Men's Basketball 11/29/2019
VIDEO: Men's Basketball Media Availability - 11/29/19
Head Coach Frank Martin met with the media Friday morning
Poor free throw shooting and youth plague the Gamecocks and when will the Gamecocks see Bryant on the court
The Gamecocks missed nine FTs (12 of 21) in an eight-point loss to Boston University on Nov. 19. They missed six in Wednesday’s six-point loss to Northern Iowa in Cancun, Mexico.
Frank Martin said the struggles are more mental than physical, using freshman forward Jalyn McCreary (three of 16, 19%) as an example.
“With him it’s just a mental wreck,” the Gamecock coach said Friday. “That’s what happens when you have guys who are just OK free throw shooters and they start missing in games early in their career. Then they kind of just don’t want to go to the line.
“I don’t know if you remember PJ Dozier, his freshman year, he did not want to shoot free throws because it got to a place mentally where he was not comfortable at the line. And he’d shoot them at practice, but when the game started, he’d get to a place and it happens. It’s part of their growth as players.”
Dozier was a 54.4% free throw shooter as a freshman in 2015-16. That would rank eighth on this team, but ahead of starters/rotation players Alanzo Frink (50), Maik Kotsar (44.4), T.J. Moss (33.3) and McCreary.
“There’s other guys missing free throws that need to be making them,” Martin said.
Missing is one thing, not getting enough attempts is another. Opponents have taken more free throws in five of seven games this season. That happened just 14 times in 32 games last season when the Gamecocks could dump inside to Chris Silva.
“We have to shoot more,” Martin said. “You can’t win high level games and you’re getting out-shot 24-11 at the foul line (see Northern Iowa game). You have to get to the foul line. And we have to do a better job of getting our guards to get free throws and they have to do a better job when they’re in the game of being more aggressive as far as attacking the paint.”
South Carolina (4-3) next hosts George Washington (3-4) on Sunday.
WHEN IS KEYSHAWN BRYANT COMING BACK?
It won’t be Sunday, but Keyshawn Bryant could be make his 2019-20 season debut some point soon. The Gamecocks play at UMass on Wednesday.
“I’m optimistic that he’s going to do some stuff (Saturday) and then we’re going to start revving him up pretty good on Monday and Tuesday and see where we go from there.,” Martin said.
Bryant, the fourth-leading scorer on last year’s team, had knee surgery in early November.
VIDEO: Men's Basketball Media Availability - 11/29/19
Head Coach Frank Martin met with the media Friday morning
Poor free throw shooting and youth plague the Gamecocks and when will the Gamecocks see Bryant on the court
The Gamecocks missed nine FTs (12 of 21) in an eight-point loss to Boston University on Nov. 19. They missed six in Wednesday’s six-point loss to Northern Iowa in Cancun, Mexico.
Frank Martin said the struggles are more mental than physical, using freshman forward Jalyn McCreary (three of 16, 19%) as an example.
“With him it’s just a mental wreck,” the Gamecock coach said Friday. “That’s what happens when you have guys who are just OK free throw shooters and they start missing in games early in their career. Then they kind of just don’t want to go to the line.
“I don’t know if you remember PJ Dozier, his freshman year, he did not want to shoot free throws because it got to a place mentally where he was not comfortable at the line. And he’d shoot them at practice, but when the game started, he’d get to a place and it happens. It’s part of their growth as players.”
Dozier was a 54.4% free throw shooter as a freshman in 2015-16. That would rank eighth on this team, but ahead of starters/rotation players Alanzo Frink (50), Maik Kotsar (44.4), T.J. Moss (33.3) and McCreary.
“There’s other guys missing free throws that need to be making them,” Martin said.
Missing is one thing, not getting enough attempts is another. Opponents have taken more free throws in five of seven games this season. That happened just 14 times in 32 games last season when the Gamecocks could dump inside to Chris Silva.
“We have to shoot more,” Martin said. “You can’t win high level games and you’re getting out-shot 24-11 at the foul line (see Northern Iowa game). You have to get to the foul line. And we have to do a better job of getting our guards to get free throws and they have to do a better job when they’re in the game of being more aggressive as far as attacking the paint.”
South Carolina (4-3) next hosts George Washington (3-4) on Sunday.
WHEN IS KEYSHAWN BRYANT COMING BACK?
It won’t be Sunday, but Keyshawn Bryant could be make his 2019-20 season debut some point soon. The Gamecocks play at UMass on Wednesday.
“I’m optimistic that he’s going to do some stuff (Saturday) and then we’re going to start revving him up pretty good on Monday and Tuesday and see where we go from there.,” Martin said.
Bryant, the fourth-leading scorer on last year’s team, had knee surgery in early November.
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