Jan 11, 2003
Box Score?|?Quotes?|?Notes?|?Photo Gallery
By BRUCE SCHREINER
Associated Press Writer
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Erik Daniels was the unlikeliest Kentucky player to hoist a 3-pointer with time running down in the first half. But he showed no hesitation and broke South Carolina’s spirit with his sudden long-range accuracy.
“You’re not going to see me take that shot that often,” said Daniels, a junior forward who matched his career high with 19 points in the 18th-ranked Wildcats’ 62-55 victory Saturday night. “But the play broke down and I was open so I took it. It felt good as soon as it left my hands.”
Daniels’ second 3-pointer of the season capped a 25-6 spurt as the Wildcats overcame a ragged start to pull away for their fifth straight win since a demoralizing 81-63 loss at archrival Louisville.
The shot from well beyond the top of the key may not have surprised Daniels but shocked South Carolina coach Dave Odom, whose team continued its own shooting woes.
“Daniels was the difference in the game,” Odom said. “The scouting report says he’s not going to hit that 3 against us – he did. He hit that 3 and kind of stuck the dagger in our hearts.
“He was much more effective in and around the basket. He finished 9-for-12 (from the field). That’s pretty efficient, I’d say.”
Daniels, a first-year starter, had his regular workmanlike performance for Kentucky, adding a team-high six rebounds plus an assist and a blocked shot in 34 minutes.
“His basketball IQ and ability to move without the ball is very good,” Kentucky coach Tubby Smith said. “He understands angles and how to position himself to get open.
“What he lacks in athleticism he makes up for in his attitude and his knowledge of the game.”
With the scored tied at 15, Kentucky (11-3, 2-0 Southeastern Conference) outscored South Carolina 17-4 over the final seven minutes of a sloppy half in which each team committed 13 turnovers.
“We got more active late in the first half,” Kentucky point guard Cliff Hawkins said. “Guys started moving around and being more aggressive on defense. But we had a lot of careless turnovers and that’s something we’re going to have to work on.”
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[Erik] Daniels was the difference in the game. The scouting report says he’s not going to hit that 3 against us – he did. He hit that 3 and kind of stuck the dagger in our hearts.
South Carolina coach Dave Odom
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Daniels added two layups during the decisive Kentucky outburst and Marquis Estill had six points as the Wildcats repeatedly penetrated South Carolina’s defense for easy baskets.
The Wildcats started the second half with a 12-4 run. Daniels converted two layups and Keith Bogans hit a 3-pointer to make it 44-23 with 14:17 left.
South Carolina (7-5, 1-1) cut the deficit to nine on Kerbrell Brown’s 3-pointer from the corner that made it 56-47 with 3:17 left. Brown scored 17 of his 19 points in the second half, including 10 straight late in the game.
Estill finished with 12 points and Bogans, who sat out much of the first half, had 10. Estill had four assists to lead Kentucky with crisp interior passing.
Carlos Powell had 17 points for South Carolina and Chuck Eidson added 11. South Carolina center Rolando Howell, who sat out the second half Wednesday night against Mississippi after being kicked in the head, did not start but had four points and eight rebounds against Kentucky.
The Gamecocks’ shooting struggles continued for a second straight game as they went 23-of-60 (38.3 percent), including 6-of-28 from 3-point range. On Wednesday, South Carolina shot 27.8 percent in the first half.
“We were too passive on offense,” Powell said. “We were settling for passing the ball around the perimeter instead of penetrating their defense.”
Kentucky was 22-of-45 from the field and 15-of-19 from the free throw line. South Carolina shot just four three throws and hit three.
The Gamecocks took an 11-7 lead on a field goal by Eidson as Smith pulled his starting lineup in the first six minutes.
Kentucky finished with a season-high 22 turnovers and the Gamecocks had 19.
