RECAP

If you’re a South Carolina basketball fan, you’ve been waiting exactly 13 years to play in the NCAA Tournament again. I’m 21 years old and remember coming home from school wondering if South Carolina had beat Memphis in one of the early games.

Naturally, Memphis won the game and I’ve been waiting ever since to be apart of March Madness. South Carolina drew Marquette in the first round to try and win a game in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1973.

South Carolina took the opening tip and the game took off on the fast pace that everyone expected. Marquette’s first basket of the game was a three pointer and a foul for a converted four point play. After an 8-0 Marquette run, South Carolina settled in getting some transition baskets and a few threes from Duane Notice and Justin McKie.

The nation’s #1 three point shooting team shot 50% in the first half against the Gamecocks forcing Sindarius Thornwell and Chris Silva into the paint to get easier baskets. South Carolina owned points in the paint at the half 18-6. The first half ended at a 40-39 Marquette lead, and was the most stressful 20 minutes of basketball I’ve ever watched.

South Carolina took it’s first lead on a Chris Silva tip in to start the second half. The pace that the game had in the first half was even more intense to start the second half. South Carolina’s on ball defense was spectacular and forced two steals that turned into transition buckets for PJ Dozier and Maik Kotsar.

For a five minute stretch, the Gamecocks were on a 13-0 run stopped by a Marquette and-one by JuJuan Johnson. Johnson hit another three on the next possession for Marquette’s tenth three of the game.

PJ Dozier and Sindarius Thornwell played tremendous down the stretch after Chris Silva earned his fourth foul. As the Gamecocks moved to the interior for their scoring, Marquette’s fatigue set in hurting them on both sides of the court. Dozier and Thornwell were able to dominate the glass and consistently score. Marquette’s offense completely burned out from relentless defense by Thornwell, Dozier, and Duane Notice.

The last four minutes of the game turned into a Gamecock victory lap. The final from Greenville was 93-73 South Carolina. Sindarius Thornwell scored 29 points, had 11 rebounds, and forced five turnovers in the victory. Four Gamecocks scored double digit points, and two over 20. South Carolina won’t have long to celebrate the program’s first NCAA Tournament win since 1973 for long, the Gamecocks will play #2 seed Duke on Sunday.