South Carolina basketball: NCAA Tournament or bust for Frank Martin?

South Carolina basketball will push for a postseason bid in ’21.

The 2020 South Carolina basketball campaign was a disaster. The Gamecocks, who entered the season as a potential NCAA tournament team, ended up going 6-15 and skirting to a 12th-placed finish in the Southeastern Conference. Head coach Frank Martin raved throughout the offseason about the group being the most talented he’s had since the 2017 Final Four squad, which only further angered supporters, who watched their team continue to stay completely uncompetitive for the vast majority of the year. The Gamecocks dropped 12 games by double digits, including five 20-point blowouts.

Now, not all of that falls on the coaching staff, as the South Carolina basketball squad was hit harder than anyone in regards to the Coronavirus pandemic and health issues. The entire team got COVID after the third game of the year, leading to a month-long hiatus. The Gamecocks played a number of games with seven scholarship players or less, and missed a great deal of practice time, leading to both inconsistency and fatigue. The players weren’t the only ones hit, as head coach Frank Martin contracted the virus twice in 12 months’ time. He, admittedly, did not handle the season’s outside struggles as well as he could’ve.

When the season ended, South Carolina saw a handful of players enter the transfer portal, opt for the NBA draft, or, in one case, do both. AJ Lawson decided to pursue a professional career. Trae Hannibal, Jalyn McCreary, TJ Moss, and Trey Anderson all found new homes, while Justin Minaya announced intentions to go through the draft process and transfer out of the program. He’s now landed at Providence.

Two other key contributors, Keyshawn Bryant and Jermaine Couisnard, also tested the NBA waters without hiring an agent. That left the option of returning to college open, but it wasn’t clear whether they’d be back in Carolina uniforms in 2021, either.

With the mass exodus, Frank Martin’s job security was in jeopardy. Rumors began to swirl, saying that he’d either be fired or asked to find a gig at another school. After an offseason of uncertainty, though, Martin returned for a 10th season. And, all of a sudden, things began to change.

The head coach was able to reel in four productive transfers to replace the previous departures, the Gamecocks secured a top 40 recruiting class, with two players being ranked among the nation’s top 150 players, and yesterday, the team learned that both Bryant and Couisnard would be back in Columbia for another season.

Now, there’s a sense of positivity surrounding the basketball program, just months removed from what many thought was rock bottom. But with that positivity comes increased expectations for the Gamecocks in 2021.

Is it NCAAT or bust for Martin, Gamecocks?

While some will give Martin a pass for last year’s COVID-ridden season, his seat continues to grow hotter with South Carolina missing out on the NCAA Tournament in each of the last three years. Do the Gamecocks have enough talent to land a bid in the upcoming campaign? The roster is indicating yes. Here’s why.

South Carolina, though it loses its leading scorer from a year ago, has brought in players with experience at the highest level. James Reese, a guard from North Texas, played in two NCAAT games last year, helping the Mean Green knock of fourth-seeded Purdue in the opening round. He tallied double digits in both tournament contests, and will be playing in his final season when he gets to Columbia.

Erik Stevenson has played at both Washington and Wichita State, and the Gamecocks saw first-hand what a nightmare he can be on the court back in 2019. In a 70-47 loss to the Shockers, Stevenson racked up a game-high 19 points, hauled in eight rebounds, dished out four assists, and was a menace on defense, picking up three steals. He’ll provide another veteran presence on the roster.

Then, there’s AJ Wilson, George Mason’s all-time leader in blocked shots. He’ll give the Gamecocks a much needed rim protector inside, while newcomer Chico Carter provides coach Martin with a true point guard and another scoring threat.

Add the experience and production of those four players to the additions of Bryant and Couisnard, and South Carolina should have the lineup and the depth to compete for the postseason. The key will be seeing how this team meshes with all of the new faces. If things click early for the Gamecocks, the program should be able to get up near that 17-20 win range, which will at least have them in the conversation for the NCAA Tournament. The talent is there, but will the execution be?

Getting back to the Big Dance will ease the heat on coach Martin’s seat, but if South Carolina falls short of expectations once again, his tenure could be coming to an end.