South Carolina gains credibility with road win at Clemson
When South Carolina staved off a furious second-half rally to beat Clemson on Friday night, the Gamecocks gained more than in-state bragging rights.
They also took a small step toward proving that their 10-0 record is a product of more than just a woefully weak non-conference schedule.
South Carolina's 65-59 victory was just its first road win of the season and only its second victory against an opponent in the KenPom top 100. The only remotely credible win the Gamecocks had prior to Friday night was an eight-point victory over Tulsa last month in the Paradise Jam title game.
While South Carolina will probably have to wait until SEC play begins to solidify itself as an AP Top 25 team, the Clemson game at least represented a step up in competition. The Tigers entered Friday's game with a respectable 7-3 record and a 6-1 mark in home games, the only loss a one-point setback against Alabama.
The Gamecocks managed to remain one of the nation's final eight unbeaten teams thanks to a torrid first half in which they led by as many as 20 points. The key was a 24-1 surge highlighted by a soaring one-handed jam by guard Sindarius Thornwell.
It seemed as though the game might be over at halftime, but Clemson displayed enough resilience to make a second-half push.
Forwards Jaron Blossomgame and Donte Grantham led the Tigers to within four with 4:30 to go, but then the Clemson offense stalled. Six straight possessions, the Tigers had a chance to make it a single-possession game with a basket. Six straight possessions, the Tigers squandered that opportunity with either a missed shot or a turnover.
Give some of the credit to a South Carolina defense that excels at protecting the rim. Opponents were shooting under 40 percent inside the arc against the Gamecocks entering Friday night's game and Clemson's 15-for-37 shooting on 2-pointers certainly didn't raise that number.
The question with South Carolina remains whether it can score efficiently enough against a set defense to maintain its torrid start against SEC competition. More efficiency from Thornwell and increased production from talented freshman P.J. Dozier would go a long way toward making that possible.
Nonetheless, the Gamecocks found a way to win on the road Friday despite struggling offensively during the second half.
It's not a significant enough victory to instantly change the perception of South Carolina, but it does suggest Frank Martin's program is trending in the right direction.
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Jeff Eisenberg is the editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at daggerblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
