The SEC released its conference schedule on Friday morning. The Gamecocks will start on the road for the eighth time in ten years, playing a Kentucky team that is ranked No. 11 in the KenPom rankings.
Last season, the Gamecocks stunned Kentucky at the buzzer, beating them 81-78. It was the highlight of the Gamecocks' season as Jermaine Couisnard hit a three for the win. South Carolina went 10-8 last year in conference play, beating two Quadrant 1 opponents.
On Jan. 6, South Carolina will begin its home conference slate against a much improved Texas A&M squad. The Gamecocks beat them in both matchups a year ago.
To round out January, it'll play the second-place team in the SEC a year ago, Auburn, and arch-rival Georgia on Jan. 23 and Jan. 27, respectively. South Carolina lost to Auburn a year ago and beat the Bulldogs in both their matchups.
The team will then play four at home and five on the road in February before rounding out conference play against Arkansas.
The Gamecocks' non-conference schedule has yet to be released, but they will play in the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City against Northwestern. The result of that will correspond with the result of the Tulsa/TCU game. The team also hosts Wofford, Clemson and South Carolina State. It will visit Houston, with games at Coastal Carolina and George Washington still up in the air.