Alabama Basketball Opponent Preview: South Carolina Gamecocks

Alabama basketball will travel to Columbia to take on the South Carolina Gamecocks on Wednesday night. The Crimson Tide will face Lamont Paris’ team in the midst of controversy and rumors once again swirling around the program.

South Carolina hasn’t been a very good team this season, compiling a 10-17 record and just a 3-11 SEC record. Two of those three wins, however, have come in the last 11 days.

The Gamecocks sandwiched wins over Ole Miss and LSU around a loss to Vanderbilt. This 2-1 stretch followed an eight-game losing streak, and is the closest thing to an upswing South Carolina has had in SEC play all year.

South Carolina’s only other SEC victory was its most impressive win of the season, a 71-68 conquest over Kentucky in Rupp Arena back in early January.

An interesting note is that all three of the Gamecocks’ SEC wins have come on the road. South Carolina is 0-7 in its home arena in league competition, and Alabama basketball is not likely to end that streak tonight.

For most of this season, South Carolina has been led by freshman forward GG Jackson II. Jackson II was considered the no. 1 overall player in the 2023 class before reclassifying and joining the Gamecocks for the 2022-23 season.

The Columbia native is one of the youngest players in college hoops, having just turned 18 in December, but he is a great athlete and a talented player.

Jackson II leads South Carolina with averages of 15.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. He has notched three double-doubles and nine 20-point games, including a career-high 30 points in a loss to Auburn.

Sophomore guard Meechie Johnson is the primary playmaker for the Gamecocks. The Ohio State transfer averages 12.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and a team-high 3.5 assists per game.

6’5” senior forward Hayden Brown transferred to South Carolina from The Citadel, where he was a standout. This season, he is averaging 11.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per contest. Brown is in his sixth year of college basketball, and has started over 100 career games.

Senior guard Chico Carter averages 9.8 points per game, and is easily the best shooter on the South Carolina roster. Carter, a former Murray State transfer, connects on over 47 percent of his three-point shots.

6’11” junior center Josh Gray is the only true post presence for the Gamecocks. Gray will have his hands full with the likes of Charles Bediako, Noah Clowney, and Nick Pringle.

Bediako is playing some of the best basketball of his career at center for Alabama Basketball. Pringle knows his role as a lob threat and physical presence inside. He is incredibly efficient (87 percent from the field), and is coming off his first double-double of the season. His 19 points and 12 rebounds against Georgia both set new career-highs.

Noah Clowney is a versatile athlete at forward, and has quietly been one of the most impactful freshmen in college basketball.

Alabama Basketball should not have many issues with South Carolina. The Crimson Tide is much better at the guard spots, as well as on the front line. Jackson II is a problem, but Bama can throw lots of bodies at him.

He will likely see Brandon Miller, Noah Clowney, and fifth-year senior Noah Gurley all checking him at some point. Coach Nate Oats can even opt to go small and put Nimari Burnett on him. Burnett would give up some height in the matchup, but he is an elite perimeter defender that could frustrate Jackson II with his quickness.

With all the off-court drama taking center stage, Alabama will have to remain focused and take care of business once again.