It's Truly Horn's Team Now

Turnover means it's truly Horn’s team now
USC basketball: 5 questions for next season

Written by SETH EMERSON
semerson@thestate.com

Posted on 03.16.10

2010-11 projected starting lineup

Bruce Ellington: 5-9, point guard, freshman
Ramon Galloway: 6-1, shooting guard, sophomore
Malik Cooke: 6-5, small forward, junior
Lakeem Jackson: 6-5, power forward, sophomore
Sam Muldrow: 6-9, center, senior

The South Carolina men's basketball team's second season under coach Darrin Horn ended Sunday night when postseason tournament brackets were revealed. None of them included USC's name: the NCAA and NIT by the choice of those tourneys; the CBI and CIT by the choice of USC.

So the focus can turn to year three of the Horn era. With Devan Downey, one of the program's best all-time players, and likely Dominique Archie departing, Horn pretty much takes full ownership of the program; starting center Sam Muldrow will be the only key returning player Horn did not recruit.

Five questions facing the team as it heads into the offseason:

1. WILL THERE BE OTHER ROSTER CHANGES?

Four seniors - Downey, Brandis Raley-Ross, Evka Baniulis and Robert Wilder - are gone. The big question revolves around Archie, and whether the forward will be granted a sixth year of eligibility. It seems unlikely, although the NCAA can be unpredictable on extra-year issues.

If Archie returns, the Gamecocks will have a go-to player and a better chance to contend for an NCAA tournament berth. Without him, it probably becomes a rebuilding season.

The Gamecocks have five signed recruits for next season, headlined by point guard Bruce Ellington and post player Damontre Harris. Forward Malik Cooke, a transfer from Nevada, becomes eligible. The team could sign another player or two and is in the mix for junior college big man Jess Perry.

As for the other current players, junior forward Austin Steed began 2009-10 as a starter but was buried on the bench by season's end. His role will be discussed during the offseason.

2. WHO WILL BE THE PRIMARY SCORERS?

The Gamecocks will lose 52 percent of their scoring, most of it from Downey. (And that doesn't include Archie, who was the team's leading scorer before getting hurt in the sixth game.)

So expect the scoring to be more evenly distributed, with nobody averaging as many as 20 points a game but a bunch averaging in the 12-16 range.

Among returning players,Muldrow averaged 10.3 points this season and showed flashes of his potential. Lakeem Jackson does not have a good jump shot, but by the end of the season he was becoming adept at scoring in the low post. Ramon Galloway can shoot the ball and score in transition.

As for the new players, Cooke averaged 9.6 points a game as a sophomore at Nevada and should be able to contribute. Ellington was a dynamic scorer in high school at Berkeley, though he isn't the shooter Downey is. Harris isn't considered much of a scorer, but freshman Brian Richardson could provide shooting off the bench.

3. HOW GOOD CAN MULDROW BE?

Muldrow probably will be the best pro prospect on next year's team, but can he carry it? Probably not.

The team will be content if Muldrow is consistent. He often followed breakout games with ones in which he was hardly a factor - which partially could be blamed on having to carry the load down low after the injury to Archie and the dismissal of Mike Holmes.

Still, the outlook for Muldrow is positive, given that he has improved his scoring and rebounding averages each season.

4. WHAT WILL BE THE TEAM'S GREATEST STRENGTH?

Horn loves depth and versatility - and next year's team should have those traits.

There are multiple candidates to start at the four positions other than center, many of whom can play more than one spot. Cooke, Jackson, Steed and incoming freshman R.J. Slawson can play both forward spots. Muldrow, Harris, Johndre Jefferson and perhaps Slawson can play in the post.

Ellington, Galloway and incoming freshman Eric Smith can run the point. Galloway, Stephen Spinella and Richardson can play either guard spot.

It's an athletic group, allowing Horn to return to his up-tempo, trapping style, which he pulled back on this season due to a lack of depth.

5. WHAT IS A REALISTIC EXPECTATION?

Whether it's a rebuilding season or a surprisingly successful one will depend on several factors: Archie's status, how well Ellington fares in replacing Downey, and the level of improvement by the players. As for the rest of the SEC, that could be dictated in the coming months.

Kentucky will lose three and perhaps four starters to the NBA draft, but coach John Calipari is likely to reload with more mega-prospects. Florida, which is due to return nearly everybody, could be the preseason favorite. The rest of the Eastern Division will hope key players aren't tempted to go pro, including Trey Thompkins (Georgia), Scotty Hopson (Tennessee) and Jeffery Taylor (Vanderbilt).

Whatever happens, it would be a stretch to demand an NCAA tournament trip out of the Gamecocks - unless the field is expanded to 96 teams. Barring that, a return to the NIT, or at least a winning record, seems a reasonable goal.

Horn was a great choice for the Cocks, next year might be rough. But they will be find in the future.