What to watch for: South Carolina travels to George Washington

On3 imageby:Collyn Taylor11/30/22

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For the first time this season, South Carolina is set to play a true road game. 

The Gamecocks start a two-game Washington D.C. swing, playing at George Washington Wednesday night at 9 p.m. Here’s what to watch for against the Colonials. 

Away-from-home struggles

South Carolina has won three games this season, all at home. The three games away from Colonial Life this season? Three losses, all by double digits. Those were at a neutral site and this will be the Gamecocks’ first true road test of the season.

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“On the road, defense travels. If we’re able to put together stops–not singularly stops but collectively–we’ll be able to compete. You shoot the ball better at home,” Hayden Brown said. “But your defense can and will be consistent. If we lock down the consistency of our defense it will help us on the road.” 

Can South Carolina build on a win?

The Gamecocks are coming off arguably their best half of basketball, out-scoring USC Upstate by 15 and getting much-needed contributions from Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk and Brown. 

“Me personally, it was good to get going. The start of the season was rough for me. I came in with an ankle sprain, I had to miss the first game and just getting in a rhythm was hard,” Bosmans-Verdonk said. “I think that last game was good there to get comfortable and it’s up from there. Now I’m rolling. I feel pretty good. I’m pretty confident. I’m ready for the next one.” 

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South Carolina offensively protected the ball and averaged well over a point per possession while getting consecutive stops defensively. That has to continue if South Carolina wants to win more than it loses. 

Jacobi Wright at point

Meechie Johnson is still dealing with an ankle injury and the Gamecocks’ staff is going to slow-play his return. Because of that, and Ebrima Dibba out for the year with an ankle injury, nearly all of the point guard duties fall on Jacobi Wright. 

Wright, who entered the season expected to come off the bench and play a role, has suddenly been thrust into a starting role and is now asked to play upwards of 35 minutes per night. Over the last three games he’s averaging 7.3 points on 39.1 percent shooting on 33.7 minutes per game. 

Him being able to handle large minute loads until Johnson returns is going to be a big factor.

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“It’s crazy how Cobi’s been doing it. Man, so much credit goes to him. Beyond what the scoreboard says of what he does, his value is crazy for us,” Bosmans-Verdonk said. “To play point guard and guarding, what is most of the time, the other team’s best player, that takes a whole lot.”

Establishing an identity

South Carolina is going to need to continue doing that, and going on the road can help cement some of that in Lamont Paris’s first season. 

Our identity has to be we’re the hungriest team…Establishing that, it’s game by game,” Bosmans-Verdonk said. “Every game we have to be like, ‘Wow, those boys from South Carolina, they play hard. They’re giving us nothing.’

Scouting the opponent

The Colonials are also in year one of a new regime after hiring longtime Miami assistant Chris Caputo this offseason. They’ve started the year with wins over Virginia State, Howard, Maryland Eastern Shore and New Hampshire. The two losses have come at Hofstra and at home to UC San Diego. 

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KenPom ranks George Washington No. 216 nationally compared to South Carolina at 141. Where George Washington excels is shooting, and the Colonials top 20 nationally in effective field goal percentage (57.1), two-point percentage (61.4), free throw percentage (79.2) and offensive block rate (4.6). 

It’s a more offensive than defensive team with GW 170th nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency and No. 263 in defensive. 

Teams are shooting the three well against them this season, 34.9 percent, and have been bad about having the ball stolen from them. 

It’s a very guard-heavy team with James Bishop (21.3 points, 48.9 FG%), Brendan Adams (17.7 points, 52.9 FG%) and Maximus Edwards (10.5 points, 48.9 FG%) leading the way. The Gamecocks’ guards will have their hands full. 

Game details

Who: South Carolina (3-3) at George Washington (4-2) 

Where: Charles E. Smith Center (Capacity: 4,338)

When: Wednesday, Nov. 30

How to watch: CBS Sports Network

How to listen: 107.5 FM

KenPom projection: 67-66 South Carolina (55 percent chance for South Carolina to win)

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