|
|
University of South Carolina head basketball coach Dave Odom held his first news conference of the year Thursday, in which he spoke about the offseason and what the team has to do to be ready for this year's schedule.
Still, questions surround the eligibility of center Rolando Howell and recruit Renaldo Balkman.
A major issue for the Gamecocks will be how they will get over an offseason that has included the possible loss of Howell because of his criminal domestic-violence conviction and Balkman's possible academic ineligibility.
ADVERTISEMENT
Also, guard Jon Land is out for the season because of a medical issue involving
his bones. Land will stay on the team, but in a capacity that will be decided
by the coaching staff. Ticketmaster
Odom said that losing a star player like Howell and a recruit like Balkman would be a problem.
"When you're dealing with teams that have got 25 and upwards of 30 or 40 or 50 people on their team, one player is important," Odom said. "But when you're dealing with 13 players -- or like we are scholarship-wise -- and you lose one or two of them, you're down."
The Carolina coach wasn't surprised by the problems, though.
"Trying to get, as I've said many times, from the end of one season to the beginning of another season -- which we are now on the doorstep of -- with your team intact is almost impossible," Odom said. Ticketmaster
The USC administration, including athletics director Mike McGee, is in the process of deciding whether Howell can play with the Gamecocks this season. Odom said a decision will be coming soon, but right now Howell is not practicing and will not play with the team.
Even with the possible loss of an All-SEC-team candidate like Howell, Odom isn't changing his plans.
"I've been in meetings all week with my staff to get ready for practice, and that decision does not play into how we practice, believe me," Odom said.
The university is appealing the decision by the NCAA Academic Eligibility Clearinghouse on Balkman, who hasn't been admitted to the university. The NCAA is expected to give a ruling on the appeal soon, allowing Balkman to enroll Monday and be eligible to practice.
The Gamecocks open play in the Guardians Classic against Gardner Webb on Nov. 17.