Coming off a memorable 2023-24 campaign, the South Carolina men's basketball team has a new look roster this season with returning veterans and fresh faces.
The Gamecocks have four new scholarship players, including three transfers and one freshman. South Carolina also brings plenty of experience into the new season, with six of South Carolina's 12 scholarship players this season being upperclassmen.
"We had a really good summer," head coach Lamont Paris said. "A lot of new faces. At the same time, some familiar faces. That's always good. Good amount of experience, not only at the Division I level but a good amount of experience within our program, which I also think is important."
South Carolina was picked 11th out of 16 teams in the preseason media poll. The Gamecocks were predicted to finish ahead of Georgia, Missouri, LSU, Oklahoma and Vanderbilt, so the low ranking surprised some. Paris said his team now has to prove the doubters wrong.
"Honestly, I think it's a favor to be put in a position where you have to prove yourself," Paris said. "When you get a ranking that's not as high as what guys think, it sets the stage for constant validation and approval amongst your peers."
Sophomore forward Collin Murray-Boyles was named Preseason Third Team All-SEC by the media. Despite missing time early in the season due to mononucleosis, Murray-Boyles emerged as a key player last season. In conference play, he scored in double figures 12 times, highlighted by a 31-point performance against Vanderbilt.
Murray-Boyles, a Columbia, S.C. native, said he's worked on becoming a better scorer during the offseason.
"It's been really good in practice, me being more aggressive," Murray-Boyles said. "I'm naturally an unselfish player, I like to pass ... Just being aggressive while also getting my teammates involved."
After his first season, Murray-Boyles could've decided to enter the NBA Draft. Instead, he opted to return to South Carolina for his sophomore season to take the team to greater heights.
"I'm focused on winning a national championship and winning as many games as possible," Murray-Boyles said.
South Carolina lost its starting backcourt of senior guards Meechie Johnson and Ta'Lon Cooper in the offseason, both named Second Team All-SEC after last season. Johnson, who averaged 14.1 PPG last year, transferred back to Ohio State where he began his college career. Cooper graduated after averaging 9.9 points and 4.2 assists per contest.
"We lose two all-conference guards," Paris said. "There's lots of opportunities for guys to go out there and prove themselves, and I think we've got a lot of guys that are just looking forward to the opportunity."
To fill the backcourt, the Gamecocks added senior guard Jamarii Thomas, who averaged 16.9 points and 3.8 assists per game at Norfolk State last year. Thomas, named the 2024 MEAC Player of the Year, recorded ten games with 20 or more points and shot 38% from 3-point range last season. He said Paris is looking for him to score.
"He definitely wants me to step on the gas and obviously facilitate," Thomas said.
Paris also brought in former Lexington High School standout guard Cam Scott, who averaged 22 PPG as a senior for the Wildcats. According to the 247Sports Composite, Scott finished as the No. 36 overall prospect in the class of 2024.
"I have a tremendous amount of confidence in Cam Scott," Paris said. "His opportunity will be really high. He's a really quick learner, he's a student of the game, he's incredibly intelligent."
After his senior season, Scott was named the 2024 South Carolina 5A Player of the Year. He originally signed with the Texas before deciding to stay home and play for the Gamecocks.
"It's definitely been fun," Scott said. "Coming in, you don't really know what to expect, but everybody's welcomed me in with open arms. From my teammates, from freshmen to seniors and everyone through the coaching staff."
Veteran guards senior Jacobi Wright and junior Zachary Davis both averaged 5.9 PPG last season and returned for another season with the Gamecocks. Fifth-year guard Myles Stute, who made 17 starts and shot 38.5% from 3-point range last year, will provide plenty of experience.
"For me personally, it left a sick feeling in my mouth after making it to the tournament and losing in the first round," Wright said. "My motivation is just to get back ... and advance once we get in."
The Gamecocks will also have to replace a pair of departing forwards in B.J. Mack (13.6 PPG) and Josh Gray (3.2 PPG). To replace these losses, Paris added a pair of forwards with SEC experience. Graduate student forward Nick Pringle joined the program after two seasons at Alabama, and sophomore forward Jordan Butler comes to Columbia after making 13 starts at Missouri as a freshman.
Pringle started in 16 games last season for Alabama, playing a key role on the Crimson Tide team that appeared in the 2024 Men's Final Four. His breakout performance came against Clemson in the Elite Eight, where he posted 16 points and 11 rebounds. Pringle said he's been impressed with his teammates this offseason.
"We've got a lot of guys that really like to learn, so it's gonna be really easy on my part," Pringle said. "Being the vocal guy that I am, just making the most out of every situation that coach has for us."
With the Crimson Tide last season, Pringle averaged 6.8 PPG and 5.1 rebounds per game. Paris said he envisioned an increased role for him with the Gamecocks.
"We're gonna count on Nick for a lot of things on both sides of the ball," Paris said. "I don't think he's ever really been asked to score, but we're really interested in exploring that and seeing what that looks like for him."
Last season, South Carolina tied the school record for wins in a season with 26 and appeared in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017. With the addition of several transfers, the return of Murray-Boyles and an experienced group of guards, Paris said he's looking forward to how the 2024-25 team will come together.
"Really excited for this group to continue to gel and get ready to see where they lead us," Paris said. "Probably now more than ever, you've got more turnover and more new faces on your roster. Just trying to see where these guys take us is an exciting adventure."
South Carolina opens its season on Nov. 4 against North Florida. Tip-off from Colonial Life Arena is set for 7 p.m., and the game will be streamed on SEC Network+.