Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] On this episode of Cox Talking Gamecocks, women's basketball are SEC champions. Men's basketball prepares for the postseason, and there's several new Gamecock national champions. Okay, here we go.
[00:00:58] Welcome to episode 225 of Cox Talking Gamecocks. I am your host, Tim Cox, where I will keep every episode from 18 one to 2001. And I don't even have to ask if you all had a great weekend out there, because we know that that was one action packed, nonstop, freaking amazing weekend out there for us Gamecocks. I hope you weren't expecting to be chilling this weekend. I hope you all weren't expecting to be able to relax and put your feet up and watch some of these games, because none of that happened. Not a zip. How about national news of games highlight real games. Overtime games, home runs, national champions. It's just so much action. And I cannot wait to go over it all with you guys here. Welcome to this episode. But, yeah, freaking packed, nonstop weekend. It was awesome. It was awesome. So much fun. You got to love it. Absolutely have to love it. So I'm going to dive into some of the major sports that were in action, as I always do. But, hey, let's start it off with a weekend recap starting on Friday. Softball, they opened their SEC schedule, lost to Texas A and M, three nothing. Then you had women's tennis in action. Friday, they beat Tennessee four to three.
[00:02:33] Saturday, A and M, lost again to a and M. Or excuse me. Yeah. Softball, lost to a and M two to one. And then beach volleyball, lost to North Florida three to two, but then turned right around and beat Tennessee Tech, five nothing. And then Sunday, a lot of action Sunday here. Women's golf, they tied for second in the Valspar Augusta Invitational.
[00:02:58] Softball, unfortunately, lost again to a and M two one. So tough way to open SEC play for them. But I got faith they will bounce back. Men's tennis was in action. They beat Arkansas four to three. Beach volleyball, beat New Orleans four to one. And then some really exciting news from the weekend. First, you had indoor track. They were wrapping up their season here. And the women's team, the four x 400 relay team, they won, and they are national champions. So some amazing hardware coming back to Columbia. Shout out to the four x 400 women's team. That was an incredible accomplishment. And then in that same vein, incredible accomplishments to Gamecock hockey. That's right. Cock hockey. The ice cocks are also national champions. Very, very cool to see if you followed along at all with Gamecock hockey. Their popularity has skyrocketed over the last four or five years or so and almost like a cult following around campus and around Gamecock nation, and they've had big wins. They have gotten progressively better and better and better. So huge to see. Shout out to cock hockey. Very fun accomplishment there. Shout out to the four x 400 team as well. And yeah, anytime you can be national champs in anything that needs to be celebrated. And it is just incredible accomplishments across the board here. But speaking of incredible accomplishments here, talking women's basketball, and I don't know about you all, but I still have the adrenaline pumping after that game. I mean, I didn't know that we were going to get a little combat sports thrown into this game. I mean, seriously, I got. I'm pumped up. I want to put Rocky on or something. The SEC championship game Sunday against LSU really bubbled over. I mean, this rivalry has become incredibly hot. And these two teams with the core groups that they have, Angel Reese on the side of know Cardozo, Raven Jackson, et cetera, the holdovers from last year. These teams, as they set up right now, I just think it's as simple as they hate each. Like they are just at each other's throats. It is a rivalry that is as great as there is right now in college sports. And what you saw in this game was just so much emotion and both teams vying for that championship that they want so desperately. But unfortunately, all of it culminating, really in a tough, unfortunate event at the end of the game where there was contact made by both parties. And then you had a scrum, if you will, for lack of a better term, right? Benches kind of trying to go. The refs trying to clear it. Coach is trying to clear it. You had that freaking guy from the stands jump in. Some grown man trying to jump onto the court of a college game. Just what are you trying to do? My guy, like, incredibly embarrassing for LSU, for that guy. Just disgusting behavior. And there is blame to go on both teams. I'd even say the officials kind of could have gotten a hand on this better earlier in the game as it was a very physical, chippy, emotional game.
[00:06:42] But they let the dust settle. They sorted out who gets to kick, who's kicked out, who can play, and things like that. But side note, I must say, like hearing the Gamecocks chant while watching replays of Cardozo just absolutely decking that LSU player. That made me, like, definitely not a great look. Whenever your team is involved in something like that, especially a championship game, end of the game, you want to be playing just good basketball, focused on that, made me smile, just Gamecock faithfully. Just don't mess with us. Just don't mess with us. But even if you do, we're going to have your back 100%.
[00:07:24] But ugly scene at the end of the game aside, that's not the focus of this game because the game was over when the Gamecocks raised that trophy and once again are crowned SEC champs after they beat LSU to a score of 79 to 72. And yeah, I mean, really, from the opening tip off, this was a physical, hard fought games. Both teams went through hot and cold stretches, but really, it was the versatility and depth that was the difference for the Gamecocks. And that's what we've seen time and time again this year where Carolina was going nine, I think, even ten, deep in their rotation. So you simply had fresh legs as the game went on. LSU does not have that deep of a bench, and they live and die by that. But then when you saw Cardozo get into foul trouble, Don went small in her lineups, and you have Raven Jackson out there, then you have Brie hall, you know, kits, I think at one point might have even been in the five. So you're able to put these different guards out there, full Wiley, of course, as well, who are able to hit these big shots. And it's almost like a different team coming at you for 510 plus minutes at any given point in the second half. And when Carolina was able to do that and didn't have to turn to Cardozo in foul trouble again, that really was, I felt a shift in this game. Despite LSU battling back and bringing it to one possession. At one point, you just had this sense from South Carolina that they were still in control of the game and that at any moment they could turn it on, and at any moment they could turn to someone else to really shake up their game plan. Full Wiley is a perfect example of that. She came in and had a fantastic showing in this whole game, but really deep in that second half.
[00:09:33] A couple of ill advised shots, still a freshman, but some big time moments. Clutch free throws, late driving, getting to the line, huge three pointers, just exactly what you wanted. Then you had pow. Pow. Who can do that? Brie hall. Who can do that, right? And then you could then turn to Ashton Watkins, Chloe Kitts, et cetera. So, again, that depth and versatility from this team is just.
[00:09:58] I've said it before, it's just like Novocaine. Give it time, it always works.
[00:10:03] But even though there was an ugly moment in this game, the vast majority of South Carolina was leading with their play. Right. I felt that putting aside a bad moment of judgment, right. You saw two different teams and two different cultures at work in South Carolina. You had a culture that is lead by your play and lean on your experience and keep your chin up high. Right. Lead by example.
[00:10:34] And then at LSU, it's a culture and it's a team where it's by design because their coach and their program have been this way for a little bit now, but it's one where they lead with emotion and trash talk and it works for them fine, I guess, right? They're okay doing that. They were the number two team coming into this, defending national champs. Whatever.
[00:11:02] I will lead and I will side with the team that chooses know, let their play do the talking for. And Don Staley said, you know, they had that moment in the game where it wasn't great, but it's always talking about where you don't get too high, you don't get too low. Just play your game. And I think when you see a team like LSU where clearly they do get with the highs and they do get with the lows, it's just volatile and that's not really sustainable, in my opinion. So again, very proud of our ladies here because when there were some highs and lows throughout the game, they stuck to the program. They played their game and they got the w. Some player highlights. Malaysia for Wiley, I believe this is a career high 24 points. Tahina pow pow. Had twelve points. And yeah, this team just continues to show grit and stack wins. But as exciting as it is to be SEC champions and to win that final game, it has to be talked about, about the shot that got this team to that game. And that came from Camilla Cardozo in the semifinals against Tennessee when she hit that true buzzer beater from beyond the arc to give the Gamecocks a 74 to 73 win. And if you didn't believe me when I said it before, march is here. It is certainly march and is that time of year where just these things happen. I mean, I had people from far beyond my Gamecock circle of friends texting me about that finish. Just what a shot from your six seven center, Colin bank. End the game. It's just so exciting. I mean, we can sit here and we can certainly talk about how that game should not have gotten to that point.
[00:12:56] But let's be honest, it's the finish. That's all we're going to remember, right? And we're going to remember this year for undefeated SEC regular season champions. SEC tournament champions and Camilla Cardozo getting us there and then decking the absolute crap out of that LSU player. But nonetheless, here up next for the Gamecocks will be the NCAA tournament. Now, we have about a week or so, maybe a little week and a half until that gets underway. So obviously once the matchups and the path are finally set, I will report on that when the time comes. And this is of note that because of the incident that happened in this game where Cardozo was ejected, DQ'd for fighting, specifically called out for fighting, she will be ineligible. She will be suspended for the first round game of the NCA tournament. There were some conflicting reports during the game. They cleared it up. It is just Cardozo for the Gamecocks. No other bench players or things like that. So that stinks. It does. You know, you want your whole team there, but it's the first round matchup. We're going to be the overall number one seed. I have full faith in Watkins, Fagan kits, whoever to fill in in Cardozo's absent, especially in that first round matchup. I think we will be just fine.
[00:14:24] SEC champs gotta love it. SEC champion basketball with a side of boxing, that was something else. But sticking on the hardwood here, talking men's basketball, the men were in action for their regular season finale and outlasted Mississippi State 93 to 89 in overtime. The Gamecocks, with that win, have set a regular season record with 25 wins. That is the most by a second year coach in program history. And also with this win, they tied a record for road wins in program history with seven.
[00:15:03] So it really is just a deal where this season quite literally does not happen often. And I've said it before and I think anywhere you read or look about the men's basketball program this year, it is just enjoy it. Be excited for hopefully what Lamont Paris is building for the future. And hopefully we have more good seasons, great seasons ahead of us. And be excited for the games left, right, that this team has to play. Still be excited for that. But do take a moment in that this season really is something special.
[00:15:50] But back to this game here. The Gamecocks built a quick lead in the first half, but state chipped away and it was pretty even game throughout. You had some crucial calls late in the game that came into play and it ended up going to overtime where Carolina shot incredibly well and got away with the victory, showing again their poise in pressure situations. Some player highlights. You had four players from the Gamecocks in double figures. BJ Mac 25 points CMB 19 points, Michi Johnson 16 and Miles Studie 13. Love to see that. And again, it just is the bow, the cherry on top for an incredible regular season. And it'll be fun to look back at it at certain point and just think of how far this team has come, really. And I've said it a thousand times, I think we all thought there was going to be some improvement and it wasn't going to be as bad as year one. And there were just still so many question marks about everybody in this program. And boy, this team came together in a way that just doesn't happen very often, especially when you're bringing in crucial guys from the transfer portal, right, who don't know Lamont Paris system, don't know the locker room and things like that. And then you see the blossoming of CMB as well. It's very, very incredible. But up next for the Qzips, there's still plenty of meaningful basketball as we all know it is the SEC tournament now because of how things finished in the standings and Sunday you had a couple of games that didn't quite break our way around the league. South Carolina is a five seed and earned just the one buy. It was the hope that the guys would land with a double buy, but nonetheless they get the one. So their first game will be Thursday afternoon. This will be between the winner of Vanderbilt and Arkansas, and then the winner of our game will go on to face Auburn on Friday, who had that double buy. So my crow to this first game, really, regardless of opponent, is control the pace. This team has had success when they dictate the pace of play and force opposing teams to go deep in the shot clock and then offensively when they are able to create good shots for themselves. Our team is not afraid to go deep into the shot clock offensively, having skip passes, having guys get open, move without the ball, and so on. When teams try to speed up the Gamecocks, it is when you see sometimes bad shots get forced up and things like that. But it will be very fun to watch this team in a tournament setting before the big dance. Obviously, any wins will only help the gamecocks from a seating perspective in the field of 68, and you just really want to be feeling as good as you can be going into the big tournament. And really, let's look at this tournament as one where you got a crack at it, right? Like if this team has a very good outing in that first matchup and has confidence, we've seen this team go on a run and we've seen how dangerous they can be when they are playing their best basketball, and even sometimes when they're not. So every team in the SEC should be on notice. The Gamecocks were one game away from outside of our control of being in that double buy conversation. So we'll be very fun to watch this week. Set your alarms, set your clocks, whatever it may be, to watch and root in the Qzips in the SEC tournament.
[00:19:39] But now changing gears a little bit here. Going to the baseball diamond here as the Yardcocks were in action this weekend against Longwood and they broke out the Brooms for an easy sweep. Game one Carolina run ruled to a win ten nothing in eight innings. The Gamecocks only failed to score in one inning, just steady offense. Eli Jones got the start and win going six innings, recording five strikeouts some player highlights for you Dylan Brewer had himself a game, went three for four, including three RBI and two home runs. Kennedy Jones two for four and Moose went one for three with two ribies. Game two Carolina got the win ten to two. Things started a little bit slower offensively for the Gamecocks, but a five run 8th inning let the boys pull away and put this one away. Dylan escue got the start and win going five innings. We did see a brief appearance from Robin Kimball, which was great. Chris Veech and Garrett Ganey tag teamed the end of the game. Player highlights Cole Messina two for three with three RBI, Gavin Cassis three for four with one RBI and Parker Nolan one for five with two ribies. Game three the finale was on Sunday and the Gamecocks completed the sweep, winning 22 to six in seven innings. And yes, that is a baseball score 22 to six. Your Carolina Gamecocks got the w. And it's funny because this game was close, like legitimately like medium scoring close game after four innings, but three runs in the fifth and eleven in the 6th where Carolina just absolutely dumped on Longwood to end this series early. Ty good got the start and a no decision after going three innings. Connor McCreary got the win from an inning in relief. Player highlights it's hard to do a few when you score 22 runs, being honest, but Tyler Cosby two for three with five RBI, Kennedy Jones two for three with four ribies and then Cole Messina went two for three. Nice series for Moose. Up next for Carolina is the last midweek game before SEC play begins. This is against Tuesday night or excuse me, this is Tuesday night against Georgia State at a neutral site SRP park in North Augusta. The guys need to continue the momentum and be sharp and ready for when league play comes around this weekend. But with that, y'all, that wraps up this episode. Please follow me on social media. Twitter is coxgamecox. Instagram is just the name of the show, Cox talking Gamecocks. And please, like, subscribe and review the podcast. I appreciate all y'all. Go, Cox.
