USC Basketball

[Neo]

Well, Basketball season is starting so I will have another sport to watch to tide me over until next football season.

[Jordan]

Unfortunately, I'm not the biggest basketball fan. Fun to play, but not that great to watch. I do like some of the big rivalry games, and really get into it whenever we make it to the playoffs. Maybe we'll get in the Elite 8 again this year and give me something to do for a while. :)

[Hardie]

I aint much on basketball myself but any sport that Alabama plays Ill be there routin for them. I remember last year when we made it to the elite 8 me and some friends of mine went to Tuscaloosa to watch the game on the jumbo screens at Coleman and it was a pretty good time. This year we are puttin in for basketball tickets already and going to go watch some of the SEC games live. I hope we have a steller season and hopefully we can win an SEC championship and go all the way. If nuffin else like DeL said it will tide me over till football season rolls around again or atleast till our national power gym teams gets back in action lol.

[RW13]

I"m going wednesday night to see USC play Winthrop and there is a 50/50 chance I'll go Saturday to see them play temple, I have the tickets but I don't know if I'll be back in Columbia in time...

[Neo]

Well at least we can say that we own Clemson in every other sport except for football. :)

[Hardie]

If SC is anything like Alabama it dont matter what sport you beat Clemson in just as long as you kick their butt. Thats how we feel here at Alabama.. as long as we are kickin Auburn and Tennessee butts we dont care what sport it is. We could be beatin them at checkers and it would make us happy lol

[Neo]

Well, I'm looking forward to USC Basketball this year. Hopefully Odom will take us further than the 1st round.

[Hardie]

I'm hopin the Tide can take that next step and make it to the Final 4 and hopefully a National Title. I doubt it will happen but you know how college basketball is. Would be nice to see a Basketball championship up there with all them Football titles we have tho.

[bpop02]

If Cinderellas can make it to the Final Four, anybody has a chance come March. The season predicts powerhouses for the tourney, but it's what you do at the end of February that determines your standing in the Tourney. Hopeully the SEC will have a strong presence this year. At least 7 or 8 teams would be nice.

[Hardie]

I think the SEC has a legit shot of gettin atleast 5 teams in the tourney this year and heres who I think they will be.... Alabama , Kentucky, Miss St , Florida and Tennessee. Other 2 that could sneak in there are Auburn and Carolina.

[RW13]

I think Carolina is better than UT, not sure about Auburn this year but we beat them last year...

[Hardie]

I aint a huge basketball fan till March so my picks on teams might not be as good with basketball as it is with football lol.

[RW13]

Doesn't matter, usually the football ones never come out as we think anyways....

[Neo]

Well...4-1 isn't too bad. We have the game against S. Florida today and Kansas on 12/18. That's really going to be a good game.

[Hardie]

So far I believe Bama is 7 - 1 with a few quality wins in there. Once SEC play begins tho that will be the real telling tape of how good teams are. I know Bama has a game here pretty soon against Wisconson and hopefully we can do th eSEC proud and win it.

[ptUSC]

I think Carolina is better than UT, not sure about Auburn this year but we beat them last year...
is south florida that good, or is SC still too young to tell? i had great expectations this year for the team, what do you think is going to happen?

[GRASSHOPPER]

south florida beat michigan already this year though mich. may not be as good years past, it's still a big time program they beat

[RW13]

Well, don't expect the same results this year as last, I don't think we brought in quality recruits (unlike Clemson who brought in great players) and I'm expecting maybe 15, 16 wins tops, but it is early..............

[Galactus]

Well, we squeeked by SC State last night.

Unlike many other SEC fans, basketball is number one with me. I'd take a Final Four over a major bowl any day (though football remains a close second).

I'm gonna say it: I'm not impressed with Odom thus far.... His biggest problem, IMO, is his inablity to recruit. We haven't recruited well, in all honesty, since the McGuire years. Our guys are decently coached and they play hard, but really, we just don't have the horses we need to reach the big time.

Why is building a good basketball program so tough in Columbia?

[GRASSHOPPER]

He Does Seem To Favor The Smaller 3 Guard Type Lineup. Keep Hoping For That Tim Duncan Diamond In The Ruff Player He Can Find.i Think If We Give Him Time He Will Be A Consistant Winner. Maybe Not An Sec Powerhouse But A Winner.

[rabidcock]

Give the man time. We've had 20+ wins in two out of three years. He built Wake into a power and can here too.

Also, we just signed a 6'8", 240 pound power forward; all we really need is more beef up front.

[Neo]

6'8 240?

Sounds kinda like Shaq???

[GRASSHOPPER]

How Big Was Shaq When He Came Into The League--- He Is Now Like 7'1" 340lbs-he's Grown A Bit

[Neo]

How Big Was Shaq When He Came Into The League--- He Is Now Like 7'1" 340lbs-he's Grown A Bit

Something like that. I'm not too sure.

[pv2416]

obviously non of ya'll have any faith in what Heath is doing with Arkansas. I know we are playing easy teams but so far we are 10-1 with our only loss being to the #1 team in the nation. I don't know of any of ya'll watched that game on ESPN but we kept up with them the entire game getting withen 4 points in the 2 half. This team may be young but they're good. I feel like we have a good shot in getting to tournament this year.

[Neo]

USC is still doing fairly good. They lost to the #2 ranked team in the country by what 3 points on their own court. That speaks exactly how far this program has come since Odom took the job.

[Neo]

Former Gamecock Gerald eyes comeback

By Steve Wiseman
Staff Writer

Jarod Gerald is working toward resurrecting his South Carolina basketball career.

The former Mullins High School player, who failed out of school a year ago this month, plans to re-enroll at USC for the spring semester with the hope of rejoining the basketball team next fall.

Gerald, a point guard, took classes at Horry-Georgetown Technical College this fall to help get his academic profile in order.

USC basketball coach Dave Odom said if Gerald can be accepted back into USC and is able to regain his NCAA eligibility, he would explore welcoming him back to the team.

“He has interest, and we have interest,” Odom said.

Gerald was at the Colonial Center Wednesday night when USC beat S.C. State 68-65 in overtime.

“I felt like I could have helped them out,” said Gerald, who met with Odom after the game.

Gerald said he has learned “a whole lot” of life lessons during his time away from USC and Division I basketball during the past 12 months.

[raptorcox]

I would welcome him back - we could use Gerald, and needs an education (obviously)..

[NJ Cock]

Because it is not the ACC....I've been saying for years that South Carolina is playing in the wrong conference. We should have NEVER left the ACC. Dietzel's decision to pull Carolina out of the ACC has hurt our school more than anyone will ever know. It was a bonehead move that we continue to pay for. Financially the school is in great shape; but academically, we would have been much better off if we just stayed the course in the ACC. Merry Xmas, Alan Pavon '72

[Galactus]

I totally agree, NJ Cock. Of course, I'm a bigger basketball fan than football, so naturally I lean towards us returning to the ACC. I remember the days of Joyce.....and then Dunleavy, Winters and English.

Unfortunately, I'm afraid it's too late to return to the ACC and it won't ever happen.

Still, the SEC isn't exactly chopped liver. Sure beats the heck out of the Metro!!

I just wish we'd start winning some of these close games. The close losses to Kansas and now Pitt really suck.....That loss to Clemson looms large, now. Had we at least beaten Clemson, the KU and Pitt losses wouldn't be so bad.

We simply need more talent. Odom has GOT to step it up in recruiting.....The 4 guys he's got coming in next year will really tell the tale for him, I think.

[GRASSHOPPER]

Acc Vs Sec You Guys Have Lost Your Mind!

[vmandan]

I was listening to the UK vs. USC game on Sirius satellite radio last night and I was so dissapointed to listen to us drop another close game. Why can't we knock off these top ten teams? Are we just not there yet? In all three games against Kansas, Pitt, and UK we have led most of the game, and then there is a deflation somewhere. I hope Odom tries some different kind of motivation to get the team back on track.

[Payindews]

ummm....when does baseball season start?

[GRASSHOPPER]

ummm....when does baseball season start?I SECOND THAT THOUGHT # 7

[raptorcox]

It must take a genius to be able to get those kids to keep chins up after all of those close ones. Hopefully, the guys will be rewarded Saturday... if not Odom has got some 'splainin' to do.

[volfan82]

I think the SEC has a legit shot of gettin atleast 5 teams in the tourney this year and heres who I think they will be.... Alabama , Kentucky, Miss St , Florida and Tennessee. Other 2 that could sneak in there are Auburn and Carolina.

As much as I hate to say it, don't forget about Vanderbilt. They're playing pretty good right now.

[Neo]

As much as I hate to say it, don't forget about Vanderbilt. They're playing pretty good right now.


I agree! BIG time! :)