How things have changed.In early March of last year, Kentucky had suffered back-to-back losses and sat at 21-8. The second of the two was the most disappointing of the season, as the Wildcats fell behind by as many as 16 points en route to a 72-67 loss at South Carolina.”I remember we lost,” Andrew Harrison said. “It was tough. They were a very good team last year, but we didn’t play as well as we should have.”The other Harrison twin, Aaron, would of course say after the loss that the remainder of the season would be “a great story,” a promise that drew skepticism at the time only to prove prophetic.Eleven months later, UK has lost just three games in 29 tries, two to top-ranked Florida and one in the national championship. The Cats, after falling just shy of the title, were back as the preseason No. 1 for 2014-15 and haven’t lost since, running their record to 18-0 and reigniting the unbeaten talk that started the previous season. Now they return to Columbia, S.C. But as much as things have changed, one thing remains the same.”If we go down there and play like we did last year we’ll lose again,” Andrew Harrison said.Last season, in spite of a 14-20 record, South Carolina was able to point to that late-season win over Kentucky as proof the Gamecocks were improving under Frank Martin. In his third season, South Carolina (10-7, 1-4 Southeastern Conference) is offering further proof ahead of Saturday’s noon matchup with the Cats (18-0, 5-0 SEC).”They take on Frank’s personality,” John Calipari said. “They’re balling.”South Carolina has gotten off to a slow start in conference play, dropping four games and three by four points or fewer, but the Gamecocks still check in at No. 48 in kenpom.com’s ratings, up almost 70 spots from a season ago. They have wins over Oklahoma State (by 26 points) and Iowa State from the powerhouse Big 12 on the strength of a defense that ranks 22nd nationally in points per possession allowed (0.906).”They come right at you,” Calipari said. “If you drive, you’ve got three guys running. As you run at them, they run at you. Frank, the one thing I’ve got to tell you as I watch his team – it’s a great concept – they’ll pressure you all over the place and deny wings.”The Gamecocks excel at contesting shots and forcing miscues, ranking in the top 40 nationally in both effective field-goal percentage defense and defensive turnover percentage. The Cats will have to respond.”Got to be strong with the ball,” Calipari said. “Got to play through bumps. You got to know that they’re coming and find open men.”That’s where having two of the nation’s top point guards on one roster comes in handy.UK’s two-headed lead guard monster of Andrew Harrison and Tyler Ulis has combined to average 13 points and 7.7 assists. Both the 6-foot-6 sophomore and 5-9 freshman have had bright moments and a handful of off nights, but it’s been Andrew Harrison who has more often drawn criticism.”When it rains in Lexington, whose fault is it?” Calipari said. “Andrew’s fault. There was a car accident on 75, whose fault is it? Andrew’s fault. So that’s just how it is right now and he has accepted it.”Not only has Andrew Harrison accepted that fact, he also takes joy in deflecting scrutiny away from his freshman teammates.”I can take whatever anyone throws at me now,” Andrew Harrison said. “I know whatever is said doesn’t really matter. I’ve heard it all. I’m just starting to get my confidence back, and just knowing I’m the starting point guard or whatever and I can play just as well as anybody.”Andrew Harrison may be the starter, but that hasn’t stopped Ulis from playing nearly 21 minutes per game, a total that’s gone up in recent weeks with Calipari more often using them together. Among Coach Cal’s many options, a favorite lineup of the two point guards, Devin Booker, Willie Cauley-Stein and Dakari Johnson has emerged as a possibility for close-and-late situations.”It puts two playmakers on the court with me and Andrew,” Ulis said. “Then he can play-make it to the basket. It allows him to score more because I like to pass. And you know Book with his shooting ability, and us getting in the lane and finding him, it should be hard to stop us.” South Carolina will try nonetheless, surely confident from what happened not long ago.”You just have to play your game,” Andrew Harrison said. “You can’t really worry about last year. Last year was last year. Now we have to go in there for another tough game against South Carolina.”