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South Carolina Basketball – Projecting Next Season’s Starting Lineup

By Jacob Elsey

AUBURN, AL - JANUARY 22: Jermaine Couisnard #5 of the South Carolina Gamecocks drives around Allen Flanigan #22 of the Auburn Tigers during the second half of the game at Auburn Arena on January 22, 2020 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
AUBURN, AL - JANUARY 22: Jermaine Couisnard #5 of the South Carolina Gamecocks drives around Allen Flanigan #22 of the Auburn Tigers during the second half of the game at Auburn Arena on January 22, 2020 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) /
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KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – MARCH 29: Seventh Woods #0 of the North Carolina Tar Heels drives to the basket against the Auburn Tigers during the 2019 NCAA Basketball Tournament Midwest Regional at Sprint Center on March 29, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – MARCH 29: Seventh Woods #0 of the North Carolina Tar Heels drives to the basket against the Auburn Tigers during the 2019 NCAA Basketball Tournament Midwest Regional at Sprint Center on March 29, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

POINT GUARD

STARTER – Jermaine Couisnard (12.1 PPG, 3.2 APG)

RESERVE – Seventh Woods

RESERVE – Trae Hannibal (4 PPG, 1.2 APG)

Jermaine Couisnard took over at the point guard position at the beginning of SEC play.  He made his first career start when the Gamecocks took on Kentucky in mid-January, which ended in the redshirt freshman hitting the game-winning shot as time expired.  He never looked back from that point on.  Couisnard would start the remaining 15 games, and should return next year as South Carolina’s best ball handler.

Behind him is a bit of an unknown.  We didn’t get to see Seventh Woods play last season as he was taking a redshirt year following a transfer from UNC.  In Chapel Hill, Woods saw action in 94 games, averaging 1.8 PPG.  A heralded recruit coming out of Hammond High in 2016, I expect him to make the most of his final year of eligibility and bring playmaking ability to the Gamecock backcourt.

The Gamecocks also return soon-to-be sophomore Trae Hannibal.  The Hartsville native showed his athleticism last season in limited minutes, but was a bit raw.  Inexperience, and Couisnard’s rise to the top of the depth chart kept Hannibal in a reserve role, though he still finished 3rd on the team in steals.  He’ll battle Woods for playing time off the bench.

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