Following South Carolina’s narrow 66-63 loss to Vanderbilt on January 15, 2025, head coach Lamont Paris expressed his thoughts on the game’s outcome. In a postgame radio interview with 107.5, he described the defeat as “a very tough loss to swallow,” highlighting the emotional impact of the close finish.
Paris acknowledged the team’s struggles with ball security, noting that the Gamecocks committed 25 turnovers during the game. He emphasized the need for improvement in this area, stating, “We have to take better care of the basketball. Turnovers were a significant factor in tonight’s outcome.”
Despite the loss, Paris commended his players for their resilience and effort, particularly in rebounding, where South Carolina outperformed Vanderbilt 37-25. He remarked, “Our guys fought hard on the boards, and that’s something we can build on moving forward.”
Looking ahead, Paris stressed the importance of learning from this experience to prepare for future games. He stated, “Every game in this league is a test. We’ll watch the film, make adjustments, and get ready to go again. That’s all we can do—focus on getting better every day.”
For a more in-depth understanding of Coach Paris’s perspective, you can watch the full postgame press conference below: