The SEC basketball preseason poll is in. What’s the prediction for the Gamecocks?
The South Carolina men’s basketball team placed eighth in the Southeastern Conference preseason media poll, released Thursday.
Tennessee was selected to win the conference championship, with Kentucky and LSU rounding out the top three. The Gamecocks will open SEC play at Kentucky on Dec. 29. The regular season will kick off Nov. 25.
Frank Martin’s team went 18-13 (10-8 SEC) in last year’s coronavirus-shortened season, ranking sixth in the SEC standings when the conference tournament was canceled due to COVID-19. The Gamecocks were considered a bubble team for the NCAA Tournament, although an official bracket was never released.
A young team in 2019-20 that battled injuries at the end of the season, the Gamecocks return with a healthier, more experienced squad.
Leading scorers A.J. Lawson and Jermaine Couisnard should once again feature prominently in USC’s backcourt, with North Carolina transfer Seventh Woods adding national title experience. Lawson, who came back to school after going through the NBA Draft process for a second straight year, was named to the preseason All-SEC second team.
Junior forwards Justin Minaya and Keyshawn Bryant also figure to play significant roles for the Gamecocks this season. Martin said both players are “playing at a high clip” during practice.
“I like our team,” Martin said Wednesday. “I think the ferocity that we play with, the sense of urgency that we play with, it’s fun to be around. I know it shows in practice every single day. The one thing that’s been fun with this team, it doesn’t have to come from me anymore. It’s starting to come from them, which allows me to maybe save a couple months at the end of my life.
“But at the same time, it allows me and my staff to be more concerned with teaching and coaching, rather than motivating and challenging. So let’s see where it goes. I’m excited for this team.”
SEC All-Conference preseason teams
First Team All-SEC
John Petty Jr. - Alabama
Keyontae Johnson - Florida
Brandon Boston Jr. - Kentucky
Trendon Watford - LSU
John Fulkerson - Tennessee
Second Team All-SEC
Olivier Sarr - Kentucky
Javonte Smart - LSU
Dru Smith - Missouri
AJ Lawson - South Carolina
Yves Pons - Tennessee
Savion Flagg - Texas A&M
SEC Player of the Year
Keyontae Johnson - Florida
Preseason media predictions for order of finish
1. Tennessee
2. Kentucky
3. LSU
4. Florida
5. Alabama
6. Arkansas
7. Auburn
8. South Carolina
9. Ole Miss
10. Missouri
11. Texas A&M
12. Mississippi State
13. Georgia
14. Vanderbilt
This story was originally published November 12, 2020 at 3:58 PM.
