South Carolina Gamecocks Aim for SEC Tournament Glory Under Coach Lamont Paris
The South Carolina men's basketball team is gearing up for the start of the 2025-26 season with their coach Lamont Paris leading the way. The Gamecocks recently ended their regular season with a victory over Ole Miss and are now preparing for the SEC men's basketball tournament in Nashville as the No. 14 seed. Their only shot at an NCAA Tournament spot would be to win the SEC tournament and secure an autobid.
The SEC men's basketball tournament has been held at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville for the past four years and will continue to do so until 2035. South Carolina has a limited history of success in conference tournaments, having won the SoCon tournament in 1933 and the ACC tournament in 1971. However, they have never clinched an SEC Tournament championship. Under Paris, the Gamecocks reached the quarterfinals in 2024 but fell short of advancing further.
The Gamecocks are scheduled to face either Auburn or Oklahoma in the first round of the tournament, depending on the outcomes of their games on Saturday. The bracket may see some changes based on the results of these matchups. The tournament is set to kick off with LSU taking on either Kentucky or Missouri in the opening game.
As South Carolina enters the SEC tournament, they are looking to make a statement and secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament. With their season on the line, the Gamecocks will need to bring their A-game to compete against tough opponents and potentially make history by winning the conference championship.