South Carolina wants to make the leap during the second season of the Lamont Paris era. The first opportunity to take a step forward comes Monday with a clash versus South Carolina Upstate in Columbia, S.C., in the opener for both teams.
Paris replaced long-time coach Frank Martin and guided the Gamecocks to an 11-21 overall record (4-14 in the Southeastern Conference) last season, which served as a 12th-place finish in a 14-team league.
South Carolina was voted the preseason last-place finisher in the SEC for the second straight campaign in a preseason poll of conference coaches.
“We’re significantly more skilled, significantly more experienced, and we didn’t finish last last year,” Paris said of his take on the preseason pecking order predictions.
With productive — albeit often temperamental — GG Jackson now with the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies, Meechie Johnson will be looked to provide even more of an impact. He averaged 12.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and a team-leading 3.6 assists in 2022-23, his first season since transferring from Ohio State.
Transfers BJ Mack (Wofford) and Myles Stute (Vanderbilt) are expected to contribute right out of the chute, with the latter likely to help soften the blow of the departure of top 3-point shooter Chico Carter Jr. (DePaul).
Mack collected 14 points and seven rebounds and Stute added 11 and 11, respectively, to help South Carolina overcome a 17-point deficit in a 60-57 victory over Wofford on Wednesday in an exhibition game.
Promising freshman Collin Murray-Boyles sat out the exhibition game and is sidelined indefinitely due to an illness.
“You look at a game like this and some of the things that were troublesome to us, rebounding situations, not being able to take advantage of physical advantages around the rim,” Paris said. “And so, I mean, it definitely hurts us. He’s a talented player.”
South Carolina Upstate posted a 16-16 record (10-8 Big South) last season and is picked to finish sixth in the league in 2023-24.
Big South Preseason Second Team All-Conference selections Trae Broadnax (11.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists) and Justin Bailey (10.6 points) will look to step up following the departure of leading scorer Jordan Gainey (15.2 points per game), who is now at Tennessee.
The Spartans struggled mightily on the road last season, finishing with a 4-12 mark.
–Field Level Media
