Final Score: USC 74, The Citadel 47
Current Record: 1-1
Next Up: @ South Carolina
Didn't have a chance to watch the game so I can't go in-depth but here's a breakdown of the game based on reports/stats:
Positives
- The clear positive from this game was the successful return of Daniel Hackett. The loss to Mercer really made it apparent how valuable Daniel is to this team; we all saw it in the Texas game last season, when Daniel stepped up on both sides of the ball and really got the team going with his fiery approach. Based on the reports I've read, Daniel looked quicker and more confident in tonight's game than he's ever been.
- Another positive is Kasey Cunningham getting the start. Kasey may be a wild-card this season if he can bounce back from his ACL injury and live up to his billing as a tenacious defender/rebounder. Tonight he finished 3-4 for 6 points and more importantly grabbed 10 boards in 22 minutes of play. Adding Kasey to the starting line-up would be a boost over Cromwell/Wilkinson even though he's undersized (6-7 220lb), due to his athleticism and tenacity.
Negatives
- Turnovers continue to be an issue, as we committed 20 today.
- Our free-throw shooting only improved marginally at 61.5%.
As I mentioned in the preview, the team we played tonight only had two upperclassmen on their entire roster, so I wouldn't take too much stock in tonight's victory. This weekend's match-up against South Carolina will be a tough one; the Gamecocks beat the same team we played tonight by 61 points earlier in the week.
