South Carolina basketball is rolling. Despite being left out of the AP top-25 rankings this week after beating #6 Kentucky last week, the Gamecocks went ahead and left no doubt that they belong among the best in the country as they knocked off the Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville.
The big win was the Gamecocks' second top-10 victory in a week (the first time they won two top-10 games in a 3-game span since John Roche led the Gamecocks to wins over Duke and North Carolina back in 1968), and it was the first time that South Carolina beat both Kentucky and Tennessee in a season since the Gamecocks won two home contests against the SEC rivals in 2019-2020. It was also the first time Carolina beat both teams with one of the wins coming on the road since 1997-1998 when USC swept both Tennessee and Kentucky.
Just like last week when South Carolina basketball whipped Kentucky, the college basketball world has been talking a lot about Lamont Paris and his team in the aftermath of the Tennessee win, as well.
One of the biggest names in the college basketball media world, Dick Vitale, ranked the Gamecocks in his personal ballot this week, and his faith in USC paid off. Dickie V had some great things to say about the CourtCocks after the win.
UPSET CITY BABY ppl better start taking the @GamecockMBB seriously - in 1 week they beat Kentucky & Tennessee ! That my friends is IMPRESSIVE I had them in my top AP top 25 baby before win over Vols .- via @ESPN App https://t.co/wVuItQLrzM
— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) January 31, 2024
ESPN's Jeff Borzello reminded fans about just how good of a job Lamont Paris has done to turn around the South Carolina basketball program in a year.
South Carolina went 11-21 last season, lost GG Jackson to the NBA and then was picked last in the SEC in the preseason this year.
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) January 31, 2024
And Lamont Paris has the Gamecocks at 18-3 overall, 6-2 in the SEC -- with wins in the last week over Kentucky and at Tennessee. Incredible story.
After not ranking the South Carolina basketball team in his personal ballot this week, CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein is changing his tune.
"You have to start talking about the Gamecocks as a bona fide contender for the SEC regular-season title. They're going up, up, up in the rankings!"
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) January 31, 2024
—@JonRothstein on @GamecockMBB pic.twitter.com/zPpUUtZldo
In his first game back from injury, Myles Stute was a big factor in the win. Afterward, he sent a not-so-veiled message to Rothstein about his lack of catchphrase for the Gamecocks, tweeting out one of the most popular ones from the fanbase.
Just another night in Paris… 🤙🏽🤙🏽🤙🏽 pic.twitter.com/ba9qQ26s0Y
— Myles Stute (@mylesxstute) January 31, 2024
Starting big man BJ Mack has relished the opportunity to prove the Gamecock doubters wrong.
WE LIVE FOR THE MOMENT KEEP DOUBTING 🤙🏾🖤 SPURS UP🤙🏾‼️
— BJ Mack (@thebjmack33) January 31, 2024
The Gamecocks just keep winning, and the NCAA Tournament is so close that South Carolina basketball fans can almost taste it. USC will hit the court again on Saturday when they travel to Georgia to face the Bulldogs at 1:00.