South Carolina counting on new faces to help spark the program after two down seasons

There isn't much left from the South Carolina men's basketball team that lost 10 conference games by double digits last season. Coach Lamont Paris' roster has underdone wholesale changes with 12 different players on this year's team. Only three players return. Whether all of that change is a good thing for the Gamecocks remains to be seen, but they are picked to finish last in the conference this season.

South Carolina is hoping that Davion Hannah, a former top 50 recruit who didn't pan out at Alabama, can help trigger a turnaround in Columbia. The Gamecocks think a change of scenery will help bring out the best in his game. The Milwaukee native only played in 10 games last season for the Crimson Tide and averaged 3.3 points per game.

South Carolina landed several transfers, including guards Kory Minor (George Mason, 14.3 ppp) and Shane Blakeney (Drexel, 14.2 ppg), forwards Camden Heide (Texas, 45.4% on 3s) and Jakub Necas (Duquesne, 6.9 ppg) and center Aleksas Bieliauskas (Wisconsin). Also, 6-foot-11 forward Juan Fernandez from Argentina is also expected to see action and has a chance to start. The biggest departure for the Gamecocks is guard Meechie Johnson Jr., who averaged a team-best 17.2 points per game. He is out of college eligibility after scoring 1,395 points at South Carolina and Ohio State.

The season opener is Tuesday against Stetson, the first of five home games against teams the Gamecocks should beat, before a Thanksgiving week set of games in Palm Springs against USC and Arizona State. Other nonconference games include Clemson and Maryland before the SEC opener at LSU on Jan. 2. The Gamecocks play two games against No. 1 ranked Florida (on the road on Feb. 2 and at home on March 2). They also host No. 7 Texas on Jan. 27, one several games against ranked SEC foes.

Paris led the Gamecocks to 26 wins in the 2023-24 season, but has struggled in his other three seasons as head coach. Paris is 62-68 overall at South Carolina and this could be a key season when it comes to his future. ... South Carolina is 6-30 over the past two seasons against SEC teams.