2016 BASKETBALL PREVIEW
Adam Collins / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
Kamila Melko / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
Gamecocks ready to rebound after early postseason exits Adam Orfinger @AORFINGER
T
he South Carolina basketball tea ms capt ivated t he st ate and the nation last season as Frank Martin and Dawn Staley led their squads to a combined 30-0 start before the men lost on the road at Alabama. For the third straight year, Staley’s women claimed at least a share of the SEC title. Martin’s squad surprised t he experts and finished third in the SEC, while setting a program record with 25 wins. The regular season was incredibly k ind to t he G amecock s, but t he p o st sea son prov ided bit ter heartbreak. It started in Nashville, where the men lost a nail-biter to Georgia, effectively relegating them to the NIT. It wou ld on ly get worse f rom there, as suspensions would make t he top-seeded G amecock s play
short-handed in t he N IT, where t hey lost in t he second round at home. After being so close to the Big Da nce t hat t hey cou ld t aste it , the players haven’t changed their mentality. “The goal remains t he same,” senior guard Sindarius Thornwell said. “Make the tournament.” T he No. 2 Sout h Ca rol i na women’s team entered the NCA A Tournament with high expectations. The Gamecocks earned a top seed, but, after rolling through the first 11 quarters of the tournament, the wheels fell off in the fi nal period of the Sweet 16 matchup with Syracuse. South Carolina headed home from Sioux Falls empty-handed and with a bad taste in the players’ mouths, but the Gamecocks have too much t a lent to dwel l on la st sea son’s
disappointing fi nish. “At the end of the day, we did learn from that loss, and we’re just going to keep growing from it,” junior forward A’ja Wilson said. For both teams, this season is all about fi nding out what that growth is. For Mart in and his staf f, t he challenge has become continuing to build momentum despite losing s e v e n pl a y e r s f r o m l a s t y e a r ’s rotat ion. Staley has to rally t he troops after last season and bring the Gamecocks back to the Final Four in hopes of delivering what the fans desperately want: an NCA A Championship. With talented rosters, both teams are looking to rebound, not rebuild. The core is in place for the women, with Wilson, last year’s SEC Player of the Year, and All-American Alaina Coates being joined by two All-ACC
transfers. The men have the most experienced backcourt in the SEC, and the trio of seniors can also rely on former fi ve-star point guard PJ Dozier. The Gamecocks missed out on opportunities last season, but the ball is still in their court. Here in Columbia, it’s time to rebound. Editor’s Note: Inside this special issue, you can find features on both teams’ key players, including SEC Player of the Year A’ja Wilson and SEC Sixth Man of the Year Duane Notice. You can also check out an inside look at the role of the walk-ons on this year’s men’s basketball team. The section is loaded with coverage of both South Carolina basketball teams in addition to some SEC previews. We hope you enjoy the tip-off of our 2016-17 South Carolina basketball coverage. We’ll be bringing you the stories you want all season long.