It’s been seven years since the South Carolina Gamecocks were invited to participate in March Madness, so everyone is understandably excited to see the team again dominate on the hardwood. The fact that they also did this in only Lamont Paris’ second season as head coach says a lot about the program he’s built.
Since it’s been a while since college basketball fans have seen South Carolina in action, it might be a good idea to get to know the players who are trying to make as deep a run as they can in the tournament.
Key players of the South Carolina Gamecocks you should know
If anything catches the attention with the Gamecocks roster, there’s no bona fide star to look out for in the roster. After all, they are not the first program you think of when you think of outstanding basketball programs.
But if we must select one sure-fire star for the Gamecocks, Meechie Johnson is the unanimous star player. The senior transferee from Ohio State is leading the team in scoring with 13.8 points a game and is compounding it with his familiarity with the college game.
The Herald’s Madison Hricik can’t stop gushing about the senior from Cleveland, OH, bringing up the pedigree he’s grown up in:
Johnson has the skills to score in the paint and from downtown. He’s grown up surrounded by the sport and considers LeBron James an uncle, with the NBA star playing with Johnson’s father years ago.
The other player carrying the torch for the Gamecocks is BJ Mack. The Oak Hill Academy alum is also playing his final year of eligibility and is looking to finish with a bang. The 6’8″ forward is averaging 13.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 33 games.
Other notable names you should look out for in the roster include Ta’lon Cooper, Zach Davis, and Collin Murray-Boyles.
Will the South Carolina Gamecocks ruin your bracket?
Given that this is the Gamecocks’ first March Madness in seven years, it’s very likely that they’ll make an early exit. If they manage to beat Oregon, they’ll have to take down a very strong Creighton side.
However, March Madness is made for fairytales, and the Gamecocks are more than ready to weave their own.
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