More on Archie, the zone, etc. (updated)

Before we head off to cook some green bean casserole, let’s empty the notebook, so to speak, on some basketball stuff.

- Darrin Horn said Wednesday that Dominique Archie’s knee sprain was “severe.” That was the only thing the coach really added to his Monday statement about Archie’s status. The senior forward is still out “indefinitely.”

Horn also blanched at the comparison between Archie’s injury and Brandis Raley-Ross’ sprained knee last year. Raley-Ross missed six games.

“You all love to talk about that stuff and speculate it,” Horn said. “Every injury is different, every person is different. Every evaluation of it is different. I’m not gonna do that (speculate) because I don’t know. It’s not because we’re not trying to tell you, or not because .. we don’t know. Every situation’s different. I’m not gonna compare one kid’s injury from a year ago to this one and I think it would be in everybody’s best interest if you all wouldn’t do that as well.”

- It’s become evident that more than a few teams are going to zone up the Gamecocks, especially after Miami’s success on Sunday. Miami coach Frank Haith said afterwards that his main strategy was to keep Devan Downey out of the paint and make the Gamecocks’ hit 3s.

Horn addressed that when asked about his team’s outside shooting. (The Gamecocks have hit 29.4 percent of their 3 attempts this season.) Basically, Horn felt the problem wasn’t the opposing defense but the Gamecock offense.

“We’ve seen it commented that, Boy the zone really took us out of a lot and kept Devan out of the paint,” Horn said. “Nobody keeps Devan Downey out of the paint. Nobody. Devan Downey can keep Devan Downey out of the paint. Our team not running can keep us out of the paint. But you don’t keep that kid out of the paint.

“What we reviewed on the film was the importance of us attacking things the right way. Getting out and running. Not settling for too many quick ones, and that type of thing.”

- Come March, Archie’s injury could end up putting USC with a double resume’. The NCAA tournament selection committee has been known to consider injuries; Seeding down or leaving out teams that no longer have key players, while looking kindly on teams that gain key players.

In South Carolina’s case, it remains up in the air, according to bracket expert Jerry Palm of CollegeRPI.com.

“It’s a factor. They’ll consider the difference between how they play with him and without,” Palm said. “But don’t count on getting a pass for all of non-conference play.”

UPDATED

- USC is offering a ticket promotion for fans planning to attend both the Friday basketball game and Saturday football game. If you have a ticket for the football game and show it at the Colonial Life Arena on Friday, you can receive one free ticket to the basketball game. One free hoops ticket for every football ticket you show.

And with that, a happy Thanksgiving weekend to everyone!