South-Carolina
Vanderbilt basketball vs. South Carolina: Score prediction, scouting report in SEC game
South Carolina has been where Vanderbilt basketball is.
Just a year ago, the Gamecocks (20-3, 8-2 SEC) were outside the top 200 in KenPom, had losses to George Washington and East Carolina and won just 11 total games.
A year later, South Carolina is likely to make the NCAA Tournament.
Entering the matchup between the two at Colonial Life Arena on Saturday (12 p.m. CT, SEC Network), the Gamecocks are projected a No. 5 seed in Joe Lunardi’s latest bracketology. It’s the kind of leap that many hoped for from Vanderbilt after just missing out on the tournament a season ago. Instead, the Commodores (6-16, 1-8) have fallen into the conference basement.
Here’s what to know about the matchup:
Most improved team
South Carolina is the SEC’s most improved team, going from KenPom No. 221 a year ago to No. 45 entering this matchup. The Gamecocks are a success story of a quick turnaround in coach Lamont Paris’ second season.
Of South Carolina’s five most common starters, three were transfers brought in this offseason and one is a freshman. Only Meechie Johnson, who transferred from Ohio State in 2022, is a returning starter.
Johnson leads the team in scoring, followed by Wofford transfer BJ Mack (who scored 19 against Vanderbilt last season) and Minnesota transfer Ta’Lon Cooper.
Reunited with Myles Stute
One of the transfers the Gamecocks added in the offseason was Myles Stute from the Commodores. Stute left the team before the NIT a year ago and Jerry Stackhouse stated that one reason for the departure was that Stute wanted a different role on the team and to play more on the perimeter.
At South Carolina, Stute has averaged 9.5 points and 3.6 rebounds per game and is shooting 40% from three. However, he has recently dealt with a shoulder injury that cost him three games and has kept him out of the starting lineup since returning. Just how much that injury affects Stute remains to be seen.
Can Evan Taylor continue his hot streak?
Evan Taylor started out the season ice cold from three, struggling in his transition from Lehigh to Vanderbilt. But he’s come on as of late, scoring in the double digits in three of his past five games. Against Kentucky, he led the team with 20 points and five 3-pointers.
This performance came despite Taylor playing through a sprained ACL, an injury he suffered against Missouri. Termed a “game time decision” for the Kentucky game, Taylor suited up with a brace on his knee and played 21 minutes.
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Score prediction
South Carolina 68, Vanderbilt 59: The Gamecocks generally play grind-it-out, low-scoring games, and Vanderbilt lacks enough firepower to win that type of game.
Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on Twitter @aria_gerson.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WACH) — Advocates, caregivers, patients, and community leaders gathered at the South Carolina State House on Friday for the inaugural South Carolina Sickle Cell Day.
Organizers said the event focused on raising awareness of sickle cell disease.
The South Carolina CBO Collective Caucus hosted the event at 10 a.m., coinciding with World Sickle Cell Day and Juneteenth.
Organizers said the gathering brought together healthcare professionals, legislators, advocates, and supporters from across the state to discuss education, support, and action related to sickle cell disease.
The program is designed to amplify the voices of individuals and families impacted by the disease and encourage conversations about healthcare access, advocacy, research, and community support, organizers said.
Attendees heard personal stories and learned about challenges faced by those living with sickle cell disease.
“World Sickle Cell Day is a powerful call to action for all of us,” said founder and CEO of The B Strong Group Brenda Green. She said the collaboration expands support, strengthens community response, and stands with affected families.
The B Strong Group, founded in 2017 and based in Columbia, is a nonprofit organization focused on sickle cell awareness, advocacy, and caregiver support.
The group organizes blood drives, caregiver workshops, and awareness campaigns under the motto “Educate, Advocate, Empower.”
An 87-year-old businessman in Columbia, South Carolina says he has no plans to retire.
Leonard Fabrizio works as a retailer at Brittons of Columbia, a locally-owned men’s clothing store.
“I’m not the type of person who can sit around by myself,” said Fabrizio. “I just enjoy the interaction and that’s the big thing, is the interaction with people. It’s always been the drive in this business for me, said Fabrizio.
Fabrizio’s retail career began as a college student when he worked at J.C. Penney. He has watched Columbia grow and has owned a store and managed several others.
His advice is to “Be patient. It takes time to build a business. It doesn’t happen overnight, but it’s rewarding. It’s fun. But you have to have compassion for the business.”
Fabrizio recently celebrated another birthday alongside those who have supported his career.
(WPDE) — June 9 marked International Batten Disease Awareness Day, shining a light on a rare, inherited neurodegenerative disorder.
It primarily affects children and causes harmful waste material to build up inside the cells of the brain and nervous system.
One South Carolina family used the day to raise awareness as their 2-year-old son, Sam Stockton, lives with CLN2 Batten disease.
Sam was diagnosed at 16 weeks old, and his family says they travel every other week for enzyme-replacement therapy while also searching for clinical research opportunities.
Through Hope for Sam, the family is working to spread information about Batten disease and support other families facing rare diseases.
“Just the more you know about rare diseases, I never knew that over 300 million people worldwide live with rare diseases. And that means there’s less access to care because people aren’t researching it and not as many people have it. So the more information that’s out there, we feel is the better,” Jordan Stockton said.
There are 13 known types of Batten disease, and there is no cure. Researchers estimate the disease affects about two to four out of every 100,000 births in the United States.
The Stockton family says they have found support through the Batten Disease Support, Research and Advocacy Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to helping families navigate the disease while providing resources.
More information and donation details are available at this link.
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