Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: On this episode of Cox Talking Gamecocks, I am your host, Tim Cox, where I will keep every episode from 18 one to 2001. I hope you all had a great weekend out there. Gamecocks, sort of a mixed bag on the athletic front for us. So I'm sure we had some highs and some collective lows.
Never like being on the losing end to a rival here, but we won't get too bogged down in that. Hope you all had a nice weekend nonetheless. And I know I said it, the intro of last episode, but March is fully here. I mean, late season basketball, especially when your team is in it, there is nothing quite like it. But you look around the country, you had incredible finishes. Teams fighting for their tournament lives, teams fighting for their conference championship lives. Some crazy finishes. I don't know if y'all saw the one out in the Mac where, like, a full court bounce pass to layup to win at the buzzer. I mean, Mac football is one thing. Mac basketball, I don't know. That really sums it up to me here. But nonetheless, it was a very, very busy weekend around Gamecock Nation. So I'm going to jump right into my weekend recap, and then we'll go over the major sports for you all, get you all ready for this week, a big week ahead. So let's go right into this thing here. Starting out on Friday, we're talking equestrian, folks. Equestrian. Beat South Dakota 15 to three. Nice win there. Men's tennis unfortunately, took the loss to LSU four to two. That's all right, guys. Screw the Tigers. Women's tennis also lost to Texas A. M. Six to one. Screw the Aggies. Softball continuing to roll as they beat Kennesaw State four to three. And also UCF four to two. Which brings us to Saturday, as softball had a big day when they beat Bethune Cookman four nothing, thanks to a no hitter. That is right, they no hit Bethune Cookman. Fantastic achievement there. Capstone was lit up for them and for the whole team as well. Beach volleyball back in action here. They beat coastal Carolina three to two and Chattanooga four to one.
[00:03:31] Speaker B: I actually think Shane Beamer was in.
[00:03:33] Speaker A: Attendance this weekend at some beach volleyball games. Got to love that. The headman getting out there supporting the other sports and all that jazz. That's really fun to see. And then Sunday, a lot of action Sunday, men's tennis. Tough weekend for men's tennis. They lost to a. M. Four, and know they have been ranked quite high, but tough weekend for them there. Women's tennis. Lost to LSU four to one, and then softball, no surprise here, they beat Princeton four to one and then beach volleyball beat UNCW four to one. So yeah, just was a jam packed weekend from all the sports we support here at USC. And I feel like those recaps there sort of encapsulated the weekend as a whole. Like I said a second ago, it really was a mixed bag. And part of that big reason for that mixed bag is baseball, as it was time for the annual Palmeto series against Clemson. Now unfortunately, as y'all know, inclement weather canceled the first game in Columbia. So we only got two games and it was at Segra park and then up in Clemson. So it was really unfortunate for us fans to not have that game at founders.
Obviously they schedule these things out in advance, but that. Right, like, I don't know what the solution is. I think you just have to deal with it. But if you're going to only get two games of this series, it should be at the universities, you know what I mean? So yes, it's a neutral game, it's in Columbia, Segrega park, but very much so. They're just not going to beat founders. Right? And even more unfortunate than the weather in this series was that Carolina dropped both games and this was a hard fought series. Carolina battled in both games. It really just boiled down to, when you look at it, like one or two hits really in each game, and that's just baseball. It stinks. It's a hard game where it really just is a game of inches sometimes. We'll quickly go over the game recaps here. I don't want to pour salt in our collective wounds too much here, but tis the job. Game one, Carolina lost five to four in twelve innings. The Gamecocks were playing from behind pretty much all of this game. And just when all hope seemed lost, the boys rallied in the 9th. And then Ethan Petri came up huge with that two run blast to tie the game in the 9th. Going wild game went into the bottom of the twelveth where unfortunately Clemson did hit a walk off homer. And you know that's what I'm talking about, right? Like you got it to nine.
Ganey was pitching well, just that one pitch just unfortunately just went the other way. Eli Jones got the start in that game and a no decision. And yeah, Garrett Ganey, he did take the loss, but all things considered, he had a very solid outing in relief, ending the game in the 9th to get it to extras going three and two thirds, he just couldn't close out the game right. Might have been out of gas. Tough to say, right? Player highlights Ethan Petrie, one for four with two ribies and then will tippett two for five with one rbI.
Game two was Sunday afternoon up in Clemson. Now, the guys also made a push in this one at the end, but also fell five to four. The Cox threatened it a few times here to have that big inning or.
[00:07:22] Speaker B: Two, but they just failed to get.
[00:07:24] Speaker A: That timely hit to drive guys home. And it just felt like every rally they got, just got killed. If it was two men on with one out, it was a fly out in foul territory to bring it to two outs. If it was a couple guys on maybe two outs, it was a fly know, it's just you couldn't get that timely hit to separate them from Clemson. But nonetheless here, Ethan Petrie, he hit the home run in the 9th ring. Carolina within one and felt like, oh my gosh, maybe we're going to do this again. But unfortunately, that was all that the guys got there. Player highlights from this game, Cole Messina, one for three with two rbI, that was a home run. And then Ethan Petrie, one for four with the one RBI, one home run. So now the challenge for this team is to bounce. Know Mark Kingston talked during the game. When they do those in game interviews with the know, he just said that we can't let the one bad game, he was talking about game one here turn into two. And I don't necessarily think that's what know you were on the wrong side of one. Unfortunately, again, a couple of hits here and there didn't go your way. But now you had two bad games, you lost two in a row.
You have to find a way to bounce back, get back in the win column. We have a good team.
[00:08:50] Speaker B: We do.
[00:08:51] Speaker A: It was just a bit of a cold weekend at the plate for some of our guys and they were just a couple of at bats away from splitting this series. Or, I mean, really when you look at it, a couple of things go our way, like we might be on the other side of this sweep, you know what I mean? So you have to find a way to regroup and you have to find a way to get this thing going again. Now, up next for Carolina is a midweek game Tuesday evening at home against the Citadel. The guys just need to find a win here. I've said it like seven times in the last 30 seconds, but that's the key to the game. That's the crow to the game, right? Just whatever you got to do to get that w, you go out there and get it Eddie Copper has been solid in the midweek starts. The guys have found big innings so far in those midweek games, right? Four, five, six runs in an inning. You don't necessarily have to do that all at once, but let's see some good offensive numbers here. Let's get a nice w in the midweek game and then have that momentum bringing us into the weekend where hopefully you can have a very nice turn of events there as well.
But now moving on to the hardwood here, as it is March, and March is the month of college basketball. Now, the men were in action at home in a highly, highly anticipated top 25 matchup with Florida. And man, she did this live up to the billing as this time it was South Carolina who erased a second half deficit and ended up on the winning side, 82 to 76. The Gamecocks were fighting all game, staying in striking distance for much of the game. But then that second half surge led by Michi Johnson brought the guys all the way back. And then Michi Threechi, our guy, with a massive three pointer with 43 seconds to go to break the tie and give the Gamecocks the victory. I mean, wow, that is just a fantastic, fantastic moment for Mechi. A guy who struggled for a lot of SEC play.
Talk about ups and downs and talk about perseverance. Then you saw last game, not last game against Florida, the game before that, right? Battling.
And then even when he wasn't scoring. How can I stay involved? A lot of assists, getting the rebounds, making plays, things like that, right?
And then he has a huge moment for this team in front of the home crowd. And this win, it actually gives the guys 24 wins on the season, which ties the fourth most in school history.
And I've said this a hundred times, but appreciate this season, y'all.
The job Lamont Paris did with rebuilding this roster in just one year is remarkable. And the coaching that he has done to get the buy in from not only guys who know going through it last year, a guy like Michi Johnson or Jacoby Wright, Josh Gray, right. Guys who struggled together with them, but new guys from the transfer portal who hadn't played with them. To get those guys to respond in the way that they have and accept his coaching and the way that he can get those guys to play late in late game situations is just fantastic.
He has to be the coach of the year. He simply is.
And this season is one that I don't know how it's going to end. Right?
You know that we're going to end up in the big dance at this point. I don't know how far we're going to go, but this was a special.
[00:13:04] Speaker B: Season for multiple reasons.
[00:13:06] Speaker A: But just appreciate it that in year two, Lamont Paris, a turnaround like no other, already tying the fourth most wins in school history with a couple games left to go.
But this win right here in this game, this was pure guts. This was gutsy, gritty, determined win. The guys were hit with adversity right away, and then you're down at the half.
[00:13:32] Speaker B: But the game was far from over.
[00:13:35] Speaker A: They needed guys to step up in different spots and that's exactly what happened. Jacoby Wright, he had a big game and he had even. It was really a big first half, which with his effort coming off the bench too, allowed this team to be within that striking distance at the half. Michi, obviously a huge game. CMB, maybe his most complete game yet. And Zachary Davis making clutch plays on.
[00:14:05] Speaker B: The defensive side as well.
Florida, on the other hand, they are.
[00:14:10] Speaker A: A legit, good SEC team and they were not going to go quietly.
[00:14:16] Speaker B: Stupid ass net rankings, I think even has them moving up.
[00:14:19] Speaker A: It's just ridiculous. But nonetheless, right like our Gamecocks stayed the course and stayed disciplined, biding their time and looked at a veteran leader at the time of need to deliver the knockout blow. And that is exactly what happened.
Some player highlights here. Michi he had 25 points, CMB 15 points, eleven rebounds. I believe that is his first career double double. Jacoby Wright, 16 points. Shout out, Jacoby.
Up next for the guys is probably.
[00:14:54] Speaker B: The biggest game the men's program has had in colonial life arena yet as they take on Tennessee with first place in the SEC on the line.
[00:15:08] Speaker A: Tennessee currently sits atop the league with.
[00:15:11] Speaker B: Just one game separating the Gamecocks from them.
[00:15:15] Speaker A: So if the Qzips can come away with the win, they will be tied.
[00:15:21] Speaker B: For first place in the SEC with one game left in the regular season. I mean, I can't even believe what I'm saying.
Can y'all really believe what we're talking about here?
[00:15:36] Speaker A: Like, I think even the most optimistic.
[00:15:39] Speaker B: Fan going into this year didn't think.
[00:15:44] Speaker A: That any of this was possible. That with two games left in the.
[00:15:47] Speaker B: Regular season, South Carolina Gamecocks would have a game, not even just a chance, like a full on, head to head matchup, to be in first place in the league. It is remarkable. It is so much fun.
[00:16:02] Speaker A: It freaking kicks ass, basketball school. It's just so sick.
[00:16:06] Speaker B: Now you'll remember that the last time these two met, it was a huge moment in the Gamecock season as they met and got a win in Knoxville and really just catapulted this team onto the national scene. So now the two come face to face in what feels like it will be a championship environment, right? Because it essentially is. For the Gamecock's point of view, Tennessee is 23 and six overall, 13 and three in conference.
[00:16:34] Speaker A: They have one of the topped ranked.
[00:16:36] Speaker B: Teams in pretty much the whole year. They average 80 points per game and allow 67 compared to 72 and 65 for the Gamecocks. The balls are led by Dalton connect, who last time these two teams met, he really had the game of his life, but the balls still came up short. Carolina was able to keep other guys in check. So my crow to the game here, it's actually going to be the same as the Florida game because it came true then, needs to come true now. And that's protect the rock. When South Carolina is disciplined and does not lose the turnover battle, things have gone well for them, and there's been several games where Carolina has kept their turnovers to single digits.
And if they can do that again, that might bode very well for the cox because this team can't give Tennessee an inch, especially when they have such high offensive output.
[00:17:37] Speaker A: But I am so excited for this game.
[00:17:41] Speaker B: Gonna be electric.
Biggest game in colonial life, for the men's history. Just so, so cool.
[00:17:48] Speaker A: Get ready.
[00:17:50] Speaker B: But speaking of colonial life, the women's team, they completed their regular season in perfect fashion, beating Tennessee 76 to 68 and ending the year a perfect 29. And now, what Don Staley and this team have done this year, it truly is remarkable.
I mean, this was a year.
Know, many people, including myself, you can run the tape, thought that there would be bumps along the way and there'd be growing pains after losing that core.
[00:18:26] Speaker A: Group of seniors that they did a year ago.
[00:18:29] Speaker B: But seemingly, this team didn't skip a beat. I mean, they beat tough out of conference opponents like Yukon, Utah, et cetera. They stood toe to toe and beat the defending champs.
And this team has seen younger players like Fawiley Watkins get better and better as the year went on.
Then, of course, you're led by a couple veterans.
[00:18:56] Speaker A: Cardozo.
[00:18:58] Speaker B: Now, once again, this Gamecocks team also just has that incredibly deep team and one that is able to wear down opponents as the game goes on. And they also, once again, are led by this.
[00:19:14] Speaker A: Just superb post play.
[00:19:16] Speaker B: But now you have some of those.
[00:19:19] Speaker A: Improved jump shooters to back them up.
[00:19:23] Speaker B: And also you bring in pow, pow. Who can be that person for you. This was just a very fun year to watch. This team. And I'm very proud to be a fan of this program. And it's almost too much to keep up with when you're having two amazing seasons. Right? And just the shock of the men's team.
[00:19:46] Speaker A: Right.
[00:19:47] Speaker B: Sometimes you'll watch it like, well, yeah, of course the women kicked ass. That's just what they do.
[00:19:51] Speaker A: But you also got to take a.
[00:19:53] Speaker B: Step back and say, well, no, that was not necessarily going to be the case going into this year. And it wasn't like they had a good year.
[00:20:01] Speaker A: Right?
[00:20:03] Speaker B: We're not talking about just a solid year. They went perfect, 29. And without this amazing core group of seniors who left the team last year, who they're playing in, WNBA. You know what I mean? This job that Dawn Staley did is incredible to coach up this team, to.
[00:20:25] Speaker A: Go through adversity, the recruiting that she.
[00:20:28] Speaker B: Did to get to this point.
And once again, our South Carolina Gamecocks women's basketball team is the number one team in the country. They're going to be the number one overall seed in the tournament.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. But this game here, going back on track here, there were some challenges at times. In the fourth quarter, especially, the Gamecock saw a nice lead dwindle as they really had a hard time finding the hoop.
[00:20:58] Speaker A: Right.
[00:20:58] Speaker B: Gamecock is going to buy a bucket for a little bit in the fourth. But sure enough, the ladies got some timely stops and ended up on top in the last game of the regular season. Some player highlights here. Camilla Cardozo, 18 points, 14 rebounds. Tahina pow pow. Had 14 points. Nice showing for them, too, on senior day.
Up next for the ladies is the SEC tournament, so we are officially in postseason play here. It's March. Time to go. Once again, the Gamecocks will look to be dubbed sec champs.
And next episode, we will have a much clearer idea of the matchups and things like that. So I will preview that then.
[00:21:40] Speaker A: But with that, y'all, that wraps up this episode.
[00:21:43] Speaker B: Please follow me on social media, Twitter or X is Cox Gamecocks. Instagram is just the name of the show. Cox talking gamecocks.
[00:21:52] Speaker A: And please, like, subscribe or review the podcast. I appreciate all y'all.
[00:21:58] Speaker B: Go Cox.
