When Lamont Paris assembled his 2025-26 South Carolina roster, he did so with a clear vision: this was going to be a team that could stretch the floor and shoot it from deep. But nearly halfway through the season, that vision hasn’t materialized the way he hoped.
Through 11 games, the Gamecocks sit at 7-4, and their struggles from beyond the arc are hard to ignore. They're shooting just 29.9% from three-well below the mark needed to consistently win at the high-major level.
The latest example came in a 68-61 road loss to Clemson, where South Carolina went just 4-for-26 from downtown. That’s not just a cold night-it’s a red flag.
Now, as they prepare to host South Carolina State (1-12) on Monday in Columbia, the Gamecocks aren’t looking for a résumé builder. They’re looking for rhythm. They’re looking for answers.
“We’ll try to get to the bottom of it,” Paris said after the Clemson game. “Our team was constructed in a way we thought we would be able to withstand off-shooting nights just on the volume of guys that are capable of shooting.”
That’s the frustrating part. This roster should be better from deep.
There’s enough talent and enough shooters that a 4-for-26 night shouldn’t happen. But it has-more than once.
The inconsistency has been glaring: when they shoot well, multiple guys are locked in. When they don’t, it’s like the entire team goes cold at once.
That lack of consistency has kept South Carolina from picking up a signature win in nonconference play. They’ve been competitive across the board, but close losses to Butler, Northwestern, Virginia Tech, and now Clemson have left them without a defining victory to hang their hat on.
“Guys have to figure it out,” Paris said. “They have to have a good relationship with their shot and know if they need to tweak anything.
Some guys are overdoing it in terms of how many shots they get up [in practice], that’s a real thing. … We’re still working on that.”
There’s no panic in Paris’ voice, but there’s urgency. The SEC schedule is looming, and the margin for error will only shrink from here.
Against Clemson, Mike Sharavjamts and Kobe Knox each chipped in 13 points, but leading scorer Meechie Johnson was held in check. Johnson, who’s averaging 14.8 points per game, managed just eight points on 2-of-9 shooting. When your top scorer struggles and the threes aren’t falling, it’s tough to beat anyone-especially on the road.
Still, Paris found one positive in the Clemson loss: effort.
“We played hard. I think we at least checked that box,” he said.
“I only acknowledged that to our team because I think we played harder than we had been playing, in particular in terms of physicality on the defensive side. But then you have to combine that with playing a little better also, and we didn’t do that.”
The Gamecocks were also without freshman guard Eli Ellis, who sat out with an ankle injury. His status for Monday’s game remains uncertain.
As for South Carolina State, the Bulldogs are coming off a 68-54 win over NAIA opponent Brewton-Parker College. But they’re still winless (0-11) against Division I teams this season, with losses to Louisville, Missouri, and Charleston Southern among others.
So no, Monday’s matchup won’t move the needle in the national conversation. But for South Carolina, it’s a chance to recalibrate.
To find some confidence. To see the ball go through the net again.
Because if this team is going to make any real noise in the SEC, it starts with solving the riddle from beyond the arc.