2008 South Carolina Basketball Predictions & Preview

Written October 17, 2008 by Luke Knight

Darrin Horn will take over a Gamecocks’ team that finished last season 14-18 overall and 5-11 in the SEC. Horn led Western Kentucky to the Sweet 16 of the 2008 NCAA Tournament. Horn is just 35 and two of his staff members were born in 1972 and the final piece of the puzzle is Mike Boynton, former Gamecock point guard, who graduated in 2004 and turns 27 in January. The team loses only Dwayne Day, but won’t be bringing in anyone new, so Horn will have to make due with what he has and hope they buy into his system, which will be an end-to-end aggressive brand of ball stemming from his own playing days at Western Kentucky. BetUS has this team at +750 odds to win the SEC East, so this will be a team to watch on a nightly basis. After an abysmal 41-71 SEC record in the last 7 seasons, expectations for this program are extremely low and they should be getting quite a few points when the college basketball odds come out for each game..

The Gamecocks will be without a big man once again, but with Horn’s up-tempo style of play that actually might be better. Sophomore Mike Holmes, a 6’7” post player, plays like he has a 6’10” frame. Holmes had three double-doubles in five games just before the SEC tournament, which was three more than he had in the 22 previous games. Sophomore Sam Muldrow is 6’9” but can run the floor and has a chance to be the Gamecocks’ best shot-blocker. Junior Dominique Archie is the team’s most athletic and versatile forward, but was held to five points or fewer four times in SEC play. Evka Baniulis was a set shooter in Dave Odom’s offense, but Horn believes he can fill a more athletic role in the new system.

South Carolina’s backcourt will be anchored by junior point guard Devan Downey who has great quickness and scoring ability, especially in transition. Downey may be the most dynamic true point guard other than North Carolina’s Ty Lawson. Downey was an All-SEC pick last season and brings a tremendous work ethic to this team to go along with his natural basketball ability. Downey transferred from Cincinnati and wants to win so a below .500 season that didn’t result in a trip to the postseason could not have set well. Zam Fredrick, a former GTech transfer, can play the perfect 2-guard to Downey, if he gets a better understanding of shot selection. Fredrick shot 40.2% for the season, hitting less than 50% of his shots in 24 of 32 games. Brandis Raley-Ross is one of the better shooters in the league when he is healthy and playing with confidence.

Final Analysis

This South Carolina team is going to better than the same team that has won only 28 games in two seasons. The Gamecocks took a trip to Eastern Europe over the summer and went 4-0 while Downey, Fredrick, Holmes, and Raley-Ross all averaged double figures. The SEC East is tough with Tennessee and Florida, but the Gamecocks could break even in league play this season which would be a huge step in the right direction. South Carolina, if they have an extraordinary year, could compete for an NCAA bid, but we have them finishing toward the bottom of the SEC East, which should land them in the NIT. BetUS has them at +20000 odds to win the NCAA Tournament this season.

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