[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22″ custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px” _i=”0″ _address=”0″ next_background_color=”#000000″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_padding=”2px|0px|8px|0px” _i=”0″ _address=”0.0″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||” _i=”0″ _address=”0.0.0″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Featured Image caption” _builder_version=”3.29.3″ text_font=”|600|||||||” text_font_size=”12px” hover_enabled=”0″ _i=”0″ _address=”0.0.0.0″]<\/p>\n
Frank Martin watched as his Gamecocks outlasted the Columbia International Rams Wednesday night.\u00a0<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22″ custom_padding=”2px|0px|37.9062px|0px” _i=”1″ _address=”1″ prev_background_color=”#000000″][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_margin=”10px|||” custom_padding=”0px|0px|18.9531px|0px” _i=”0″ _address=”1.0″][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||” _i=”0″ _address=”1.0.0″][et_pb_text admin_label=”News Story” _builder_version=”3.29.3″ custom_margin=”0px||0px|” text_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” text_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” text_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” link_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” link_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” link_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” ul_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” ul_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” ul_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” ol_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” ol_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” ol_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” quote_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” quote_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” quote_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_2_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_2_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_2_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_3_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_3_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_3_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_4_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_4_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_4_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_5_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_5_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_5_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_6_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_6_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_6_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” box_shadow_horizontal_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_vertical_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_blur_tablet=”40px” box_shadow_spread_tablet=”0px” _i=”0″ _address=”1.0.0.0″]<\/p>\n
Men\u2019s basketball unofficially returned to Colonial Life Arena on Wednesday night as the South Carolina Gamecocks sailed past the Columbia International Rams, 87-50, in exhibition play.<\/p>\n
The Gamecocks hit the ground running in the first half of action, leading the Rams by 23 points going into the second half.<\/p>\n
Second-year guard A.J. Lawson led the way with 23 points, Jalyn McCreary scored 15, and guard Jair Bolden and forward Maik Kotsar netted 12 each.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Gamecocks head coach Frank Martin, who is entering his eighth season with South Carolina, commended\u00a0the performance of his offense throughout the night.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got firepower,\u201d Martin said. \u201cWe\u2019re also immature and we played that way in certain segments of the game. Little by little, we\u2019ll get all the parts connected.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s good to see A.J. and Maik, those two guys, right when they kind of made that push, really locked in and got us into playing normal basketball,” Martin said.<\/p>\n
Martin had some positive words on McCreary, who is one of five freshmen newcomers on the team this season.<\/p>\n
\u201cJalyn\u2019s one of those guys that when he shoots the ball, it figures out a way for it to go in the rim \u2026 He\u2019s got instincts and he\u2019s got the willingness to go and make the play,” said Martin. “He\u2019s got courage.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Gamecocks dominated in the second half, as South Carolina went on a 14-point run for the final 4:43. Despite the Gamecocks holding the Rams scoreless in the final five minutes of regulation time, Martin noted that the kinks will be all sorted out before his team’s regular season opener next week.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got to get our big guys better in our general defensive concepts,\u201d Martin said. \u201cI\u2019m pretty happy with where we\u2019re at with our firsts, like people come at us the first wave. But if they get past that, we weren\u2019t very good there, and I\u2019ve got to do a better job there.\u201d<\/p>\n
With a week to prepare for the regular season opener, Martin will continue to evaluate his lineup ahead of the first game<\/span><\/span>\u00a0next Wednesday.<\/p>\n \u201cToday is the first day that I tell anybody to get on a certain team,” Martin said. “Before this, they\u2019ve got to put themselves on teams and then I just run practice and I try to teach \u2026 I told them before the game that whoever I even started today doesn\u2019t mean the way I\u2019m thinking. I\u2019m trying to figure out who I can play together and who plays better where, and things like that.\u201d<\/p>\n The 2019-20 regular season gets underway on Nov. 6 as the Gamecocks host the North Alabama Lions with tip-off set for 7 p.m. at Colonial Life Arena. The game will also be televised on SEC Network+.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||” _i=”1″ _address=”1.0.1″][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image 1″ src=”http:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/CIU_P2W_NGP.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”on” show_bottom_space=”off” align_tablet=”center” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”3.29.3″ custom_margin=”||2px|” custom_padding=”|||” animation_style=”slide” box_shadow_style=”preset2″ box_shadow_horizontal=”4px” box_shadow_vertical=”4px” always_center_on_mobile=”on” _i=”0″ _address=”1.0.1.0″]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Caption 1″ _builder_version=”3.29.3″ text_font=”|600|||||||” text_font_size=”12px” text_line_height=”1.4em” custom_margin=”8px|||2px” custom_padding=”|||” hover_enabled=”0″ _i=”1″ _address=”1.0.1.1″]<\/p>\n Jalyn McCreary, a power forward from Marietta, Ga., is in his first season with the South Carolina Gamecocks.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image 2″ src=”http:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/CIU_P3W_NGP.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”on” show_bottom_space=”off” align_tablet=”center” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”3.29.3″ custom_margin=”||2px|” custom_padding=”|||” animation_style=”slide” box_shadow_style=”preset2″ box_shadow_horizontal=”4px” box_shadow_vertical=”4px” always_center_on_mobile=”on” _i=”2″ _address=”1.0.1.2″]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Caption 2″ _builder_version=”3.29.3″ text_font=”|600|||||||” text_font_size=”12px” text_line_height=”1.4em” custom_margin=”8px|||2px” custom_padding=”|||” _i=”3″ _address=”1.0.1.3″]<\/p>\n Maik Kotsar, a member of South Carolina’s 2017 Final Four squad, is in his senior season with the Gamecocks.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image 3″ src=”http:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/CIU_P5W_NGP.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”on” show_bottom_space=”off” align_tablet=”center” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”3.29.3″ custom_margin=”||2px|” custom_padding=”|||” animation_style=”slide” box_shadow_style=”preset2″ box_shadow_horizontal=”4px” box_shadow_vertical=”4px” always_center_on_mobile=”on” _i=”4″ _address=”1.0.1.4″]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Caption 3″ _builder_version=”3.29.3″ text_font=”|600|||||||” text_font_size=”12px” text_line_height=”1.4em” custom_margin=”8px|||2px” custom_padding=”|||” _i=”5″ _address=”1.0.1.5″]<\/p>\n Gamecocks guard Jair Bolden scored 12 points in South Carolina’s 87-50 exhibition victory over Columbia International.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image 4″ src=”http:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/CIU_P4W_NGP.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”on” show_bottom_space=”off” align_tablet=”center” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”3.29.3″ custom_margin=”||2px|” custom_padding=”|||” animation_style=”slide” box_shadow_style=”preset2″ box_shadow_horizontal=”4px” box_shadow_vertical=”4px” always_center_on_mobile=”on” _i=”6″ _address=”1.0.1.6″]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Caption 4″ _builder_version=”3.29.3″ text_font=”|600|||||||” text_font_size=”12px” text_line_height=”1.4em” custom_margin=”8px|||2px” custom_padding=”|||” _i=”7″ _address=”1.0.1.7″]<\/p>\n Gamecocks guard A.J. Lawson was South Carolina’s leading scorer during the 2018-19 season.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Gamecocks head coach Frank Martin evaluates South Carolina’s 87-50 victory over CIU on Wednesday night. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":226,"featured_media":26518,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":""},"categories":[38,69,66],"tags":[1233,601,1234,1235,1109,443,1230,1231,1229,603,1232,1217,918,92],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26391"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/226"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26391"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26391\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26545,"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26391\/revisions\/26545"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26518"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26391"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26391"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26391"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}