Gamecocks looking for second wind

COLUMBIA -- Just a week ago, the NCAA Tournament was very much in the discussion for South Carolina. Fueled by Devan Downey and somewhat steady play, fans were figuring out exactly which wins the Gamecocks would need to make their first NCAA appearance since 2004.

And now? My, things have changed.

Road losses at Georgia and Arkansas have all but crushed that talk, with No. 20 Tennessee coming to town today at Colonial Life Arena.

If the Gamecocks aren't careful, they might be on the NIT bubble.

It all begs the question: Has South Carolina (14-11, 5-6 SEC) run out of fuel with two weeks to go in the conference season? Are we watching a team limping down the stretch while the field runs away?

"I don't (think so)," USC second-year coach Darrin Horn said. "They're mental things (we're doing wrong). If we were pressing 40 minutes a game and doing that with six or seven guys, then maybe I would say that."

Reach Travis Haney at thaney@postandcourier.com

Horn correctly pointed out that, generally, contributions from senior Brandis Raley, junior Sam Muldrow and freshmen Ramon Galloway and Lakeem Jackson have actually been increasing in recent weeks. Maybe not every night, but, by and large, those players have consistently done more than they were in, say, December.

Much of the gradual decline can be linked to the fact that Devan Downey is no longer scoring a super-human 30 points a game in conference play.

Horn isn't prescribing to the thought that Downey is on fumes, but rather that he's just playing like he was before he went bonkers earlier in the SEC season.

It's something similar to what Horn said Tuesday, before Downey went out and made 11 of 28 shots to still score 28 in the loss at Arkansas.

Downey is still scoring 23 points a game, and 28.8 a game in SEC play.

"In my perspective, it doesn't have anything to do with that," Horn said, referring to fatigue. "The reality is he was on a tear unlike anyone in all of college basketball. And that's just settled down a little bit.

"You look at the percentages and the numbers, and they're similar to what they were prior to that. That's part of being a high-volume scorer and someone that people are going to key on."

Tennessee (19-6, 7-4) isn't exactly the team that South Carolina wants to see coming.

The Volunteers are the only SEC East team that Horn hasn't beaten in nearly two full seasons.

That 0-3, for the most part, hasn't been pretty, either.

South Carolina rallied from 19 down to make it look nice (82-79) in last year's meeting in Knoxville. Tennessee then responded with an 86-70 victory in Columbia, where USC was previously undefeated against SEC teams, in the regular-season finale.

Even after star Tyler Smith was dismissed from the team, UT still saved its best for the Gamecocks in the teams' Feb. 6 meeting -- a 79-53 that was more lopsided than even that sounds.

"It was our worst offensive performance of the year, without a doubt," Horn said.

Added to that, Horn computed that 37 of the Vols' 79 points came in transition. That won't work, either.

Wayne Chism, who's been something of a USC killer over the years, had a career-high 30 in that first meeting.

Horn pointed out that Bruce Pearl uses Chism in a variety of ways, often running the offense through him if not to him.

"He seems to have a good grasp of what they're trying to accomplish," Horn said, "not just making plays for himself."

Chism's been battling through a bad ankle, but Downey's been doing the same. Both stars are expected to be in the lineup and active.

Reach Travis Haney at thaney@postandcourier.com, check out the Gamecocks blog at postandcourier.com/blogs/gamecocks and follow him on Twitter (@gamecocksblog).

Tennessee at South Carolina

WHEN/WHERE: 9 p.m., Colonial Life Arena, Columbia

TV: SEC Network

RADIO: WTMA 1250-AM

SOUTH CAROLINA (14-11, 5-6 Southeastern)

HEAD COACH: Darrin Horn (35-21 in second year at South Carolina)

PLAYERS TO WATCH: G Devan Downey, 5-9, sr. (22.8 ppg, 3.4 apg); G Brandis Raley, 6-1, sr. (11.0 ppg, 3.4 rpg); F Sam Muldrow, 6-9, jr. (9.5 ppg, 6.3 bpg).

NOTES: USC is 4-1 at home this year in SEC play, offsetting its 1-9 overall mark on the road. South Carolina is 27-5 at home under Horn. ... Downey needs only eight steals to set the school record. ... Gamecocks need 14 more blocks to have the third-highest season block total in school history.

TENNESSEE (19-6, 7-4 Southeastern)

HEAD COACH: Bruce Pearl (117-43 in fifth year at Tennessee)

PLAYERS TO WATCH: G Bobby Maze, 6-3, sr. (9.2 ppg, 2.8 rpg); G Scotty Hopson, 6-7, so. (12.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg); F Wayne Chism, 6-9, sr. (13.2 ppg, 7.1 rpg).

NOTES: The Vols scrapped earlier in the week to get past Georgia. ... Tennessee has three victories against the RPI top 50 (Kansas, Charlotte and Ole Miss). ... Chism, who's been a bit gimpy lately with a bad ankle, is one of three Tennessee players to collect 800 rebounds and 125 blocks.

-- Travis Haney