South Carolina tied a program record with 26 wins last season under coach Lamont Paris, but the Gamecocks suffered a costly season-opening loss and are expected to regress after losing three key players.

The Gamecocks have a star sophomore forward of their own in Collin Murray-Boyles, who is averaging a double-double with 20.3 points and 10.7 rebounds per game and a 62.9% field goal percentage. Murray-Boyles reaches his production in a different way, having already shot 23 free throws in three games.