http://blogs.thestateonline.net/semerson The blog for the sophisticated Gamecock fan Fri, 12 Mar 2010 19:30:01 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en NASHVILLE, Tenn. - I'm sitting here on press row watching the game that for 30 minutes Thursday we thought for sure South Carolina would be involved in. Instead the road jerseys belong to Alabama, which is giving Kentucky a pretty good game at the half. There was lots of stuff in ... http://blogs.thestateonline.net/semerson/2010/03/12/thoughts-from-nashville/ In an earlier blog post, I printed my ballot for the U.S. Basketball Writers Association's All-District awards. Well, those tallies are now in. Devan Downey made the 10-member All-District III team, which includes North and South Carolina, Virginia and Maryland. The other players to make the list: Al-Farouq Aminu, Wake Forest Trevor Booker, ... http://blogs.thestateonline.net/semerson/2010/03/09/downey-all-district/ If South Carolina plays beyond this week, it will be either the NCAA or NIT tournament. Coach Darrin Horn ruled out accepting an invitation to either of the third-tier postseason tournaments: The College Basketball Invitational and CollegeInsider.com Tournament. "We want to compete and play in the NCAA tournament, and if we can't ... http://blogs.thestateonline.net/semerson/2010/03/08/nit-or-bust-for-gamecocks/ The six finalists for the Cousy Award, given to the nation's top point guard, have been named. Devan Downey did not make the cut. The finalists are Kentucky's John Wall, Maryland's Greivis Vasquez, Duke's Jon Scheyer,Villanova's Scottie Reynolds, Kansas' Sherron Collins and Ohio State's Evan Turner. I know what you're saying: Turner ... http://blogs.thestateonline.net/semerson/2010/03/07/cousy-award-update/ I'll have more on the emotional meaning of South Carolina's stunning win at No. 13 Vanderbilt in my Monday column. For now, here's what the game means for the SEC tournament. It means, as far as I can figure, South Carolina gets a rematch with Alabama on Thursday at 1 p.m. The ... http://blogs.thestateonline.net/semerson/2010/03/06/sec-tourney-seeding/ As a member of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, I am charged with voting for its All-American teams, All-District teams, and coach and player of the year awards for each. The district teams are broken up by state, and the one I voted in was District III, which includes North and ... http://blogs.thestateonline.net/semerson/2010/03/06/postseason-balloting-begins/ Rick Reilly, who I admire a lot as a writer and columnist, takes South Carolina fans to task in his latest bromide on ESPN.com. The major object of Reilly's ire is the idea of rushing the court. Whether it's a good thing or overused, I'll let Reilly argue. But here's what ... http://blogs.thestateonline.net/semerson/2010/03/05/checking-rick-reilly/ South Carolina pretty much knows where it's going to be seeded in next week's men's basketball tournament, and what time it will play. But it's a big mystery who it will play. The Gamecocks will be the sixth seed out of the East and play Thursday at 9:45 p.m., unless they ... http://blogs.thestateonline.net/semerson/2010/03/04/sec-tourney-scenarios/ Three days later, Darrin Horn was still unhappy with his team's effort against Mississippi State. So unhappy, in fact,that he spent more of his Tuesday media gathering discussing that than the seniors who will be honored Wednesday. Horn started off by comparing the everyday effort he sees from Alabama - the ... http://blogs.thestateonline.net/semerson/2010/03/02/horn-calls-out-his-teams-effort/ Dominique Archie was upbeat, but fairly upfront, when he spoke to the media Monday for the first time since his season-ending injury. Yes, he will seek a sixth year of eligibility. And yes, if he gets it he will return to the South Carolina men's basketball team next year. But he also ... http://blogs.thestateonline.net/semerson/2010/03/01/archie-and-his-appeal/