Brace yourself:  Slow speeds ahead.

Georgia's tempo plays right into Carolina's wheelhouse - the Gamecocks rank a similarly low 318th (62.4).  If you're expecting a lurching, low-scoring muckfest, though, you'll be disappointed.  Georgia (12-12, 3-7 SEC) has racked up impressive back-to-back wins over Arkansas and #20 Mississippi State in overtime.  Carolina hopes to make that confidence short-lived, while igniting some late-season confidence of its own.  Pre-tip reads before Gamecocks and Bulldogs battle it out in Columbia:

One Half "Down"...  An eerie coincidence started to unfold in the final minutes of the first half at Bud Walton Arena.  Three days earlier, Tennessee had used an 11-2 run to lead Carolina 35-27 at halftime.  Arkansas followed a similar blueprint, using an 11-0 run to stretch a 27-27 tie into a 38-27 lead at halftime.  Over the last three games, South Carolina has been outscored 28-4 in the final 3:00 of the first half.

Final 3:00 of the 1^st Half - Last 3 games

Opponent                  Score at 3:00                       Score at Halftime                 Run

Kentucky                    45-25 UK                              52-25                                     7-0         

Tennessee                  23-21 USC                            35-27 UT                               14-4       

Arkansas                    31-27 ARK                            38-27                                    7-0        

                                                                                                                                  USC:  2-13 FG, 0-2 FT

And that's despite an interesting stat I unearthed from reviewing the tape.  Oddly, South Carolina got an offensive rebound -- either by an individual or on a dead ball -- on 7 of its 11 missed shots.

South Carolina has scored 313 2nd-chance points on 311 offensive rebounds this year - a nearly 1:1 ratio.  Yet in their first-half breakdowns, South Carolina scored 0 points on 7 offensive rebounds. 

The remedy is there.  If the Gamecocks can convert, the walk to the locker room need not feel so desultory.

Offensive Rebounds                            2^nd Chance Points

Season                                   311                                                         313

3:00-Half, Last 3g                 7                                                              0

Triangle Talk:  With its spacing, cutting, and constant movement, Georgia's triangle offense demands agile, good passing big man.  Georgia had several of them last year in center Trey Thompkins, freakishly athletic Travis Leslie, and burly (but nimble) forward Jeremy Price.  Those three players are all gone, though, leaving behind a frontcourt thin in both talent and experience.

If South Carolina's forwards get extended, can they lock down defensively vs. Georgia's triangle?

 As a result, listeners may notice a difference in how Georgia attacks the offensive end.  The Bulldogs don't do as many straight-up post feeds as they did last year, especially off ball reversals.  They instead prefer their action off stagger screens and pindowns (where a post player sets a screen, then rolls toward the basket, effectively "pinning" his defender underneath the rim).  Pay attention to freshman guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (14.5 ppg, 2.4 3-pointer/game) - the former McDonald's All-American is the player most capable of scoring from all spots on the floor.  If South Carolina's low post players become extended, can they deny the dribble-drive?  

Man to Stop:  Georgia guard Gerald Robinson Jr.  With Thompkins, Leslie, and Price circulating through the paint last year, Robinson's offense was mostly opportunistic.  This year, the 6'1" Robinson (pictured left) has become the centerpiece in head coach Mark Fox's triangle offense. 

The triangle is designed to keep the ball well distributed, which makes Robinson's numbers intriguing.  Though far from a high-wattage star, Robinson leads the SEC, and ranks 34th nationally, in % of Possessions Used (%Poss).  Essentially, that's the percentage of a team's possessions that ends with an individual a.) making a shot; b.) missing a shot that isn't rebounded by the offense; or c.) committing a turnover.  When he's on the court, Robinson uses 30.3% of Georgia's possessions.  Last year, Georgia didn't have a player who ranked in the Top 100. 

Robinson got to the rim at will against Arkansas, exploding for a career-high 27 points en route to SEC Player of the Week honors.  However, he struggled against South Carolina in two meetings last year, making only 5-17 field goals while committing 9 turnovers.  Take him out of his rhythm, and it fundamentally alters the flow of the Bulldog offense.  The Gamecocks have to stay attached to Robinson, talk out screens, and not allow him to shed them off the dribble.

Lakeem Jackson (right) may have earned himself more minutes with his defensive play vs. Arkansas.

The recipe should be straightforward:  meet Georgia on the catch, and don't get loose while trapping or defending dribble-handoffs.  Another key:  defensive-rebound forcefully.  Georgia ranks last in the SEC in offensive rebound %, grabbing only 31% of their missed shots.

Pay attention to one area in particular for freshman Anthony Gill Wednesday.

Horn knows of what he speaks.  Gill's commitment to rebounding has been a bellwether for South Carolina.  In the Gamecocks' nine wins, Gill averages 7.0 rebounds per game.  In their 15 losses, that number drops to 3.9 rpg.

Anthony Gill '11-12

Wins                       7.0 rpg

Losses                    3.9 rpg

It comes as no surprise that Gill's SEC high in rebounds (9) came in Carolina's lone win over Alabama.

And Finally... Georgia is looking for its first three-game SEC win streak since its Cinderella run to the 2008 SEC Tournament title.

Now that we're prepared, we hope you are as well.  Our pregame coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. on the Gamecock IMG Sports Network.  We'll see you at Colonial Life Arena.