UAB Sets Back South Carolina Once Again
South Carolina made the trip to Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday night to take on former Ole Miss head coach Andy Kennedy and the UAB Blazers, and it didn't go well for the Gamecocks.
How did the game play out?
An Inconsistent First Half
At the start of the game, nobody was hotter than Blazers guard Jordan Walker. On the first three UAB possessions, Walker hit three straight three-pointers, giving the Blazers a 10-0 advantage in the contest's first minute and thirty seconds.
The Gamecocks playing in a hostile environment, needed to respond before things got out of hand, and they would do just that, going on a 9-1 run to cut the Blazers' lead down to two points.
The Gamecocks narrowed the lead with physicality, outmuscling UAB on the glass for second-chance opportunities. UAB would increase their lead through the efficient shooting at all three levels from senior forward KJ Buffen, who finished the first half with fifteen points.
The Blazers would continue to widen the gap on the back of Buffen's shooting. The Gamecocks hit an offensive wall in the final eight minutes, turning over the ball multiple times and becoming overly reliant on their guards as the front court struggled to convert on their opportunities, leading to a fourteen-point halftime deficit.
Defense Couldn't Keep Pace
In the second half, the Blazers would again catch the Gamecocks on their heels, starting the period on a 10-2 run, extending their lead to around 20 points. From this point on, South Carolina was playing catch up, as they were continuously taking contested shots while the Blazers seemed to be able to find open looks consistently.
Things went sideways when Meechie Johnson rolled one of his ankles into the period. Without his explosiveness and ability to create on the floor, South Carolina became even more stagnant on that end until Johnson returned to the floor.
On UAB's end, the Blazers' frontcourt fought back on the glass and dominated this aspect in the second half. Walker continued to be dangerous with the basketball, finding his teammates while he drew the Gamecocks' attention.
South Carolina's reliance on a short rotation means the Gamecocks can't afford to fall into a big hole on the road, or else you get results like this. South Carolina will take East Carolina in Greenville, South Carolina, on Saturday afternoon.
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