Can lightning strike twice?

Can lightning strike twice?

Gamecocks turn to star guard to pull second straight upset over heavily-favored UK Wildcats

By Chris Cox

Published: Wednesday, February 24, 2010



Sam Bennett / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

South Carolina point guard Devan Downey fl ies by UK freshman guard Eric Bledsoe in Carolina’s 68-62 victory.

It was a win that no one saw coming.

With the bright lights of ESPN shining bright onto the floor of the Colonial Life Arena, South Carolina did the unthinkable — beat No. 1-ranked and undefeated Kentucky.

Spearheading that victory was star point guard Devan Downey. The senior dropped 30 on Big Blue that night, despite connecting on only 9 of 29 shots. But it was enough, as USC notched the 68-62 victory.

“The biggest thing is he went through a stretch there,” coach Darrin Horn said. “He was playing on a level probably unparalleled in all of college basketball in a two-week stretch.”
Downey was on a scoring pace that the Southeastern Conference hadn’t seen in quite some time, probably not since “Pistol” Pete Maravich in the late 1960s.

“Downey is going to take 30 shots; that is what he is going to do,” Kentucky coach John Calipari said. “What was happening to us, because he was driving, we were ball watching. When he shot a ball, their man went around and rebounded. That’s the issue of the game.”


Kentucky has rebounded nicely since its six-point defeat in Columbia. The Wildcats (26-1, 11-1 SEC) have won all seven games they’ve played since that night, including impressive road victories at Mississippi State and Vanderbilt. But according to Horn, USC’s stunning victory is in the past, and the Gamecocks (14-12, 5-7) will need a much better effort this time around in order to knock off the now-No. 2 Kentucky Wildcats.

“The important thing for us is focusing on what we need to do. That game was almost a month ago, and both of our teams are a little different now,” Horn said. “[Now the question is] what do we need to do on Thursday?”

Calipari has created new schemes this time around in order to stop Downey and his band of teammates. According to the first-year UK coach, his team’s habit of watching Downey cost them more when he missed because the Cats collapsed defensively, and USC’s interior offense was able to clean up the misses underneath the basket.

“I think we have a new game plan this time, and we have to be ready to come out and compete,” sophomore guard DeAndre Liggins said. “They out-rebounded us, and we broke down defensively. We have to make up for it and not do that again.”

But the Gamecocks won’t be gun-shy playing in front of 23,000 rabid Kentucky fans. Last year on the same court, Downey hit a jumper just inside the three-point line with 3.2 seconds remaining to seal a 78-77 victory — just USC’s second win at Rupp Arena in 23 years.

“Did they win last year in this building? So they aren’t intimidated by this building,” Calipari said. “They could easily come in and beat us.”

Believe Calipari when he says it, because USC is far from a doormat in tonight’s contest, which will be televised at 9 p.m. on ESPN2.

“I’m going to tell you, they could beat us. They are good enough to beat us; they have already beaten us once,” Calipari said. “We’re not walking in this game, and I’m certainly not saying this is a W. If we win it on a half-court bank shot, I’ll be happy; it will be a hard game for us.”

Now, with a three-game winning streak against the Cats on its side and a second straight season sweep on the line, South Carolina prepares to take on Kentucky in a showdown that will either keep its tournament hopes on utter life support or finally seal their fate.


Can lightning strike twice?

http://www.dailygamecock.com/sports/can-lightning-strike-twice-1.1173863

No way they beat us again! Chalk it!

Butt kicking!