South Carolina basketball: why the Gamecocks will be better next season
By Jacob Elsey
(RE)INSTILLING DEFENSIVE MINDSET
The addition of these four players will allow Frank Martin to instill a defensive scheme and mindset that’s been missing in Columbia over the last two or three seasons. Last year, in particular, the miscues were glaring as South Carolina finished dead last in points allowed at 79.1 per game. That mark ranked 329th (out of 347 teams) in the nation, and the Gamecocks watched 10 of their 21 opponents reach the 80-point mark.
The incoming transfers all possess skills on the defensive side of the ball, and they’ll provide an immediate upgrade, which is good news for coach Martin. When his teams guard aggressively, he usually finds success. South Carolina’s Final Four team ranked 32nd nationally in points allowed, and had two players on the floor that were first-team all-defensive performers. Since then, the Gamecocks have ranked 89th, 204th, 184th, and 329th, respectively, going a combined 57-60 in that time.
The Gamecocks need to get back to taking on the identity of their head coach, and the newcomers should be able to do so. Stevenson and Wilson are as aggressive of defenders as you’ll see at the college level, and Reese should provide some length in the backcourt with his 6-foot-4 frame. Reese finished fifth in Conference USA in steals last season, while Stevenson led the AAC in defensive efficiency as a sophomore with Wichita State. As previously mentioned, Wilson is a big time shot blocker that the Gamecocks have been missing since the graduation of Chris Silva.