First impressions from USC MBB’s first three games ahead of tough test at Indiana
South Carolina started with a three-game homestand, winning two of them. It’s not quite the start Lamont Paris envisioned for his team, but there are some positives to take from their performances.
After dropping the season opener against North Florida, the Gamecocks won their next two games by a combined 48 points.
It’s still early in the season, but there are critical errors that need to be improved and strengths that need to be capitalized on.
With the team’s first road game coming Saturday (3 p.m., Peacock) against No. 16 Indiana, here are some aspects of USC’s game that have stood out from the first three games:
Jacobi Wright is the X-factor
When senior Jacobi Wright is in the game, the entire feel of the team changes. He does everything the Gamecocks need in the minutes he’s given.
Need a score? Got you. He scored a career-high 20 points in his first start of the season in the win over SC State. Need a facilitator? No problem. He dished out a career-high six assists in the season opener vs. North Florida. Need defense? Don’t have to tell him twice. He embraces the team’s defensive focus.
That’s the reason he has the third-highest plus-minus on the team through three games. USC is outscoring teams by 39 points when Wright is on the court, only behind Collin Murray-Boyles (50) and Jamarii Thomas (46).
Playmaking was a big question mark entering the season, and Wright and Thomas have held primary responsibilities in that regard. The ball seems to move around the best when both are on the court.
Can’t make 3s
Other than defensive intensity, making 3-pointers is one of the hallmarks of a Paris-led team. They haven’t done that this season.
The Gamecocks have only shot 16-of-51 (31.4%) from behind the arc this season. And that’s after taking a break from chucking shots from deep in the win over Towson. It’s worse than the 35.5% they shot in wins last year (33.9% overall).
Wright has been the only efficient deep threat this season, shooting 7-of-15 (46.7%). The rest of the team has essentially struggled. Myles Stute, Cam Scott and Zach Davis make up the most of the other volume, and they are a combined 7-of-35 (20%).
Frontcourt must play well
It was expected that Murray-Boyles would be the main scorer for the Gamecocks this year, and Paris said Alabama transfer Nick Pringle would be a significant part of the offense as well, a role that he isn’t as familiar with.
Murray-Boyles has lived up to the hype thus far, averaging 20.3 points, 10.7 rebounds and a block per game.
However, Pringle hasn’t gotten off to as quick of a start. He’s averaging 8.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. Most of that production came in his 15-point, nine-rebound performance in the win over Towson.
Pringle’s taken around 6-8 shots every shots each game, but that was the game where his impact was most felt. It’s no accident that it coincided with USC’s most dominant performance of the year.
In order for USC to win games consistently, it’ll need both players to continue to anchor the team down low, especially with how the guards have struggled with making 3-pointers to start the year. The Gamecocks will also need reserves Jordan Butler and Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk to provide key minutes off the bench to lighten the load a bit.
Cam Scott hasn’t gotten going
Outside of the exhibition, we haven’t seen much from Scott. He’s just averaging four points and has only made four of his 16 shot attempts (25%) this season, including 2-of-12 (16.7%) from downtown.
It hasn’t hurt the Gamecocks too much so far, given they’ve gotten performances from the other guards like Thomas and Wright. However, if Scott starts knocking some of those shots down, it’ll take USC to the next level.
Are they SEC ready?
The North Florida game scared everyone. However, UNF (3-1) has played every opponent close so far, including scoring 105 on Georgia Tech on the road in a win and hanging with Georgia on the road in a 90-77 loss.
So is USC bad because of the loss or is UNF just better than advertised?
It doesn’t matter, honestly. UNF still isn’t a SEC team like the Auburns, Tennessees and Alabamas of the world — which USC hopes to compete with come January.
With the two big wins from USC following that loss, the Gamecocks are looking more like a team that could make some noise in the conference.
The road game against Indiana Saturday will be the first true indicator of that.
