Below is each team's NET ranking and quadrant resumes. This is a quadrant 1 game for us against USC as they are inside the Top 75 (vs. 1-75 home game is Quadrant 1). These results below are as of 2/21/20.

Quad 1 = Against #1-30 Home, #1-50 Neutral, #1-75 Away
Quad 2 = Against #31-75 Home, #51-100 Neutral, #76-135 Away
Quad 3 = Against #76-#160 Home, #101-200 Neutral, #136-240 Away
Quad 4 = Against #161-353 Home, #201-353 Neutral, #241-353 Away

#30 (18-8, 9-4 SEC) LSU
Quad 1 = 2-6
Quad 2 = 8-1
Quad 3 = 4-1
Quad 4 = 4-0

#62 (16-10, 8-5 SEC) South Carolina
Quad 1 = 3-6
Quad 2 = 4-2
Quad 3 = 4-1
Quad 4 = 5-1

LSU as of recent
Reeling, really reeling here. LSU has lost 4 of the past 5 games now with the lone win being over a bad short manned Missouri team by 4 points. The defense has just been 1 let down after the next during this stint allowing at least 78 points in every game the last 5 games. In the last week LSU went on the road to lose to Bama 82-88 and lost to Kentucky at home 76-79, not backbreaking losses, but chances to stay at top of the conference squandered for sure. Uncharacteristically we’ve lost our last 3 road SEC games after we won our last 12 in a row in conference play. We now are presented the chance to pick things back up with what would be a solid Quad 1 road win at USC. Ultimately UK's size got to us as they blocked 11 of our 46 2 point shots with us only shooting 41% from 2 as a result.

South Carolina as of recent
After a 10-8, 2-3 SEC start to the season, USC has won 6 of their last 8 all being conference games. They did lose earlier this week to MSU on the road in a very tight game, but before that beat Tennessee, UGA and A&M. South Carolina is playing very solid ball as they’ve been sound defensively usually and have a potent enough offense to challenge the good SEC teams and mostly take care of business against the weaker ones.

South Carolina projected starters
C (6'11, 270) SR. Maik Kotsar
PF (6'7, 260) SO. Alanzo Frink
SF (6'5, 197) SO. Keyshawn Bryant
SG (6'6, 178) SO. AJ Lawson
PG (6'4, 211) rFR. Jermaine Cousinard

Maik Kotsar is a huge center for USC who has seen his game hit its peak in his final season. In 30.2 conference minutes per game is averaging 12.1 points, 7 boards (1.8 offensive), 2.7 assists to 1.4 turnovers, 1.8 steals and 1.2 blocks on 53% from the floor and 81% from the line. He doesn’t shoot any 3’s, but he’s such a sound overall player and that’s a ridiculous assist turnover ratio for a big 7 footer. His conference PER is 23.5 on the season and is highest on USC by a longshot.

Alanzo Frink has been starting last few games in place of Justin Minaya who has been out and he’s a thick true power forward. In 10.8 conference minutes per game is averaging 2.5 points, 2.8 boards (1.5 offensive) on 39% from the floor. He doesn’t shoot any 3’s but fights for rebounds on the offensive glass very hard. His conference PER is 14.2 on the season.

Keyshawn Bryant in 19 conference minutes per game is averaging 7 points, 3.3 boards (0.9 offensive), 1.4 assists to 2.3 turnovers on 43% from the floor and hasn’t made a 3 pointer in conference play yet. His conference PER is 9.9 on the season.

AJ Lawson was thought to be USC’s top player going into this season before Kotsar kind of stole the show this year a bit but in 29.4 conference minutes per game the long guard is averaging 12 points, 4 boards, 1.4 assists to 1.6 turnovers, 1 steal on 41% from the floor and 36% from 3 (takes 5.5 a game). His conference PER is 13.7 on the season.

Jermaine Cousinard is a scoring ball handling guard basically for USC. In 28.9 conference minutes per game he is averaging 15.9 points, 2.3 boards, 3.1 assists to 3 turnovers, 1 steal on 42% from the floor and 31% from 3 (takes 5 a game). He gets to the line to shoot 6 FTs a game at a 66% rate. Cousinard is their leading scorer but is more a volume guy. His conference PER is 16.3 on the season.

South Carolina top bench players
CG (6'3, 215) rJR. Jair Bolden
CG (6’2, 217) FR. Trae Hannibal
PF (6’7, 225) FR. Jalyn McCreary
PG (6’4, 195) rFR. TJ Moss
C (6’11, 230) FR. Wildens Leveque

Frank Martin really empties his bench and plays a lot of guys. Bolden has played the most at about 20 minutes per conference game and throws in about 8 points and 2 assists a game while shooting an incredible 42% from 3 (takes 4.2 a game). Hannibal plays about 15 minutes a game and puts in 4.5 points, 3 boards an assist and steal. McCreary plays about 13 minutes a contest and puts in 5 points, 3 boards (1.2 offensive) on 66% from the floor (doesn’t shoot 3’s). Moss plays 12 minutes a game, and isn’t much an offensive threat but distributes the ball a bit. Leveque plays just under 10 minutes a game and is minor contributor as a result.

South Carolina as a team
South Carolina has played some really sound defense in conference play and sit #1 in kenpom’s defensive efficiency there. They hold teams to 44.3% effective FG% and turn teams over at a high rate as well as defend the 3 better than anyone in the league. On offense they are mid-pack or so in many places, have shot the 3 well (34%) but don’t rely on that shot. They play with the fastest pace in the conference and if there’s 1 place they are poor at it’s the FT line at only 63.2% as a team. This is actually a pretty young Frank Martin team but the senior Kotsar really does bring that veteran leadership to the table to glue everything together for them.

The Matchup
Obviously USC has a big who is really good and presents a challenge for our smaller inside guys at only 6’6 a piece in Williams and Days. Kotsar isn’t a big time shot blocker but he can muscle his way around still. I’d say we have an advantage at guard at least our starting group of Mays/Smart vs. Cousinard/Lawson but South Carolina brings a lot of length and size to the table against us too. I think we will try and attack a lot because they will foul you a lot, and don’t mind it because they play so many guys. That’s where we can really control the game and slow it down. Kenpom now has this game as a 1 point loss, but I really feel like this is our bounce back game and get back to winning ways here.

Projected LSU Starting 5
PF (6'6, 230) SO. Emmitt Williams - #5
PF (6'6, 240) SO. Darius Days - #0
SF (6'9, 235) FR. Trendon Watford - #2
SG (6'4, 205) SR. Skylar Mays - #4
PG (6'4, 205) SO. Javonte Smart - #1

Main rotational players
SF (6'5, 210) SR. Marlon Taylor - #14
SF (6'5, 225) rFR. Aundre Hyatt - #15
SG (6’5, 200) JR. Charles Manning Jr. - #11

Kenpom's Prediction: LSU 79 South Carolina 80

This post was edited on 2/21/20 at 2:59 pm