The South Carolina men’s basketball team defeated The College of Wooster 86-60 in a exhibition game to start its season.
The lone exhibition matchup on the schedule for the team was the first matchup between the Gamecocks and the Scots. But there is a strong connection between the two schools for Gamecocks head coach Lamont Paris, who played for Wooster basketball from 1992-1996.
The Scots presented Paris with a jersey featuring his old number from his time with them before the game.
"It was a tremendous gesture," Paris said. "I was really humbled by it ... I was really happy and proud, I'm proud of the school that I went to and the people that I interacted with there and what I learned there, not only as a human, not only as a student-athlete, but then also from a basketball standpoint its a great place to get your foundation built.
Sophomore forward Collin Murray-Boyles opened the scoring with a dunk inside the paint on the first possession of the game. The Gamecocks and the Scots traded 3-pointers, as senior guard Jacobi Wright knocked down a shot from beyond the arc, which was quickly countered by a three from Wooster at the other end of the court as the teams exchanged baskets to start the game.
South Carolina struggled to break down Wooster’s defense, starting 5-18 from the field with 10 turnovers in the first half.
Freshman guard Cam Scott hit his second 3-pointer of the game which started a 7-point run by the Gamecocks, forcing Wooster to call a timeout. The Gamecocks offense continued to come alive as freshman guard Arden Conyers added a three of his own, and the Gamecocks concluded the first half up 44-32.
Wooster came out strong to begin the second half, scoring 8-straight points in a narrowly contested game, cutting South Carolina's advantage to 4 points.
Freshman guard Arden Conyers restored the Gamecocks lead with back-to-back 3-pointers and a layup on the ensuing possession, giving the Gamecocks an 11-point lead. Paris said he rotated players in and out of the game to help give the team more energy.
"As you come into the game, whether you’re a starter or coming off the bench by nature, you have to be inserted into the game with energy," Paris said. "I thought that the group we put in brought some real energy."
As the game stretched on, the Gamecocks extended its lead, carrying a 22-point lead following senior guard Jacobi Wright’s 3-pointer.
After a 24-6 run, the Gamecocks maintained its edge due to a Wooster scoring drought to close out the second half, defined by a 3-pointer from walk-on freshman guard Lance Piper with seconds to go.
Gamecocks boast depth
Fans were offered a preview of the depth of the the lineup, with 13 players getting minutes on the court against Wooster.
Three players hit double figures, with 10 total players getting on the board.
“We gave a couple of guys opportunities and that’s the beauty of having some depth,” Paris said. “To have guys that can come off the bench and hold the fort down and make some plays is a real luxury.”
Paris said he would like to continue the trend from last season of players coming off the bench and stepping up, with different leading scorers at times.
Having also recruited transfers in sophomore forward Jordan Butler and graduate forward Nick Pringle both from Alabama, there is an excitement around newcomers, Paris said.
“I’m really happy about the acquisitions that we’ve made, the additions we’ve made to our roster," Paris said. "I’m very hopeful that they will achieve at the level that I believe that they can achieve, I think they have a really high ceiling, all of our young guys and some of the older new guys."
Young talent on display
Scott and Conyers combined for seven total 3-pointers on the night.
“Most of mine came in the first," Scott said. "Most of his came in the second, so the way we kind of balanced that out, it really uplifted us to the win.”
Scott led the Gamecocks in first half with 10 total points, shooting 3-5 from the field at the halftime break. He finished the game with 16 points, along with three assists and six rebounds.
“It’s a beautiful place to play and you're surrounded with the best fans in the country," Scott said.
Conyers also scored 16 points, shooting 6-7 from field goal range.
“My jump shot, I’m going to always be aggressive, no matter what part of the game it is,” Conyers said.
It was exciting for his young players perform in their first games, Paris said. He said that Conyers has a lot of versatility on offense.
“He can score around the basket, he can attack off the dribble, he can pass relatively well for a guy of his size, he can make open threes," Paris said. "There’s not a lot he can’t do from an offensive standpoint."
Dominance in the paint
The Gamecocks were able to control the offensive glass as a result of shooting trouble, taking advantage of second-chance points through layups.
The Gamecocks outnumbered the Scots in rebounds 48-26.
“Some of your best shots come off of offensive rebounds," Paris said. "Not only the ones that are right there at the rim, but the defense typically collapses and you get some wide open threes.”
An onslaught of rebounds was led by Murray-Boyles, who measures in at a height of 6’8”. Murray-Boyles produced a double-double on the night, with 19 points and 11 rebounds.
“With our length and our size, that should be a thing for us," Paris said. "I want us to have three, four guys attacking the offensive glass and rebounding and creating opportunities,”
What’s next?
The Gamecocks will officially tip off its regular season at home on Nov. 4 when the team faces North Florida at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network+.