 3 at the buzzer that cut the lead to eight at the half. That seemed to trigger a spurt in the momentum in favor of the Gamecocks and it carried over into the second half.

Darrin Horn post game news conference

darrin horn post lsu

Horn and Gamecocks are 2-0 in SEC

Horn and Gamecocks are 2-0 in SEC

What can else can you say about Downey? He is taking this undermanned team and putting them on his shoulders. He finished with 29 points, seven rebounds, three steals and two assists. His play, and more importantly his energy, triggered the Gamecocks rally. This was a tight game until the final four minutes when Downey took over with gritty defense and gutsy shots. He made six of his 12 three point attempts and was 10-22 overall. This kid is impressive to watch and even though he started his career at Cincinnati, you have to put him among the all-time greats to play at USC.

Devon Downey postgame media interview

downey post lsu

Downey is impressive but he isn’t doing it alone. Fellow senior Brandis Raley-Ross chipped in 12 points and made a couple of big shots late to help the Gamecocks pull away. With Dominique Archie gone, Raley-Ross is doing his best to be the consistent second scorer the team needs. He was only 5-13 shooting but his leadership down the stretch was evident and he gave the team what it needed to pull away from the pesky Tigers.

Brandis Raley Ross postgame media interview

brandis raley-ross post lsu

Raley-Ross providing key senior leadership

Raley-Ross providing key senior leadership

The Gamecocks have a unique style of play. They like it up tempo and aren’t afraid to give up some quick baskets in order to keep the pace going. They also aren’t afraid to jack up the shots. The Gamecocks took 63 shots to the Tigers 44. They shot and eye popping 32 three pointers. The Tigers shot seven and made just one. Carolina also won the battle on the boards and outrebounded LSU 38-32. Simply put, the Gamecocks were the more aggressive, physical team and they wore down LSU.

This is a nice win for USC. They announced attendance was 12,103 and the fans were excited and into the game. As I stated above, the Gamecocks style of play is, if anything, entertaining to watch. If the Gamecocks can keep winning the crowds will grow and so will the prospects of a strong second season for Horn and company.

The road gets tougher from here though. Vanderbilt will be in town Saturday to provide Carolina with its first true SEC test of the season. Vandy won at Alabama 65-64 Wednesday night and is 13-3 and 2-0 in the SEC. If the Gamecocks can get by the Commodores and jump out to a 3-0 start in the conference things will be very interesting heading into the two road game at Ole Miss (1/20) and Florida (1/23).

Saturday’s game against Vanderbilt will tip off at 6:00 at the Colonial Life Arena.

USC-LSU box score

Filed Under: USC Gamecocks Tagged With: , ,

Baylor tops USC 85-74

January 2, 2010 By
Bears are too much for Gamecocks to handle

Bears are too much for Gamecocks to handle

It is starting to look like it could be a long year for the USC basketball team. The Gamecocks lost to Baylor 85-74 Saturday night in Columbia.  Carolina has now lost three of their past four games and are 2-5 without Dominique Archie(out for season with knee injury) and Mike Holmes (out since 11/27 with eye injury and dismissed from team Friday). A season that started with visions of the NCAA tournament is quickly turning into one that might not even end with an NIT bid. Yes, it is early, but the schedule doesn’t get any easier. Carolina is 8-5 and has a non-conference game with Longwood on Tuesday before they begin their SEC slate at Auburn next Saturday.

Baylor came into the game sporting a 10-1 record and fresh off a road win against Arkansas. They entered the game with a six game winning streak which is now extended to seven. The Bears were long, lean, athletic and outmatched the Gamecocks pretty much from wire to wire. Carolina scored the first basket and that is the only lead they had all game. They trailed by double digits a majority of the game.

Horn's team drops to 8-5

Horn's team drops to 8-5

USC took 83 shots to Baylor’s 57. The problem is the Gamecocks only made 29 of those 83 (34.9%) and the Bears shot 49% for the game. Baylor also went 11-17 on 3’s and made 18 of 24 free throws. The Gamecocks were 8-28 from the 3 and were just 8-20 from the free throw line.

Darrin Horn post game audio

horn post baylor

You can give USC credit, they did play hard the entire game. The Gamecocks were down by as many as 16 in the second half and managed to close the gap to 9 points with less than a minute to play. They fought hard, battled and never gave up, but the bottom line is they are not the same team without Archie and Holmes. Without those two they are going to have problems with the Boston College and Baylor type teams. And with the exception of Georgia, every team in the SEC East is on the same level or better than the two aforementioned teams.

Devon Downey led the Gamecocks with 20 points. He needed 25 shots to get those 20 points. He is clearly trying to pick up the slack for the two missing starters. He only made 6 of those 25 shots, but if you are USC, you have to let Downey take as many shots as he needs because he is the only true scorer on the team.

Devon Downey post game interview

downey post baylor

Freshman Lakeem Jackson is trying to become that number two guy the Gamecocks so desperately need. He had 19 points and could have had more if he could make a free throw. He was 1-9 from the charity stripe. Still, he is starting to find his role and looks more confident and aggressive than he did earlier in the season.

Lakeem Jackson post game interview

jackson post baylor

As I said earlier, there is still a lot of basketball left this season. Baylor coach Scott Drew said he thinks USC is going to be better than some of us think. He may be right and time will tell. I think we will get the answer sooner rather than later with Auburn, LSU, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss and Florida as the first five SEC games Carolina plays. If they can win three of those five they may have a chance. Anything less than two of those five could spell trouble. Their sixth SEC game is against Kentucky and I don’t think anyone expects the Gamecocks to be able to play with a top five team at this point. They still have to prove they can play with a top 30 team.

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Downey: USC better option

June 13, 2009 By

USC junior point guard Devon Downey  has pulled his name out of the NBA draft and plans to return to school for his senior season. According to sources, Downey had options in both the NBA and Europe but decided it was in his best interest to return to school for his final year.

 Downey worked out for three NBA teams last week and, according to a source, one of them (Milwaukee) told him they were interested in drafting him in the second round.  But second round picks are not guaranteed contracts and Downey apparently did not think that prospect was worth the risk.

 Downey also had at least one, if not two, lucrative offers to play in Europe.  According to sources, Downey strongly considered the overseas option. In the end though he decided to turn a potential six figure contract in Europe to return to Carolina.

 Why did he decide to come back? According to a person close to Downey, he thinks that by going through the NBA workouts he has helped increase his stock in next year’s draft.  Despite his big season last year, most pro teams weren’t familiar with Downey.  During his workouts, particularly those late last week, he put himself on the radar of more than a few NBA teams.  And even though he could have gone overseas or perhaps the free agent route in the NBA, Downey believes a strong senior season could elevate him into a first round draft pick next year.

 Another major factor for Downey was his belief that next year’s Gamecock basketball team will be solid.  He likes the incoming class of recruits and believes the team will have a chance to make some noise in an SEC that should be a much more high profile conference next season. The coaching change at Kentucky and the return of most of the highly regarded underclassman in the conference should make the league much deeper and stronger next season. Downey thinks that if he can have another big season in a league that will get more respect and attention, it will help his draft stock.  And, unlike last year, NBA teams will know who he is going into this season.

 Obviously Gamecock coach Darrin Horn is ecstatic to have his first team All-SEC point guard back next season.

 ”Devan and I have been on the same page throughout the process,”  Horn said.  “The feedback he received from several NBA teams and personnel will continue to help him grow as a basketball player.   Devan is a special young man and player, and we are glad to have him back for his senior season.”

Downey, who very much considered his legacy at Carolina while deciding his future plans, is glad to have the gut wrenching decision behind him and is ready for his final season at USC.

“I want to thank  my  coaches,  teammates and fans for being so supportive throughout the process,” Downey said.   “It was a great experience for me, but the best decision for me right now is to come back.”

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Coach: Downey’s return “50-50″

June 10, 2009 By
Devon Downey

Devon Downey

USC junior point guard Devon Downey is still very much undecided on whether or not he will return to school or remain in the NBA draft.  According to Downey’s former high school coach, DeAndre’ Scott, Downey is still mulling that decision.

AUDIO: DeAndre Scott talks about Downey’s future (10:31)

Scott says in his opinion there is a “50-50″ chance that Downey does not return to USC for his senior season.  Scott said Downey worked out for Houston on Monday and has a workout scheduled with the Milwaukee Bucks later this week.

Scott added that Downey also hasn’t ruled out the possibility of playing in Europe if it becomes clear that he won’t be drafted or catch on with an NBA team.  Draft pundits don’t expect Downey to go in the first round and most consider him a long shot to go in the second round.

Players have until June 15th to withdraw their name from the draft and return to school.  Scott said Downey probably won’t make a decision before that date.

Scott is currently the coach at Wilson High School but coached Downey at Chester High School.

Downey averaged 18 points per game last season and was a first team All-SEC selection.

Filed Under: USC Gamecocks Tagged With: ,

Decision looms for Downey, Archie

June 9, 2009 By
Devon Downey

Devon Downey

With less than a week for underclassman to pull their names out of the NBA draft and return to school and there is still no word on what USC juniors Devon Downey and Dominque Archie plan to do. Both players worked out for a couple of NBA teams in Houston Monday and Downey reportedly has another workout scheduled for later this week. 

Neither player is projected to be drafted in the first round and some analyst say it is a long shot that either would be picked in the second round. However, both could also consider looking at a potential contract with a European team. That has become a viable option with players such as Clemson’s Terrence Oglesby and Florida Nick Calathes signing lucrative pro contracts overseas.

Players have until June 15th to pull their names out of the draft and return to school. The NBA draft is June 25th.

Filed Under: USC Gamecocks Tagged With: ,
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