Busting Brackets
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SEC Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2020-21 season

By Caleb Hightower

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - MARCH 12: The arena sits unused after the announcement of the cancellation of the SEC Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 12, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. The tournament has been cancelled due to the growing concern about the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - MARCH 12: The arena sits unused after the announcement of the cancellation of the SEC Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 12, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. The tournament has been cancelled due to the growing concern about the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – DECEMBER 22: Keyshawn Bryant #24 of the South Carolina Gamecocks (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – DECEMBER 22: Keyshawn Bryant #24 of the South Carolina Gamecocks (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

team. 533. . . . Gamecocks . 4

2019-20 SEC Record: 10-8

The past two seasons, South Carolina has finished in the top 6 in the SEC (4th in 2018-19, and 6th in 2019-20), despite having an unimpressive overall record both seasons. Why have they been so successful in SEC play lately?

Well, you have to give credit to guys like Keyshawn Bryant (an explosive athlete, who has done a good job of expanding his game), Maik Kotsar (a patient big who graduated in the spring and gave the Gamecocks a solid post presence), AJ Lawson ( an attack first guard, who is more than capable of shooting the three), and Jermaine Couisnard ( a guard who leads by example and is getting better with his consistency).

However, I would be remiss if I didn’t give the man in charge his share of praise. You can panic all you want when the Gamecocks perform below expectations in non-conference play, but the fact of the matter is Frank Martin (South Carolina head coach) gets his guys ready to play when it is time to compete in conference play.

How? Well, Martin knows how to make the appropriate adjustments when he needs to, and always seems to get the best out of each of his players, by pushing them out of their comfort zones.

They may not enjoy it at first, but when the wins begin to pile up, there aren’t a whole lot of negative comments they can make about it. I strongly believe that with most of the players from last season returning, and the addition of Seventh Woods (North Carolina transfer who never quite got himself going under Roy Williams) a 4th place finish wouldn’t be unattainable for the Gamecocks.

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