C
Collyn Taylor
Guest
Jermaine Couisnard
Couisnard was the biggest positive to take from this season with the Gamecocks finding their point guard and vocal leader at the start of the season. Couisnard turned into one of the best freshmen guards in the SEC last year, averaging 14.8 points in league play.
With him only a redshirt sophomore next season, it should make the Gamecocks and the fan base confident and excited about the point guard spot for the foreseeable future.
Frontcourt play
After some struggles his junior season, Maik Kotsar responded with an All-SEC level senior season but it was much more than Kotsar’s heroics at one big spot.
The Gamecocks picked up incredibly solid minutes from Justin Minaya, who was moved to the power forward spot and was playing really well before getting injured.
They also got solid performances in SEC play from Alanzo Frink, Jalyn McCreary and Wildens Leveque. Even with Kotsar leaving, if those three continue to develop and give productive minutes it could mean filling that void easily.
Freshman development
In non-conference play it looked like the Gamecocks would be hard-pressed to get really meaningful minutes out of three freshmen in Leveque, McCreary and Trae Hannibal but that quickly changed.
All three seemed to have it click at different points in SEC play with McCreary and Hannibal both averaging double-digit minutes in league play while Leveque was close at 8.8. All three had their moments of showing how good they can be.
Those guys developed quite a bit over their first season and should continue to develop and see their roles improve.
What can improve
AJ Lawson’s consistency
Lawson came into his sophomore year as a projected first round pick but, despite some solid numbers, struggled with consistency and fitting into a role early in the season.
He’d finish leading the team with 13.4 points per game but shot just 41.4 percent from the field and 33.9 percent from three.
Later in the season he settled into his role nicely as Couisnard became the team’s starting point guard. He still has a NBA decision to make, but if he does ultimately come back, he will know his role starting the season and consistency should come with it.
Free throw rate
That was the biggest issue for the Gamecocks faced last season defensively, finishing with a 53.1 free throw rate, 20 points higher than the national average of 32.6. Essentially it means the Gamecocks fouled an insanely high amount and it affected how they played down the road.
They also struggled at the line, finishing last in the SEC in free throw percentage at 62.8 percent.
Both of those numbers should improve as their younger guys continue to get experience.
Team chemistry
That’s not to say chemistry was bad on this team—they actually got along very well and it was one of the best locker rooms under Frank Martin—but it was one of the youngest teams in the country, rated No. 325 out of 353 teams in terms of experience.
They’re currently set to return all but three players from last year’s team and, if AJ Lawson ultimately returns, that means returning four of their five starters from an 18-win team last season.
Bringing back a core group that’s been together for three years in Jermaine Couisnard, AJ Lawson and Keyshawn Bryant and mixing in a talented group of now-sophomores that saw significant action last year in Hannibal, Leveque and McCreary should only help with team chemistry and their experience should help in avoiding some early-season stumbles.
Couisnard was the biggest positive to take from this season with the Gamecocks finding their point guard and vocal leader at the start of the season. Couisnard turned into one of the best freshmen guards in the SEC last year, averaging 14.8 points in league play.
With him only a redshirt sophomore next season, it should make the Gamecocks and the fan base confident and excited about the point guard spot for the foreseeable future.
Frontcourt play
After some struggles his junior season, Maik Kotsar responded with an All-SEC level senior season but it was much more than Kotsar’s heroics at one big spot.
The Gamecocks picked up incredibly solid minutes from Justin Minaya, who was moved to the power forward spot and was playing really well before getting injured.
They also got solid performances in SEC play from Alanzo Frink, Jalyn McCreary and Wildens Leveque. Even with Kotsar leaving, if those three continue to develop and give productive minutes it could mean filling that void easily.
Freshman development
In non-conference play it looked like the Gamecocks would be hard-pressed to get really meaningful minutes out of three freshmen in Leveque, McCreary and Trae Hannibal but that quickly changed.
All three seemed to have it click at different points in SEC play with McCreary and Hannibal both averaging double-digit minutes in league play while Leveque was close at 8.8. All three had their moments of showing how good they can be.
Those guys developed quite a bit over their first season and should continue to develop and see their roles improve.
What can improve
AJ Lawson’s consistency
Lawson came into his sophomore year as a projected first round pick but, despite some solid numbers, struggled with consistency and fitting into a role early in the season.
He’d finish leading the team with 13.4 points per game but shot just 41.4 percent from the field and 33.9 percent from three.
Later in the season he settled into his role nicely as Couisnard became the team’s starting point guard. He still has a NBA decision to make, but if he does ultimately come back, he will know his role starting the season and consistency should come with it.
Free throw rate
That was the biggest issue for the Gamecocks faced last season defensively, finishing with a 53.1 free throw rate, 20 points higher than the national average of 32.6. Essentially it means the Gamecocks fouled an insanely high amount and it affected how they played down the road.
They also struggled at the line, finishing last in the SEC in free throw percentage at 62.8 percent.
Both of those numbers should improve as their younger guys continue to get experience.
Team chemistry
That’s not to say chemistry was bad on this team—they actually got along very well and it was one of the best locker rooms under Frank Martin—but it was one of the youngest teams in the country, rated No. 325 out of 353 teams in terms of experience.
They’re currently set to return all but three players from last year’s team and, if AJ Lawson ultimately returns, that means returning four of their five starters from an 18-win team last season.
Bringing back a core group that’s been together for three years in Jermaine Couisnard, AJ Lawson and Keyshawn Bryant and mixing in a talented group of now-sophomores that saw significant action last year in Hannibal, Leveque and McCreary should only help with team chemistry and their experience should help in avoiding some early-season stumbles.
