Gamecocks

HOOVER, Ala. - South Carolina safety D.J. Swearinger initially tried to credit normal film study and game preparation for last year's dominating 54-3 over visiting Kentucky. “We try to dominate every game and we did dominate them defensively,” Swearinger said during the Southeastern Conference Football media days. However, Swearinger finally admitted that UK's 31-28 comeback victory over the Gamecocks in Lexington in 2010 that resulted in fans storming the field is something South Carolina has not forgotten.

South Carolina is one of the surprise teams in the Southeastern Conference this season. Although the Gamecocks are 15-4 overall and 4-2 in the conference, Darrin Horn's team has struggled on the road. Both of South Carolina losses in the league - an 85-68 loss to LSU and an 82-79 setback against Tennessee - were both on the road. Three of the team's four losses have been on the away from home. Horn, a Tates Creek graduate and former coach at Western Kentucky, knows that today's encounter against No. 24 Kentucky won't be an easy task.

SOUTH CAROLINA AT KENTUCKY Beating South Carolina would not guarantee Kentucky a bowl berth -- but it would come close. Not only that, a victory would probably get UK a berth on national TV next week at LSU. However, talking about a win over South Carolina is easy. Having Kentucky get that win is going to be much more difficult. South Carolina's defense is not as good as the one the Cats faced at Florida -- but probably is at least on par with Louisville's defense.

Devan Downey hopes South Carolina will see the same type of atmosphere when it hosts Kentucky on Wednesday that the Gamecocks saw last month in Rupp Arena. Of course, he also understands that a raucous home crowd can help the visiting team, because he hit a game-winning shot to beat the Wildcats 78-77 in Lexington. "I just fed off the crowd. It inspired me. I actually liked playing there," said Downey, who had 23 points and four assists on Jan. 31 against Kentucky. "It was loud, just like I expected it would be. The atmosphere was terrific.

LEXINGTON - Kentucky is coming off what coach Rich Brooks calls one of its best offensive performances, and the best performance of the year by the offensive line. However, Brooks warns not to expect the same big production in this Saturday's Southeastern Conference game against South Carolina. "I don't think we can expect a shootout in this thing. Their defense is not allowing those shootouts," Brooks said Sunday. Kentucky beat Central Michigan 48-36 and amassed 373 yards.

LEXINGTON - Since his team was opening Southeastern Conference play at Kentucky, South Carolina coach Dave Odom knew he had to schedule games to prepare his team for that atmosphere. That's why the Gamecocks played at Kansas and Pittsburgh, two teams ranked in the top 10 at the time, to prepare for Wednesday's SEC opener in Rupp Arena. "When Kentucky is the first SEC game and it is away, you want to make sure that that isn't the first time (you play a top team on the road," Odom said Monday.

LEXINGTON – Kentucky called Chris Matthews and he answered. “When they called my number, I wanted to be there,” Matthews said. “And I was there.” Matthews was indeed at the right place at the right time and had a big hand in Kentucky’s stunning 31-28 upset over 10th-ranked South Carolina Saturday night at Commonwealth Stadium. The senior receiver hauled in three catches for 21 yards during the game-winning drive, including a nifty third-and-short grab that resulted in the decisive touchdown by Randall Cobb.

LEXINGTON ? Special teams weren't so special for Kentucky or South Carolina here on Saturday. It just happened that the Gamecocks took advantage of a small window of opportunities allotted for both teams. The Gamecocks and Wildcats combined for six missed field goals, including four by South Carolina, which nudged out a 24-17 win over Kentucky at Commonwealth Stadium. Gamecocks kicker Ryan Succop had missed just three field goals in 14 attempts this season, but misfired on four against the Wildcats, including a 39-yard attempt with 2:13 remaining, which could have iced it for the Gamecocks.

Down by 14 points heading into halftime against South Carolina Thursday, the UK Hoops team was unsure of what coach Matthew Mitchell would have to say in the locker room. “We didn't know what he was going to do when he came in,” senior A'dia Mathies said. “But he just came in saying, 'Let that half go. You can't make a 14-point play.'” His positive attitude helped the team adjust their own attitude, according to junior Kastine Evans; that optimism from the coach helped the Cats overcome a 16-point deficit: tied for UK's fourth-largest comeback in school history.

LEXINGTON - After taking an unexpected hiatus Willie Cauley-Stein was simply happy to be back on the court. “It was a lot of fun just to be able to run again,” Cauley-Stein said after scoring 13 points in the Wildcats' 77-55 victory over South Carolina Tuesday night at Rupp Arena. “For two weeks I couldn't run as hard as I could. That's what I do is run and it was fun being back out there with the guys and to be doing what I like to do.” It was Cauley-Stein's most extensive action since missing four games following minor knee surgery last month.

LEXINGTON - After taking an unexpected hiatus, Willie Cauley-Stein was simply happy to be back on the court. “It was a lot of fun just to be able to run again,” the Kentucky freshman forward said after scoring 13 points in the Wildcats' 77-55 victory over South Carolina Tuesday night at Rupp Arena. “For two weeks, I couldn't run as hard as I could. That's what I do is run, and it was fun being back out there with the guys and to be doing what I like to do.” It was Cauley-Stein's most extensive action since missing four games following minor knee surgery last month.

LEXINGTON (AP) - Julius Mays' 15 points led five Kentucky players in double figures, and the Wildcats blew out South Carolina 77-55 Tuesday night to move within a game of first-place Florida in the Southeastern Conference. Kentucky (16-6, 7-2) began the night two games behind Florida before the No. 2 Gators suffered their first conference loss, 80-69 at Arkansas, earlier in the evening. The Wildcats followed with their fourth straight victory and perhaps most complete in conference play as they shot 27 of 44 from the field and outrebounded the Gamecocks 42-25.

HOOVER, Ala. - South Carolina safety D.J. Swearinger initially tried to credit normal film study and game preparation for last year's dominating 54-3 over visiting Kentucky. “We try to dominate every game and we did dominate them defensively,” Swearinger said during the Southeastern Conference Football media days. However, Swearinger finally admitted that UK's 31-28 comeback victory over the Gamecocks in Lexington in 2010 that resulted in fans storming the field is something South Carolina has not forgotten.

Kentucky native Darrin Horn knows plenty about UK basketball and has coached against the Wildcats 2010 Elite Eight team and 2011 Final Four team. However, the South Carolina coach thinks the Wildcats his team will face Saturday in Rupp Arena could well be the best team coach John Calipari has had in his three years in Kentucky. “In terms of Kentucky, I¿am not so sure this is not the most talented team he has had. They are extremely athletic,” said Horn, who is a Lexington Tates Creek High School and Western Kentucky University graduate.

Kentucky coach John Calipari isn’t worried about battling for position in the Southeastern Conference standings or the NCAA Tournament. Calipari is more concerned about finishing games going into today’s contest against South Carolina. “We are worried about the last five minutes of the game right now,” he said Friday. “If we can get that right, the other stuff will take care of itself. We are just worried about South Carolina. We just have to try to win a game, try to get better, try to finish a game off and just walk in and say okay let’s try to figure this out. “If we struggle again at the end of the game, let’s go back and see where we are struggling and what we can do. I have a good team and good players, now let’s try to keep this thing rolling.

Kentucky coach John Calipari is finding out more about his team on a daily basis. He admitted that the Wildcats are “getting better” following a 67-58 triumph over South Carolina Saturday in Columbia, S.C. and added that his squad “may be a little different team than I think.” “We may be an execution team that has to grind it out more than I would like, but if that’s how we have to play, that’s how we will play,” the Kentucky coach said.

Kentucky will be facing one of the Southeastern Conference’s more unique players when it plays at South Carolina on Saturday night. Freshman guard Bruce Ellington has seemingly done the impossible — replaced South Carolina star Devan Downey. Ellington is averaging 15 points and 3.5 assists per game for the Gamecocks (12-5, 3-1 Southeastern Conference), who are leading the conference race despite being picked to finish last in the SEC Eastern Division. “I think Ellington has really lessened the burden of the loss of Downey because he is an outstanding player,” Vanderbilt coach Kevin Stallings said.

Kentucky quarterback Mike Hartline laid on the ground, the roars of Commonwealth Stadium rattling around his helmet as teammate Randall Cobb celebrated the game-winning touchdown with 75 seconds remaining against South Carolina last Saturday. Then the normally reserved QB did something very un-Hartlinelike: He let loose. For a good 10 seconds the senior pumped his arms and legs in the air, as three seasons of criticism, second-guessing and consternation drifted away. Hartline blushes at the memory.