Lamont Paris’ Gamecocks predicted to finish last in the SEC this season
The South Carolina men’s basketball team was voted to finish in last place in the SEC in the annual media preseason poll released Wednesday.
The prediction for the 2022-23 season isn’t much of a surprise considering all of the unknowns for the Gamecocks this year. South Carolina also didn’t have any players selected for the first- or second-team All-SEC teams.
USC fired 10-year head coach Frank Martin last spring after the Gamecocks missed postseason play in an 18-13 season. In his place, first-year head coach Lamont Paris will try to steer a new-look roster back toward the postseason.
The Gamecocks could have an uphill climb, but they received a massive boost in the form of hometown freshman phenom GG Jackson, who flipped his recruitment from North Carolina and enrolled in college a year early. The Ridge View High product is expected to serve as the team’s focal point.
Jackson will try to mesh with incoming transfers like The Citadel’s Hayden Brown and Ohio State’s Meechie Johnson as the Gamecocks look to build a foundation in Year 1 under Paris.
Fans will have the opportunity to get to know the USC men at 7 p.m. on Oct. 26 at Colonial Life Arena for a free Garent & Black Madness event. The Gamecocks will host Mars Hill on Nov. 2 for an exhibition game then will tip off the regular season Nov. 8 against visiting South Carolina State. Times for those games have not yet been announced.
SEC predicted order of finish
1. Kentucky
2. Arkansas
3. Tennessee
4. Auburn
5. Alabama
6. Texas A&M
7. Florida
8. LSU
9. Ole Miss
10. Mississippi State
11. Missouri
12. Vanderbilt
13. Georgia
14. South Carolina
This story was originally published October 19, 2022 at 9:11 AM.
