South Bound & Down
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SEC Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2022-23 season

By Matt Melton

FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS - FEBRUARY 26: Oscar Tshiebwe #34 of the Kentucky Wildcats looks to the bench during a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Bud Walton Arena on February 26, 2022 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Razorbacks defeated the Wildcats 75-73. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS - FEBRUARY 26: Oscar Tshiebwe #34 of the Kentucky Wildcats looks to the bench during a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Bud Walton Arena on February 26, 2022 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Razorbacks defeated the Wildcats 75-73. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /
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South Carolina Gamecocks guard Jacobi Wright (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /

14. South Carolina Gamecocks

Set to enter the season with a new head coach for the first time in over a decade, South Carolina and new head coach Lamont Paris begin the 2022-23 campaign ranked as the No. 14 team in our SEC Basketball power rankings.

Parting ways with long-time coach Frank Martin in the offseason, the Gamecocks are coming off a bounce-back 2021-22 season compared to the year prior, finishing with an 18-13 overall record. Owning a 9-9 mark in conference play as well, South Carolina however missed the NCAA Tournament for the fifth consecutive season, with the last time having come back in 2016-17 when the Gamecocks made a run to the Final Four.

Looking ahead to this season however, the Gamecocks 2022-23 roster is headlined by five-star forward GG Jackson, a freshman who comes to Columbia as the highest-rated recruit in South Carolina history. Jackson should have a major impact for the Gamecocks this season, and is a name to watch for when it comes to the 2022-23 SEC Freshman of the Year.

In addition to Jackson, South Carolina also added multiple impact transfers that should play key roles, a group that includes names such as Meechie Johnson, Hayden Brown, and Ebrima Dibba. Also returning for the Gamecocks are names such as Jacobi Wright, Chico Carter, Ja’Von Benson, and Josh Gray.

As for their 2022-23 outlook, South Carolina is a team that could certainly surprise a few people this year, led by one of the conference’s top freshmen. However, it feels likely that the Gamecocks will end up missing the NCAA Tournament this season in year one of the Paris era.

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