South Carolina basketball: why the Gamecocks will be better next season
By Jacob Elsey
South Carolina basketball will improve in 2021.
The South Carolina basketball team struggled last year, limping to a 6-15 overall record and a 12th placed finish in the Southeastern Conference. Those results were certainly influenced by COVID, which decimated the team after just their third game of the season, beginning a month-long hiatus that the team never truly recovered from. The campaign was the worst of Frank Martin’s tenure in Columbia, and his future with the Gamecocks was unsettled.
The ensuing offseason brought about even more uncertainty as the roster saw a number of players enter the transfer portal, as well as the decision of leading scorer AJ Lawson to opt for the NBA Draft. Two more upperclassmen, Jermaine Couisnard and Keyshawn Bryant, are also going through the draft process, though they have the option to return next season should they not receive the professional feedback they’re hoping for.
With South Carolina having lost five contributors from its worst team in over a decade, how could anyone possibly expect the team to not only improve, but take a large jump to competing for postseason play in 2021?
There are a couple of factors that will allow the Gamecocks to surprise their competition next year. While the team lost a number of players, including their leading scorer of the last three seasons, the incoming additions will provide immediate impacts and a high level of experience. They’ll also allow the team to get back to having an aggressive defensive mindset. Those teams typically excel under head coach Frank Martin.
Let’s break down the reasons why South Carolina basketball will be much better come November.