What to watch for: South Carolina starts SEC play versus Vanderbilt

South Carolina will look to ring in the new year with a bang.

The Gamecocks will travel to play Vanderbilt and try to get off to a good start in SEC play.

Here’s what to watch for Tuesday night.

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Can the Gamecocks limit turnovers?

South Carolina is averaging 12.7 turnovers per game, which is toward the middle of the pack in college basketball. It’s a slight improvement from 2021, when it averaged more than 15 per game.

The Gamecocks have done a better job as of late not turning the ball over as much. In their last two games against Western Kentucky and Eastern Michigan, they racked up nine turnovers per game. While they had more than their opponent (only by one), it was enough to win both games.

Vanderbilt ranks No. 319 in forced turnovers with 11.1 per game. It’s only allowing 65.9 points per game, No. 105 nationally. If the Commodores can follow the same recipe as other teams and force the Gamecocks to make mistakes, it could be a good night for them.

It’s going to be on South Carolina to play smart and not fall behind early. It might not win the turnover battle but keeping that number as low as possible will be crucial.

Starting off right in conference play

In Lamont Paris’ first season, the Gamecocks went 7-6 in non-conference matchups. Two of those wins came against teams inside the KenPom Top 150. The highlight of the season so far has been a 60-58 victory over Clemson, who sits atop the ACC. The Tigers sit at No. 59.

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However, South Carolina needs to set the tone as SEC play begins. It’s going to be a tough slate, with five opponents currently in the AP Top 25. But how much of a confidence boost would it be for Paris and company to go on the road and get that elusive first conference win right away?

Keeping Vanderbilt modest

Before its last game, Vanderbilt’s offense was struggling. The Commodores ranked No. 280 in scoring offense, averaging 67.9 points. That’s changed since then, thanks to a 93-point outing against Southeastern Louisiana last Friday. They moved up more than 50 spots, scoring 69.8 points per game.

In fairness, Southeastern Louisiana is allowing 76.9 points, No. 332 nationally. Vanderbilt’s next closest scoring outing came in November against Temple, when it scored 89 points. The team is shooting 43.1 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three-point range.

While South Carolina’s defense might not be the best, it’s certainly better than Southeastern Louisiana’s. The Gamecocks are giving up 69.1 points per game. They’ll need to limit Vanderbilt’s shot opportunities to have a chance.

Can Meechie Johnson Jr. get back on track?

Stopping GG Jackson will be a focal point for Vanderbilt. He’s coming off one of his better games in which he scored a season-high 24 points on 9-of-19 shooting (47.3 percent) with nine rebounds. For the Gamecocks to win, someone else will need to step up.

Meechie Johnson Jr. could be the guy to answer the call. After a slow start, he’s been playing better, scoring double-digits in his last six games. He broke out in a big way versus Western Kentucky, scoring 25 points on 8-of-16 shooting. He also shot 54.4 percent from three-point range.

After struggling to find his place at Ohio State, Johnson seems to be playing like the player the Gamecocks thought he’d be when they brought him in. It’s going to be hard to bank on Jackson being the main guy every game but some help could go a long way throughout the rest of the season.

Scouting the opponent

Just like South Carolina, Vanderbilt has seven wins, with three wins against top 150 KenPom teams. Its best win came against No. 66 Pittsburgh in early December. The Commodores have played some other quality opponents, losing to five teams inside the top 150.

Vanderbilt has three scorers averaging more than 10 points per game. 7-footer Liam Robbins leads the way with 11.9 points and 5.8 rebounds while shooting 52.4 percent from the field. One of Robbins’ frontcourt mates, Myles Shute, is averaging 11.5 points on 43.6 percent shooting. He’s a top 15 three-point shooter in the country, making 47 percent of his shots from beyond the arc. Starting guard Tyrin Lawrence is putting up 10.4 points on just over 50 percent shooting.

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As referenced above with Shute, the Commodores love to shoot the three ball. They’re No. 83 nationally in making more than eight three-pointers a game.

They’re also ranked No. 99 nationally and eighth in the SEC in defensive efficiency. They’ve allowed fewer than 60 points in five games, four of which were wins.

In addition to leading the offense in scoring, Robbins uses his height to his advantage, blocking 37 shots. Vanderbilt is averaging 5.6 blocks while hauling in 37.5 rebounds, winning the rebound battle by 3.2 per game.

Next game

Who: South Carolina (7-6) vs. Vanderbilt (7-6)

When: Tuesday, Jan. 3 (7 p.m. EST)

Where: Memorial Gymnasium (Capacity: 14,316)

All-time series: South Carolina leads 31-30 (Last game: South Carolina won 70-61 in 2022)

How to watch: SEC Network

How to listen: 107.5 FM

KenPom prediction: 67-58 Vanderbilt (Commodores given a 79 percent chance to win)

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