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COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Missouri and South Carolina were in similar situations when the season began. Right now, theyre moving in opposite directions.Both the Tigers (2-6, 0-4 Southeastern Conference) and Gamecocks (4-4, 2-4), who meet Saturday, started this season with new coaches, young players and programs looking to move on from highly successful leaders in Missouris Gary Pinkel and South Carolinas Steve Spurrier.But while Missouri has lost four in a row and 10 straight in SEC play, South Carolina has some pep in its step with two consecutive wins since moving freshman quarterback Jake Bentley into the starting lineup last month.Bentley followed up a debut win over UMass on Oct. 22 with a stunning, 24-21 win over then-No. 18 Tennessee a week ago. The Gamecocks had only two touchdown passes in its first six games with Bentley on the bench. Hes thrown four in the past two games to seemingly revive a team that looked destined for a second-straight season without a bowl game.Gamecocks coach Will Muschamp said Bentley is a hard worker who prepared the right way for his moment.Certainly seeing him in his first start, playing consistently in his second start against a very good defense, you certainly feel good about the future, Muschamp said.The futures a bit cloudier for the Tigers, who have not won an SEC game since defeating South Carolina in 2015. Theyve lost their four league games by a nearly 20-point average margin and sit last in SEC total defense under first-time head coach Barry Odom. They were beaten 35-21 by Kentucky last week.Theres a lot of people who want Mizzou football to be good, and I understand that, Odom said. I dont take losses very well, and I wont everThere may not be much he can do about this season, however.----Some other things to watch when Missouri plays at South Carolina:FORMER COACHES: The last time these teams played, two of the games all-time greats in South Carolinas Steve Spurrier and Missouris Gary Pinkel led the way. However, less than two weeks the Tigers 24-10 victory, Spurrier walked away from the Gamecocks. Pinkel followed a few weeks later when he revealed he had been diagnosed with lymphoma and needed to give up the game.YOUNG PLAYERS: Missouri and South Carolina are two of the countrys most inexperienced teams. The Tigers have played 24 first-year starters, second in the country behind Illinois 25. The Gamecocks are not too far behind with 19 first-year players, tied for sixth most in the Football Bowl Subdivision.LOCKED IN: Missouri quarterback Drew Lock has accounted for 2,354 yards of offense this season for an average of 294 yards. Hes third in the SEC behind Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly and Texas A&M quarterback Trevor Knight. Lock threw for 136 yards and two TDs in last years win over the Gamecocks.DOWDLE TIME: South Carolina freshman running back Rico Dowdle gained 127 yards, his first game over the century mark, on 27 carries to lead the offense in the win over Tennessee last week. The carries were the most any Gamecock runner has had since Kenny Miles had 27 rushes in a win over Wofford in 2012.BOWL FOCUS: Missouri and South Carolina can still mathematically win six games and qualify for a bowl game. It seems like a simpler task for the Gamecocks than the Tigers. South Carolina is favored to defeat Missouri, then has FCS opponent Western Carolina at home two weeks later. Missouri has Vanderbilt at home next week before playing at Tennessee and closing the season against Arkansas.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org Custom Colorado Avalanche Jerseys . 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Ibaka equaled a career high with 20 rebounds, adding four blocked shots and 15 points as the Thunder smothered the Milwaukee Bucks offence in a 92-79 victory Saturday night. West Coast ruckman Nic Naitanui is set to spend up to a year on the AFL sidelines, with scans confirming he has ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee.Naitanui suffered the injury while attempting to spoil in Friday nights 25-point win by the Eagles over Hawthorn at Domain Stadium.The 2012 All-Australian couldnt put any weight on his left knee and was on crutches after the match.West Coast feared the worst after conducting an initial assessment, and scans on Saturday morning confirmed the ACL tear.It remains unclear whether Naitanui will undergo a traditional knee reconstruction, or opt for the LARS procedure.The Eagles released a statement saying Naitanui would meet surgeons next week to discuss the best way forward.The injury is a cruel blow to one of the competitions most popular and exciting players.With Naitanui to miss the rest of this season, West Coasts flag hopes appear doomed.He played key roles in recent wins over premiership hopefuls GWS and Hawthorn.The 26-year-old kicked the winning goal against the Giants, and he was pivotal in the ruck against Hawthorn before getting injured in the third qquarter.ddddddddddddWest Coast struggled for form earlier this season when Naitanui missed six games with an achilles tendon injury.Although the Eagles ended up winning five of those matches, they were mostly against easier opposition.But Eagles coach Adam Simpson is adamant his team can still cause some damage this year, even if its from outside the top four and without Naitanui.Hes one of our best players, and we saw the influence hes had in the past few weeks, Simpson said.But we need to mature to a point where we dont have to rely on just one player to get it done.Its another test for us, which our boys are looking forward to. Its been a different year, but weve found a way to win 15 games.Dont write us off. The seasons still alive and were up for the challenge.West Coast face off against the Crows in Adelaide on Friday night in a match that will be crucial to the top-four hopes of both sides.The Eagles need to win and rely on other results to fall their way if they are to sneak into the top four. ' ' '