The procrastinator’s guide to the 2022-23 South Carolina men’s basketball season
A new era for South Carolina men’s basketball begins Tuesday night.
First-year head coach Lamont Paris, freshman phenom GG Jackson and the Gamecocks will take on visiting S.C. State at 7 p.m. (SEC Network) at Colonial Life Arena.
Paris replaces 10-year head coach Frank Martin, who was fired after USC missed the postseason for the fifth-straight season. The Gamecocks feature a revamped roster and entirely new coaching staff and will need to acclimate quickly to compete in the SEC.
Just plugging in for the new season? Here’s you guide to USC men’s basketball for 2022-23.
Who’s gone
Pretty much everyone, as is often the case after a coaching change.
Fan favorites and program stalwarts Jermaine Couisnard and Keyshawn Bryant both transferred following Martin’s dismissal. Couisnard, the team’s leading scorer last season, landed back with former USC assistant Chuck Martin at Oregon. And Bryant went back to his home state to play for South Florida.
Veteran guard Erik Stevenson, who quickly became a leader on last year’s 18-13 team, transferred to West Virginia to play for Martin’s mentor Bob Huggins. Guard Devin Carter, the team’s top freshman last season, ended up with Providence.
A pair of big men in Wildens Leveque and Ta’Quan Woodley followed Martin to UMass, his new gig after USC let him go. And key veterans James Reese and A.J. Wilson both exhausted their college eligibility.
Who’s back
Only six players remain from last year’s roster, one of whom is walk-on guard Ford Cooper Jr.
Veteran guard Chico Carter Jr., and sophomore guard Jacobi Wright both are South Carolina natives and both chose to remain Gamecocks after Martin’s firing. Carter looked sharp from the 3-point line during USC’s exhibition win over Mars Hill, and it’s possible he starts or sees significant minutes at shooting guard. Wright flashed his point guard skills last season as a freshman and seems likely to serve as a backup at the position.
The Gamecocks also return three big men in the form of Josh Gray, Tre-Vaughn Minott and Ja’Von Benson. Of the three, the 7-foot Gray figures to play the biggest role. He transferred to USC from LSU before last season. And though he came as a raw talent, he has an NBA-type frame and physical tools.
Who’s new
Surely, you already know about GG Jackson, the top recruit out of Ridge View High who flipped his commitment from North Carolina to the Gamecocks over the summer. He’s the highest-rated recruit in USC history, and the 6-foot-9 forward will be a starter and key scorer from Day 1.
The bulk of the roster and the team’s projected starters played elsewhere last season. Ohio State transfer Meechie Johnson has been the talk of practice and seems cemented as the team’s starting point guard. Forwards Hayden Brown (The Citadel) and Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk (Illinois) should provide veteran experience in the post, with the 24-year-old Brown already entrenching himself as the team’s spiritual leader.
Freshmen Zachary Davis and Daniel Hankins-Sanford don’t get the same level of hype as Jackson, but both stand at 6-foot-8 and ooze with potential. Despite his length, Davis is a guard and excels as a passer, while Hankins-Sanford is more of a down-low bruiser.
Projected SEC finish
South Carolina was picked to finish in last place (14th) in the SEC preseason media poll.
Given all of the turnover and a brand new coaching staff, the rating shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. The Gamecocks are aiming to return to the NCAA for the first time since 2017, but a postseason berth might be too much to expect from this new-look squad.
Schedule outlook
After the season opener against S.C. State, things get challenging in a hurry for the Gamecocks. They’ll host rival Clemson on Friday night in a game that should serve as an immediate test.
After that, the Gamecocks travel to Charleston for the Charleston Classic, which includes several teams that made last year’s NCAA tournament, including USC’s first opponent, Colorado State.
The team’s first true road trip will come Nov. 29 at George Washington, then the Gamecocks will return to the nation’s capital days later on Dec. 3 to take on Patrick Ewing’s Georgetown Hoyas.
The Gamecocks open SEC play Jan. 3 at Vanderbilt, and then the difficulty cranks up several notches with Tennessee visiting Colonial Life Arena on Jan. 7 and with the Gamecocks traveling to Kentucky to play the Wildcats three days later.
Initial Starting Five Projection
G Meechie Johnson
G Chico Carter, Jr.
F GG Jackson
F Hayden Brown
F Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk
With a brand new coaching staff and brand new roster, projecting a starting five isn’t an easy task, and fans should expect plenty of lineup tinkering early in the season.
Jackson, Johnson and Brown are all locked in as starters, although it’s possible a preseason injury to Brown might limit his availability early in the season.
Given his experience and how well he’s been shooting the ball in practice, Carter seems like a favorite to start at shooting guard, but the freshman Davis could get a look, as could Wright. In the frontcourt, expect Gray, Hankins-Sanford and Minott to mix in here and there. Hankins-Sanford is the wild card, as he drew the start at the 4 in USC’s exhibition, but Brown was also held out of that game due to his injury.
2022-23 USC men’s basketball schedule
*SEC conference games; home games in bold
Nov. 11: vs. Clemson, 7 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
Nov. 17: vs. Colorado State/at Charleston Classic, 5 p.m. (ESPN)
Nov. 18: vs. TBD/at Charleston Classic)
Nov. 20: vs. TBD/at Charleston Classic)
Nov. 25: vs. USC Upstate (SEC Network Plus)
Nov. 30: at George Washington (CBS Sports Network)
Dec. 3: at Georgetown (FS1)
Dec. 11: vs. Presbyterian (SEC Network Plus)
Dec. 14: at UAB (CBS Sports Network)
Dec. 17: vs. ECU/at Greenville, SC
Dec. 22: vs. Western Kentucky (SEC Network)
Dec. 30: vs. Eastern Michigan (SEC Network Plus)
Jan. 3: at Vanderbilt (SEC Network)
Jan. 7: vs. Tennessee (SEC Network)
Jan. 10: at Kentucky (ESPN or ESPN2)
Jan. 14: vs. Texas A&M (SEC Network)
Jan. 17: vs. Ole Miss (SEC Network)
Jan. 21: vs. Auburn (SEC Network)
Jan. 25: at Florida (ESPN2 or ESPNU)
Jan. 28: at Georgia (SEC Network)
Jan. 31: vs. Mississippi State (SEC Network)
Feb. 4: vs. Arkansas (SEC Network)
Feb. 7: at Missouri (SEC Network)
Feb. 11: at Ole Miss (SEC Network)
Feb. 14: vs. Vanderbilt (SEC Network)
Feb. 18: at LSU (SEC Network)
Feb. 22: vs. Alabama (ESPN network TBD)
Feb. 25: at Tennessee (SEC Network)
Feb. 28: at Mississippi State (SEC Network)
March 4: vs. Georgia (SEC Network)
March 8-12: SEC Tournament (Bridgestone Arena in Nashville)
