The South Carolina Gamecocks entered Tuesday night’s game against fifth-ranked Kentucky knowing they had a tough task ahead of them. The scorching hot Wildcats, winners of eight in a row, made it nine as they handled the visiting Gamecocks to the tune of 76-48.
South Carolina’s offense, which had been asserting itself in recent weeks, was smothered by Kentucky’s defense. The Gamecocks shot just 36 percent from the field, including 28 percent in the second half when a woeful stretch saw USC miss 10 consecutive shots. The second half on a whole was a nightmare for South Carolina, which trailed by as many as 20 points and had only scored seven of its own roughly halfway through the period.