South Carolina men's basketball rolls into 2024 in good company all-time in program history
As South Carolina men’s basketball rolls into 2024, they bring along with them a 12-1 record.
Not only does this mark just the fifth time in program history that the Gamecocks achieved double-digit wins to start a season before the new year but it also marks their most wins to start a season before flipping the calendar to January.
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The further you go back in time, you’ll notice South Carolina didn’t start their seasons until December or even January. Nonetheless, since 1996, the Gamecocks have played at least ten games before the new year all but three seasons. That includes the 2020-21 COVID-19 season, which South Carolina only played one game in December.
Here’s a look at how the four other seasons in which the Gamecocks won ten games or more before the new year resulted for them.
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2015-16: (12-0) before the new year
Considered one of the biggest snubs in NCAA Tournament history, South Carolina finished that season (25-9). They were left out of the NCAA Tournament and instead played in the NIT where they were eliminated in the second round.
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2003-04: (12-1) before the new year
Behind coach Dave Odom, the Gamecocks would play in the NIT that season after going (23-11). They were eliminated in the first round of the tournament. They would follow that up by winning back-to-back NIT Championships in 2005 and 2006.
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2016-17: (10-3) before the new year
The greatest season in program history, South Carolina advanced to its first and only Final Four. Led by Frank Martin and behind the play of SEC Player of the Year Sindarius Thornwell, the Gamecocks finished (26-11).
2001-02: (10-3) before the new year
After starting the season 1-2 in what marked Odom’s first season as head coach at South Carolina, the Gamecocks won five in a row to close out the calendar year. USC would finish (22-15) after losing to Memphis in the NIT Championship.
