South Carolina @ Massachusetts preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 2, 2017 ) Massachusetts 70, South Carolina 76

Since starting the season 3-0, South Carolina coach Frank Martin has been anything but pleased with his Gamecocks, especially after being swept in the Cancun Challenge by Wichita State and Northern Iowa. But it could be worse if not for Maik Kotsar, who led South Carolina to its second win in five games Sunday, and South Carolina hopes to ride that momentum to Massachusetts on Wednesday when they play their first true road game of the season.

“I really like our team. It’s just like our children. I really love them, but that doesn’t mean they don’t (tick) me off on a regular basis," Martin said after the 74-65 win over George Washington, a team ranked 237th by KenPom. "My team has been aggravating me for three weeks.” Kotsar had 17 points on 8-of-9 shooting and nine rebounds, pushing his double-figure scoring streak to five straight games - the longest of his career. A four-year starter, Kotsar (9.9 points, team-high 6.1 rebounds this year) has produced 7.0 points and 4.8 rebounds per game over his career but in the last five contests the 6-11 big man has provided 13.2 points on 58 percent shooting, 6.4 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game. The Minutemen began the season with five straight wins, however UMass is currently on a three-game losing streak, most recently suffering an 82-57 loss at Rutgers last Friday.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network

ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA (5-3): A.J. Lawson (team-leading totals of 15.6 points per game, 25 assists, 13 3-pointers, 10 steals) added 14 points and Jair Bolden (10.4 points) 12 for the the Gamecocks, who were just 3-of-14 from the arc and 11-of-18 from the line to lower those season totals to 28.3 and 59.5 percent, respectively. The Gamecocks shot 52.6 percent and played their patented tough defense, allowing the Colonials to shoot 33 percent from the field and 8-of-36 from the arc.

ABOUT MASSACHUSETTS (5-3): T.J. Weeks scored 19 points and drained 4-of-6 3-pointers and Sy Chatman added 16 points off the bench in the loss to Rutgers as the Minutemen shot 36 percent and committed 19 turnovers. Weeks paces UMass with 15.5 points per outing and is shooting 54 percent from the arc (26-of-48) - 21st in the nation. Carl Pierre (11.9 points, 18 3-pointers), Tre Mitchell (11.6 points, 6.6 rebounds) also score in double figures, and Sean East (9.6 points) is 48th in the nation with 5.3 assists per outing.

TIP-INS

1. Anya Martin, wife of Frank Martin, ran track at UMass and set school records in the 55 meter and 100 meter hurdles events during her career.

2. South Carolina is holding opponents to just 36.6 percent from the field - fourth in the SEC and 22nd nationally - and is pulling down an average of 13 offensive rebounds per game, which ranks second in the SEC and 43rd nationally.

3.UMass allows opponents to offensive rebound at 32.3 percent - 293rd in Division I.

PREDICTION: South Carolina 62, UMass 55