2009-2010 Team Preview: South Carolina Gamecocks

2008-2009 Record: 21-10, 10-6 SEC East (t-1st)

Key Losses: Zam Frederick (15.5 ppg, 2.7 rpg)

Key Returners: Devan Downey (19.8 ppg, 4.5 apg, 2.9 apg), Dominique Archie (10.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg), Mike Holmes (10.7 ppg, 7.7 rpg)

Newcomers: Ramon Galloway, Lakeem Jackson, Stephen Spinella, Johndre Jefferson

Devan Downey may be just 5'9", but he is one of the best scorers in the country.
(photo credit: Gamecock Central)

Darrin Horn caught a huge break during the off-season has Dominique Archie and Devan Downey both withdrew from the NBA Draft. With those two back in the fold, South Carolina will have enough talent to make a run at the top of the SEC.

It all starts with Downey. He stands just 5'9", but Downey is one of the best scorers in the country. Lightening quick, Downey is playing at his best when he is attacking the basket. Despite being just 5'9", he is a very good finisher around the rim as he has an effective floater and is adept at using his body to draw contact and create space from a defender. He has a tendency to force the issue when he is attacking the basket, resulting in a relatively high number of turnovers. Downey is also an excellent three-point shooter (his 35% shooting from deep on the season is skewed a bit by shots he forced with the Gamecocks down late) when he isn't forcing threes. Downey is a high risk, high reward type of player. He is going to take a lot of tough shots, and when he is on, he can make them and carry the team while putting up 30. Same thing on the defensive end. Downey's quickness allows him to be a pest on the ball and in the passing lanes (2.9 spg), but he gives up easy buckets when he gambles for steals and misses.

Joining Downey in the back court will be SEC sixth man of the year Brandis Raley-Ross. Raley-Ross battled injuries all through last season, missing six games in November and December with a sprained knee. With Zam Frederick graduating, expect Raley-Ross to have an expanded role on the offensive end. Two freshman will provide depth in the Gamecock's back court. Lakeem Jackson is a hard-nosed, 6'5" wing that is known for his athleticism and toughness. Still not a great scorer at this point in his career, Jackson will get a lot of minutes this season simply because he will play defense and provide energy in Horn's uptempo, pressing system. Ramon Galloway is also a pretty athletic kid, but he is much more of an offensive presence than Jackson. He will be counted on to provide a spark off the bunch, making up some of the 15.5 ppg that graduated with Frederick.

Up front is where the Gamecocks may have some issues. Mike Holmes is their solid, if inconsistent, center. Standing just 6'7", Holmes is a handful on the block. He's an excellent rebounder, especially on the offensive end, and he looked like a potential all-SEC player during the non-conference portion of South Carolina's schedule last year. But his production tailed off a bit during SEC play, leading to some questions about how well he can handle bigger opponents. Joining Holmes in the starting front court is 6'9" Sam Muldrow. Muldrow had a slow start to last season as he was suspended for academics for the first couple of game before injuring his elbow, missing the first 15 games. Muldrow is a good shotblocker, averaging almost two per contest, and if he can develop his offensive game a little bit, he could be a nice complement to the bruising Holmes.

The first guy off the bench for the Gamecocks up front will be Evaldas Banilius. Banilius stands 6'7" and moves more like a power forward, but the Lithuanian is the best shooter on the South Carolina team, as he knocked down 48-100 3's last season. He plays the majority of his minutes as a power forward, which forces a big man to cover him on the perimeter, which, most of the time, is a mismatch. 6'8" junior Austin Steed and 6'9" JuCo transfer Johndre Jefferson will provide depth up front.

The x-factor for this team will be Dominique Archie. Archie is a very good all-around player. He is 6'7" and athletic enough to guard all five positions on the floor, which makes him so effective in the South Carolina press. Essentially, Archie is a very, very good glue guy. He plays defense (1.2 spg, 1.5 bpg), he crashes the offensive glass, he can put the ball on the floor and get to the rim, he can knock down an open three. With Zam Frederick gone, Horn is going to be relying on Archie to become the second option for the Gamecocks.

Outlook: Despite sharing the SEC East title last season, the Gamecocks once again failed to make the NCAA Tournament, somewhere they haven't been since 2004. This year looks like their best chance. They have one of the best point guards in the country in Devan Downey and plenty of athletes that buy into Horn's system of pressure defense and fast-paced offense. The biggest question mark is going to be who steps up to replace the offense that was lost with Frederick's graduation. If Archie can turn into a guy you have to worry about going for 20 every night, it should take a lot of pressure off of Downey. The biggest problem the Gamecocks will face this season is how good the SEC East is - five teams have a shot a dancing. If they can put up the same record they did last year - 21 wins, 10 in conference - then they will be headed to the dance.