A 12-Player Roster Overhaul and a Projected Last-Place SEC Finish
The South Carolina men’s basketball program is hitting reset in the most literal sense possible, entering the upcoming season with 12 different players and only three returners from a squad that dropped 10 conference games by double digits last year.
That sweeping roster turnover leaves Coach Lamont Paris facing a rebuilding project in Columbia. With a 13-19 overall record and a 4-14 mark in Southeastern Conference play during the previous campaign, the Gamecocks have been picked to finish last in the conference standings as a new era gets underway.
Filling the Void Left by Meechie Johnson Jr.
Whether this influx of new talent can spark an immediate turnaround remains one of the season’s chief unanswered questions. The roster’s redesign starts with a wave of incoming transfers aiming to fill the void left by the departure of guard Meechie Johnson Jr., who is out of college eligibility after averaging a team-best 17.2 points per game and scoring 1,395 total points across his career at South Carolina and Ohio State.
Gamecocks Add Transfer Portal Players and International Size
To replace that production, the Gamecocks turned heavily to the collegiate transfer portal.
The arrivals include guards Kory Minor from George Mason, who averaged 14.3 points per game, and Shane Blakeney from Drexel, who put up 14.2 points per contest. Up front, South Carolina added forward Camden Heide from Texas—noted for hitting 45.4% of his three-point attempts—alongside forward Jakub Necas from Duquesne and center Aleksas Bieliauskas from Wisconsin. Juan Fernandez, a 6-foot-11 forward from Argentina, is also expected to see action and has a chance to start.
A Fresh Start for Former Top-50 Recruit Davion Hannah
The program is also banking on a change of scenery to unlock the potential of Davion Hannah. A former top-50 recruit whose stint at Alabama did not pan out, the Milwaukee native appeared in just 10 games for the Crimson Tide last season while averaging 3.3 points per contest. The Gamecocks hope Columbia will provide the runway he needs to trigger a turnaround.
Coach Lamont Paris Faces a High-Stakes Season
Paris led South Carolina to 26 wins during the 2023-24 season, but victories have been hard to come by elsewhere during his tenure. He holds a 62-68 overall record with the program, and a 6-30 mark against SEC opponents over the last two seasons, making this a key year for the head coach’s future.
Early Schedule Leads to January SEC Matchups
The schedule offers little margin for error. The season tips off Tuesday against Stetson, marking the first of five home games against opponents the Gamecocks should beat before heading to Palm Springs for Thanksgiving week matchups against USC and Arizona State. Nonconference tests against Clemson and Maryland round out the early slate before the SEC opener tips off at LSU on January 2.
The conference gauntlet will feature marquee matchups against some of the nation’s elite programs. South Carolina is scheduled to host No. 7 Texas on January 27, travel to face No. 1 ranked Florida on February 2, and welcome the Gators to Columbia on March 2.
Worth a look
Maryland Department of Agriculture reports spotted lanternfly spread
What started as a single accidental hitchhiker in a 2014 stone shipment to Berks County, Pennsylvania, has evolved...
Willamette University Expands Bearcat Pathway to Portland Community College
Portland Community College students aiming for a four-year degree now have a direct route to Willamette University, following...
Environmental Groups Urge Governor to Address Louisiana Orphan Wells
A coalition of environmental groups asked the governor on Monday to address the risks of thousands of abandoned...
Kentucky State University Appoints New Student Success Leaders
Kentucky State University has appointed Myiah Clemons and Jasmine Prince to key roles on its Student Success team,...