South Carolina Opens Season Against Stetson

The Gamecocks begin the 2026-27 campaign at home after a rebuilt roster aims to fix a scoring offense that ranked last in the SEC.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Basketball

Expressive sports illustration of a red-jerseyed basketball player driving toward the basket on a hardwood court under warm arena lights. — South Carolina opens its 2026-27 season Tuesday at home against Stetson, aiming to fix a scoring offense that ranked last in the SEC. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

South Carolina opens its 2026-27 season Tuesday against Stetson in Columbia, South Carolina, after adding freshman Marcus Johnson and transfer guard Kory Mincy following the departure of leading scorer Meechie Johnson Jr. The Gamecocks were projected to finish last in the Southeastern Conference in the preseason media poll.

Why it matters

South Carolina's offense struggled badly last season, finishing last in the SEC in scoring and field goal percentage, so the new additions are central to whether the team can compete in a deep conference. The opener also gives an early read on a roster that has been significantly reshaped.

South Carolina finished last in the SEC at 74.9 points per game and 43.4% shooting from the field last season, while transfer Kory Mincy averaged 14.3 points and hit a career-best 38.9% from three-point range. How much those individual numbers will translate to the Gamecocks' new lineup remains to be seen.

The players

South Carolina Gamecocks

The Southeastern Conference program in Columbia, South Carolina, whose 2026-27 roster was rebuilt after its leading scorer departed, and which is projected to finish last in the league.

Stetson Hatters

The Atlantic Sun program from DeLand, Florida, that finished 12-21 last season and opens its schedule with a road loss at Clemson.

The details

Columbia's Gamecocks begin the season at home against Stetson, which finished 12-21 last season and lost 85-72 at Clemson on Monday after being outscored 48-36 in the second half. South Carolina is betting on Marcus Johnson, a four-star freshman and cousin of the departed Meechie Johnson Jr., and Mincy to boost an offense that struggled throughout 2025-26.

- Monday, November 2, 2026: Stetson loses 85-72 at Clemson.
- Tuesday, November 3, 2026: South Carolina opens its season against Stetson in Columbia.

Season Trajectory

South Carolina's 2025-26 season ended with last-place finishes in SEC scoring and field goal percentage, and the preseason media poll has the Gamecocks finishing last again. The offseason roster overhaul is a direct response to that offensive decline, and the opener is the first test of whether the changes can alter that trajectory.

The offense is the key variable for fantasy and betting interest, since South Carolina's last-place SEC scoring and shooting marks define the baseline the new additions must improve upon. Mincy's career-best 38.9% three-point shooting from last season is the most concrete measurable a fan can track early in the year.

The takeaway

A roster overhaul can change a team's outlook quickly, but the early games will show whether South Carolina's new scorers can fix an offense that ranked last in the conference. Tracking shooting efficiency in the opener is a practical way to measure progress.