Playing an SEC schedule usually brings one of the toughest schedules in the country. Results can be a roller coaster at times, just ask South Carolina and head coach Mark Kingston. Starting the year with four wins in their first two SEC series, the Gamecocks were swept in their final two — stumbling into Hoover on a six-game losing streak.
In the midst of a poor stretch, Kingston says he and his coaching staff prepared the players for this kind of moment. He believes South Carolina is better off for it, not keeping their head down. Instead, they are keeping confidence and attempting to get back to their good form from earlier in the season.
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“You just have to maintain a stable environment,” Kingston said during an interview with SEC Network. “You have to maintain a disciplined environment where the guys know in this league there’s up and downs. And if you prepare for that before it happens — then you can handle it better.
“That’s the bottom line. You know you’re taking punches and throwing punches in this league. If you just survive it, if you endure it, by the time you get to (Hoover), you’re going to be a really good team. And we are.”
The mentality has already paid off twice during the SEC Baseball Tournament. South Carolina took down Alabama on Tuesday, advancing to the double-elimination round. One day later, Arkansas was on the other end and the Gamecocks placed themselves in the winner’s bracket.
If you were to ask Kingston where he would rather the winning streak be — regular season or at the SEC Tournament — the answer would be a simple one. South Carolina has remained calm and is now back to playing at the level Kingston believes they are capable of.
Taking down LSU on Thursday would put South Carolina into the semifinals and just two ways from a conference championship. An SEC trophy has not traveled back to Columbia from Hoover since 2004, being the program’s only conference title.
Getting back to an ‘Up’ portion of the season would be great timing for the Gamecocks. We have seen teams catch absolute fire at the right time and wind up winning the national championship. Kingston certainly has faith in his team and how they’ve handled the past few days could wind up making a huge difference.
The post Mark Kingston explains how South Carolina has survived the ups, downs of 2024 season appeared first on On3.