Nick Pringle faces former team Alabama today as Gamecocks brace for Top-5 gauntlet
There were plenty of reasons for South Carolina forward Nick Pringle to grab a highlighter and circle Wednesday’s home game against No. 5 Alabama on his calendar.
For starters, he’s squaring off against his old crew. Before transferring to USC, Pringle spent two seasons in Tuscaloosa, where he averaged 6.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per game for the Crimson Tide last season. But now, the 6-foot-10 senior is on the other side of the handshake line, ready to battle his former teammates.
And battle he must.
South Carolina (10-4, 0-1 SEC) is licking its wounds after a 35-point blowout loss at the hands of then-No. 17 Mississippi State in its SEC opener. As if that weren’t tough enough, the Gamecocks now face back-to-back top-five opponents, with No. 2 Auburn rolling into Colonial Life Arena on Saturday. Talk about a trial by fire.
But he has more than a visit from old friends to worry about. Mississippi State brought physicality in spades, dominating the interior en route to 52 points in the paint — a season-high against USC. The Gamecocks managed just 24 points in the paint, their third-lowest output this season.
USC head coach Lamont Paris said there’s an element of being “shell-shocked” by the physicality of the SEC for some of his younger players, but he doesn’t expect that from his more experienced guys. One of those players is Pringle, who will be expected to recall on his SEC experience to lead this Gamecocks squad in that regard.
Whatever the case, Paris didn’t mince words about what needs to change, especially for those veterans.
“If you don’t do these couple things, why did we even come here? It wasn’t worth coming if we don’t do these things,” Paris said in a radio interview with 107.5 after Saturday’s loss.
Pringle, who had eight points and three rebounds in Starkville, saw his streak of four straight games in double figures come to an end. And then there’s sophomore Collin Murray-Boyles. Against MSU, he posted just five points — not the kind of night USC needed from its No. 1 option.
But the Gamecocks will have to flush that performance and turn the page to the next game, Paris said, if they want to pull off the win on Wednesday.
“You can’t get discouraged by the fact that you came here on the road to a tough place with a good team and you didn’t perform,” Paris said. “... This was an introduction to SEC basketball for a few guys that play a lot of minutes for us. And it ain’t getting any easier.”
USC will hope to get back to their bread and butter, and that’s making their presence felt on the interior. Plus, they’ll be back at home for their SEC home opener. The Colonial Life Arena crowd makes a difference, Paris said.
With two top-five teams on deck, this week is a golden opportunity for the Gamecocks to flip the script, notch a Quad 1 win and make some noise in the SEC.
What channel is the South Carolina game on?
- Who: No. 5 Alabama (12-2, 1-0 SEC) at South Carolina (10-4, 0-1 SEC)
- When: Wednesday, 7 p.m.
- Where: Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina
- TV Network: SEC Network
- Stream: Via ESPN app and ESPN.com
- Radio: 107.5 FM in the Columbia area (See see full radio affiliate list here)
This story was originally published January 8, 2025 at 8:00 AM.
