South Carolina basketball: live updates from Lamont Paris introductory press conference
For the first time since being hired, South Carolina fans will get to hear from their new head coach.
The Gamecocks will introduce new head coach Lamont Paris in a press conference at Colonial Life Arena. GamecockCentral will be there for wall-to-wall coverage. The press conference is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.
Follow along with live updates here.
“I am excited to be named the head coach at South Carolina,” Paris said in a statement. “The opportunity to build on what this program has achieved recently is exciting. While I am the head coach, I wouldn’t be where I am today without the many head and assistant coaches and student-athletes that I have worked with. I want Gamecock fans to know that we will have a program that you will be proud of and one that will compete for championships.”
Paris comes to South Carolina after a five-year stint at UT-Chattanooga where he led the Mocs to a regular season and tournament championship in the Southern Conference this season.
The 47-year-old is 87-72 at UT-Chattanooga and 43-45 in the SoCon during his tenure.
After two rough years to start, Paris is 65-29 in his last three seasons there and 33-19 in the league.
He led the Mocs to their first tournament berth since 2016 and just the fifth one since 1997. They were a No. 13 seed and took No. 4 seed Illinois to the wire in a 54-53 loss.
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Paris led Chattanooga to its only top 100 KenPom finish since the site started in 1997, finishing No. 68 overall this season. South Carolina’s highest finish in the same span was No. 69 in 2020.
After finishing No. 304 in KenPom during his first year and No. 266 in year two, Paris has three of Chattanooga’s top 10 KenPom finishes in program history.
Before UTC and South Carolina, the Gamecocks’ newest hire was also a longtime assistant in the Big 10 at Wisconsin.
He spent seven years in Madison as one of the top assistants, helping recruit the rosters that went to six Sweet 16s, two Final Fours and one national championship game.
Paris, who’s from Ohio, also served as an assistant at Akron, IUP, DePauw and Wooster.
South Carolina and its board of trustees officially approved his contract Thursday afternoon.
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