Basketball is relevant again at the University of South Carolina. The women’s basketball team has been on a steady rise ever since the arrival of head coach Dawn Staley in 2008 and accomplished two things last season that have never been done before at South Carolina. The Gamecocks attained the No. 1 ranking in the country and advanced to the school’s first NCAA Tournament Final Four.
The more surprising statement would be that men’s and women’s basketball are both relevant this season. Sports Illustrated recently ranked every single men’s team in Division 1 college hoops, and the Gamecocks came in at No. 52, giving them an outside chance at an NCAA tournament berth.
Granted, the men did not exactly dominate Allen University in their exhibition game last Sunday, but this season should bring about the first real dividends of the Frank Martin era, which is cause for cautious optimism.
There are a number of things that draw in top-rated student athletes, arguably none more important than the coach. At South Carolina, it started with the coaches, then came the players and now the fans are catching up. In past two years, the women’s team has landed local prospect A’ja Wilson, the consensus No. 1 overall recruit in the country, and P.J. Dozier,Columbia native and another McDonald’s All-American, signed with the men last season. Staley and Martin have really taken the “Certified SC Grown” signs you see in restaurants and produce stands to heart.
Facilities have become a point of emphasis, too. Both basketball teams were just rewarded with revamped offices and locker rooms in the Coliseum, where the teams practice. That will help lure even more recruits to the program.
Columbia has even become a landing spot for out-of-state student athletes as well. This season, the women’s team has 10 out-of-state players on its roster, including transfer student Sarah Imovbioh, who played three seasons as a star at Virginia and transferred to Carolina for her final year. She is expected to start at power forward and be a difference maker for the team, especially as a rebounder.
Meanwhile on the men’s side, Coach Martin has been pulling in players from all over the East Coast. Just one day into the national signing period, the Gamecocks have already landed four-star recruit Sedee Keita from Connecticut and are still in the hunt for several other high profile recruits in the 2016 cycle.
The women’s basketball team has sold over 10,000 season tickets for this year — no surprise considering they led the nation in attendance last year at 12,293 people a game. Still, it is a dramatic increase from the 2,315 season tickets sold in 2012, only three years ago.
In the past six years, Gamecock women’s basketball has transformed from an afterthought to a team that will compete for a national championship for years to come. The men’s team had some success in the NIT postseason tournament, winning in 2005 and 2006, but they mainly plodded along since then just hoping to upset Kentucky or another big name team on our schedule once every few years. Now, those days are gone as well.
In Staley’s first three seasons the team went 10-18, 14-15 and 18-15, but since year three, the Gamecocks have gone 25-10, 25-8, 29-5 and 34-3. In Frank Martin’s first three years the team went 14-18, 14-20 and 17-16. Now in his fourth year, don’t be surprised to see the team have a much improved record this season similar to Staley’s jump. Martin has established his scheme and has brought in players that fit that vision. With the addition of young talent — specifically Dozier and fellow freshman Chris Silva — the Gamecocks are primed for a breakout year.
This is one of the most anticipated seasons in recent memory for both the men and women. Anything short of a final four appearance for the women and an NCAA appearance for the men could be considered a disappointment.
Hold your breath and take the plunge, Gamecocks. South Carolina is about to become a basketball school.