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South Carolina

National analyst Jon Rothstein's SEC prediction for South Carolina basketball

by: Kevin Miller07/22/25kevinbmiller52
Lamont Paris, South Carolina
Lamont Paris, South Carolina - © Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

South Carolina basketball is looking to improve dramatically after a tough 2024-2025 season in which the Gamecocks went 12-20. Lamont Paris’ team will look drastically different from last year as they travel that tough road. Carolina brought in five freshmen and six transfer portal additions earlier this offseason.

According to one national analyst, though, the roster adjustments won’t be enough to get USC out of the SEC basement. On an episode of College Hoops Today, Jon Rothstein released his preseason SEC power rankings, and the Gamecocks were pulling up the rear.

You can see his entire Southeastern Conference hierarchy below.

  1. Florida Gators
  2. Arkansas Razorbacks
  3. Kentucky Wildcats
  4. Auburn Tigers
  5. Alabama Crimson Tide
  6. Tennessee Volunteers
  7. Texas Longhorns
  8. Mississippi State Bulldogs
  9. Ole Miss Rebels
  10. Texas A&M Aggies
  11. Missouri Tigers
  12. Oklahoma Sooners
  13. Vanderbilt Commodores
  14. Georgia Bulldogs
  15. LSU Tigers
  16. South Carolina Gamecocks

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Despite the low ranking, Rothstein believes this year’s version of South Carolina basketball will be better than last year’s.

Said Rothstein, “I’m looking at a South Carolina team that got Meechie Johnson back, and I’m also looking at a South Carolina team that got Myles Stute back…I’m looking at LSU and South Carolina and I think one story in the SEC is the teams at the bottom of this conference are going to be better in ’25-’26 than they were in ’24-’25.”

Rothstein also told him that the USC staff is extremely high on senior transfer Mike Sharavjamts. That tracks with the offseason buzz around the program and the national perspective on the Utah transfer. Sharavjamts, a skilled 6-9 wing, likely will start on the wing and could play any position, 1-4. Specifically, Coach Paris has mentioned Sharavjamts as a potential player to watch at the point guard position (behind expected starter Meechie Johnson) thanks to his court vision, instincts, and passing ability.

South Carolina will open the 2025-2026 season against NC A&T in November.

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