Aggie Hoops Host Gamecocks

With the regular season beginning to wind down, the Texas A&M men's basketball team returns to Reed Arena on Saturday when it hosts South Carolina in a 6 p.m. (CT) contest. The game will be televised nationally by ESPNU.

Texas A&M enters the contest looking to build upon on its 16-12 overall record this season and improve its seeding for the upcoming SEC Tournament, which will be held at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena March 13-17.

Senior guard Elston Turner, who has ranked among the nation's leading scorers all season long, is reaching new heights as he rounds out his final season at Texas A&M. The Sacramento, Calif., native is averaging 27 points per game during the stretch while shooting 51.5 percent from the field and 43.2 percent from beyond the 3-point arc.

Meanwhile, Aggie freshman Alex Caruso enters the South Carolina game seeking to take sole possession of the Texas A&M's school record for steals by a freshman. The College Station product has recorded 56 steals on the year to tie former A&M guard Todd Holloway (1984-87) for the most ever in a season by an Aggie rookie.

South Carolina comes to Aggieland with a 13-15 overall record and a 3-12 record in SEC play. The Gamecocks are led by freshman forward Michael Carrera who managed his fifth double-double against Ole Miss on Feb. 20. In each of the last five games, Carrera has led USC in both scoring and rebounds. The Gamecocks are led by first-year head coach Frank Martin, who has previously faced A&M seven times from 2007-12 while serving as the head coach at Kansas State.

TEXAS A&M-SOUTH CAROLINA SERIES NOTES

* Saturday will be the first-ever meeting between the Aggies & Gamecocks on the hardwood.

* USC head coach Frank Martin is no stranger to the Aggies, however, after having faced the Aggies seven times while the head coach at Kansas State (2007-12) ...Martin is 5-2-all-time vs. Texas A&M.

* Aggie floor general Billy Kennedy has never faced the Gamecocks as a head coach.