How SEC play will test USC men’s basketball after historic nonconference start
The curtain has closed on Act 1 of the South Carolina men’s basketball season. The hot white lights glistened as USC flew to a 12-1 non-conference record and second in the SEC standings. The Gamecocks have received AP votes since Week 3, but haven’t cracked the Top 25 yet.
The winter holidays were the intermission; now it’s time to turn the page to Act 2: SEC play.
South Carolina struggled through its conference schedule last season, finishing 12th in the league after a first-round loss. This year, USC has already surpassed last season’s win total and head coach Lamont Paris has a better idea of the SEC.
So let the curtain rise on the second act of the season.
Group them in six
The best way to absorb the conference slate is looking at three six-game groups. A total of 18 games spread out over the next three months, and there isn’t another week-long break until the end of February.
Remember the five-game home stands that closed the USC non-conference season and will open up the SEC? Wave goodbye to that. South Carolina won’t play more than a back-to-back home slate at a time for the rest of the year.
South Carolina hasn’t played a road game since facing East Carolina on Dec. 9. The Gamecocks start their SEC schedule with two of their first three games on the road.
USC hosts Mississippi State on Saturday, then hits the road for Tuscaloosa to face Alabama on Jan. 9. The Gamecocks will play at Missouri four days later. The pattern of one game every Saturday and Tuesday/Wednesday is standard across the conference.
The Gamecocks have been successful throughout their non-conference schedule. But now USC will face ranked programs consistently. It should help that Paris is no longer the new coach on the block, and that top performers such as Meechie Johnson and Myles Stute have experience in the league.
There’s no need to play any numbers games to start SEC play, but breaking this schedule up into six games at a time can make it a bit more digestible.
Test of depth
Physicality — that’s the key word the Gamecocks used when describing the league.
South Carolina has relied on the same starting five since Nov. 6, only opting for a change when starting guard Johnson was ruled out against Elon just before the Christmas break. Paris has also chosen to keep a consistent rotation of substitutions.
Even better, the Gamecocks’ availability has grown since the season opener when Collin Murray-Boyles returned from mono. The timeline for Ebrima Dibba to return from an Achilles tear suffered in 2022 is still unknown.
That leaves 13 of 14 players available before the conference opener Saturday afternoon, not including Austin Herro and Arden Conyers, both red-shirting.
If every USC player described the SEC as a physical conference, and only one player is unavailable, that bodes well for the garnet and black.
Paris said Thursday afternoon that he’s felt confident in his forwards so far. He’s also said this team hasn’t had its best offensive performance yet. But he’s got proven scorers in the paint and around the arc.
South Carolina ranks 12th in the league in points per game, averaging 75.5. Mississippi State is 10th with 76.2 points per game. The Gamecocks are fourth in the SEC for 3-pointers, ninth in field goals and in rebounds.
And that’s what you missed
After starting the season as the predicted last-place finisher, Paris has brought his Gamecocks to second in the conference, behind undefeated Ole Miss (13-0).
The SEC has two ranked programs in this week’s AP Top 25 — No. 5 Tennessee (10-3) and No. 6 Kentucky (10-2). Every team in the conference is starting SEC play having won its non-conference finale, and nine teams have won their last three straight games.
USC, Mississippi State and Alabama all received votes this week, with the Gamecocks and Bulldogs tied with four heading into their first matchup this year.
At this point, everything is in place for a major shakeup. Now it’s about what happens in 40 minutes Saturday and beyond.
Next four games
Jan. 6 vs. Mississippi State, noon (CBS)
Jan. 9 at Alabama, 7 p.m. (SEC Network)
Jan. 13 at Missouri, 3:30 p.m. (SEC Network)
Jan. 16 vs. Georgia, 9 p.m. (ESPNU)
