Hours after being cleared to play by the NCAA, University of South Carolina guard Tyrone Johnson led his new team to an 82-44 rout over Longwood University.
In the season opener for second-year head coach Frank Martin, the 6-foot-3, 194-pound transfer from Villanova scored 18 points to lead all scorers.
True freshman Sindarius Thornwell – a 6-foot-5, 206-pound Lancaster, S.C. native – chipped in 14 points for the Gamecocks (1-0, 0-0 SEC) in his debut while Brenton Williams – one of only two seniors on Martin’s squad – added 14 points of his own.
Gamecock fans (the announced crowd was 8,356, but take that number with an ocean of salt) also witnessed the debut of a pair of highly touted newcomers – Justin McKie and Reggie Theus, Jr.
McKie’s dad, B.J. McKie, is USC’s all-time career scoring leader. Theus’ dad was a two-time NBA All-Star.
Michael Carerra (above) scored twelve points and added nine rebounds for the Gamecocks – who play on the road against No. 25 Baylor on Tuesday and on the road against arch-rival Clemson next Saturday.
South Carolina posted a dismal 14-18 mark in Martin’s first season as head coach, including a 4-14 record in Southeastern Conference play. The previous year the team went 10-21 in former head coach Darrin Horn’s final season in Columbia, S.C.
Big things are expected from Martin, who posted a 117-54 mark in five seasons as Kansas State’s head coach. His run with the Wildcats included four NCAA tournament nods – including an Elite Eight appearance in 2009.
South Carolina hasn’t appeared in the NCAA tournament since 2004 – and hasn’t won a game in the “Big Dance” since 1974.
6 comments
In another year or two, Coach Martin will have the Gamecocks in the NCAA tourney.
But first they have to get by Aiken Jr. High next week.
Hey, 9″, when does Longwood U play Ball State, before or after the Morehead game?
I love it when you fantasize about me…
Were you at this game? I was.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88sI41IsN-E
No. I was about 6 years old then. I was supposed to go see a Gamecock basketball game around that time (when those guys were playing) but was sick and couldn’t go….Might have made a big difference in my life, in that…
…the first bigtime sports event I ever went to was a Clemson football game and I’ve pulled for the other team* ever since.
Clemson, people. Clemson.
*Shakes head*
‘Team spirit’ is such an odd,but beautifully human thing.I love it.
I was a little older…,but will never forget that game
And you gotta love,Boston Red Sox;the team that had sports’psychologists rewriting their books in 2004 and then saving the USA,this year.Well,sorta.