South Carolina focused on handling business against Clemson in rivalry showdown
The stakes will be high. They always seem to be when they meet for one game each season, whether it’s for state pride or something more.
In this case, this year’s matchup between South Carolina and Clemson is for bragging rights, as usual. But after last year’s showdown between two unbeaten teams, they are both in good standing again this year. They will play for a chance to significantly boost their resumes.
The Gamecocks will host the rivalry game on Tuesday (7 p.m., SECN) at Colonial Life Arena, with the Tigers coming in as a Top 25 team. South Carolina isn’t currently ranked but has been playing much better basketball as of late with four consecutive wins.
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While this game serves as a prime opportunity to make a statement and continue to play well, South Carolina isn’t stressed about the magnitude of it all. Like head coach Lamont Paris says, “It’s the next game.”
“There’s not a lot of stress – this is not stressful,” Paris said. “There’s some things in life that are really stressful — this is not one of them.”
Now, that doesn’t mean this game is less important to the team. They understand the rivalry and all that comes with it. But it’s more of treating every game with the same business-like approach, regardless of who they’re playing.
“We have a way of doing things, of going about our business, that’s the standard that we judge everything against,” Paris said. “I think just trying to get our guys in the mindset of that each one of these opportunities is business-related. It’s fun — trust me, there’s a lot of fun. But sometimes, the fun’s very deep down in there — it’s in disguise sometimes.”
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And just because the team isn’t overly stressed doesn’t mean they are going to be relaxed. Paris expects the Gamecocks to play well in what has been a much better showing after starting 3-3 this year.
“We’re going to play really hard; we’re going to be organized. But I learned this: loose muscles always perform better than tight muscles,” he said. “So, when we go into the game, the hay’s got to be in the barn already, guys got to feel good about what their mission and what their plan is. And then, on that day you got to go play.
“If you’re relaxed as a coach, I think it’s hard for them. They’re going to pretend they always have it under control, and they’re relaxed. But they need to truly have real confidence in what they’re doing and how they go about their business and how to win the game. And then, all they worry about on that day is just playing — they got to play.”
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Clemson comes into Tuesday’s matchup with a 9-2 record and some quality wins on its schedule, including a big win over No. 4 Kentucky in the SEC/ACC Challenge. While the Tigers will be coming off an overtime loss to Memphis from this past Saturday, the expectation for South Carolina is that this will be a “fun game”.
“It’s always good when the teams are good, also. Last year, I think we were both undefeated going into that game,” Paris said. “This year, they’re ranked, and we’ve played some really good teams. It’s a great opportunity for us and for them to go on the road against a good team. So, (I’m) really excited about it.”
