COLUMBIA, S.C. - Dave Odom says as long as he is South Carolina's coach, he'll keep scheduling powers like No. 9 Kansas whether the Gamecocks are ready for them or not.<br>
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The Jayhawks (12-2) come to the Colonial Center for a matchup Sunday, one of the Gamecocks highest ranked nonconference visitors since Syracuse, then No. 7, beat South Carolina 77-74 in overtime at the old Carolina Coliseum on Jan. 13, 2000.<br>
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``I've been doing this a fair amount of years and I've always felt that you have an obligation to your home fans to bring in national powers, nationally recognized, marquee teams,'' Odom said. ``I think you owe that to your fans.''<br>
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The trick, Odom says, is pulling off the surprise against such high-caliber competition. ``Bringing them in is one thing, beating them is altogether different,'' Odom says.<br>
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The Gamecocks, 10-2 with a six-game win streak, have had their struggles against national nonconference powers.<br>
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Pittsburgh of the Big East came to town a season ago on a night the Gamecocks honored their all-time career points scorer, BJ McKie. While South Carolina hung tough, it fell to the Panthers, 58-51. During the 2001-02 season, the Gamecocks lost another heartbreaker to then No. 19 Georgetown at home, 70-68.<br>
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Their most noteworthy home win over a national power outside the Southeastern Conference may have been a decade ago when the Gamecocks rallied from 20-points down to outshoot Cincinnati, 67-65, at the coliseum on Feb. 1, 1997.<br>
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Now, Kansas may present South Carolina's sternest non-SEC test in some time just when the Gamecocks can least afford it.<br>
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When Odom sketched out this schedule, he figured to have three key seniors leading his club against the Jayhawks. It may be down to just center Brandon Wallace when the game actually tips off.<br>
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Athletic forward Renaldo Balkman gave up his senior season last spring for the NBA's New York Knicks. Now, Odom is sweating out the balky left knee of senior point guard and leading scorer, Tre Kelley.<br>
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Kelley missed the Gamecocks' 67-53 victory over Western Carolina this past Wednesday. Kelley, who has averaged 16.8 points a game this season, had started the previous 53 games for South Carolina.<br>
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Odom had said earlier Kelley could miss the Kansas game and get more time to recover before the Gamecocks open SEC play next Wednesday at Georgia.<br>
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However, Odom would make a final determination about Kelley's availability after a workout Thursday afternoon.<br>
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``He wants badly to play,'' Odom said of his senior. ``He's convinced me and the doctors that he's OK. We'll see.''<br>
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Odom's Kansas counterpart, Bill Self, isn't waiting on any workouts regarding Kelley. ``We anticipate him being back,'' Self said.<br>
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Self also isn't afraid to go up against the best teams he can find to prepare for his Big 12 Conference season. The Jayhawks defeated defending national champion Florida, then ranked No. 1, 82-80 at the Las Vegas Invitational in November.<br>
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Last month, Kansas fell at DePaul, 64-57. But the Jayhawks have won their past six games, including victories over Southern Cal and Boston College.<br>
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Self likes his club's athletic ability, its pressure defense, and knack for causing chaos for opponents. ``We haven't shown all those things consistently, but I think it will come together. And when it does, I think we'll be an awfully fun team to watch,'' he said.<br>
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Self says he's like about every other coach in the profession with high regard for South Carolina's Odom. ``He's a very, very, very good coach, sound,'' Self said. ``Everybody knows Dave and everybody likes him.''<br>
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Odom says with Kelley potentially on the bench, he'll spend more time reminding his players of what their strengths our than dissecting any flaws Kansas might have.<br>
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``What I've got to do is convince our team that there are certain things that we can do,'' Odom says. ``And if we can do that, we can make a game of it and even win.''
