SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS BASKETBALL
The Gamecocks improved to 3-0 Friday night with a suffocating 90-63 win over Cleveland State, the first time they've won their first three games in a season since 2017, the year that finished at the Final Four.
While none of the teams are considered world beaters—all are ranked no better than No. 290 by KenPom—there has been a pretty common theme throughout the last six halves of basketball: South Carolina has one of the better defenses in the country to start the year.
Through three games they're outscoring opponents 233-150 with their closest margin of victory a 22-point win over North Alabama in the season opener.
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On average, they're outscoring opponents by 27.7 points per game, which is second-best in the SEC behind Arkansas.
Last night's game against the Vikings looked like it would be close with the Gamecocks clinging to a five-point lead at half, but they responded by outscoring Cleveland state 45-23 in the second half to cruise to a 27-point win.
South Carolina is currently the fourth-best scoring defense in all of college basketball, holding teams to an average of 43.5 points per game behind Sacramento State, Virginia and Arkansas.
The Gamecocks are third in opponent field goal defenses, limiting other teams to shooting 24 percent from the field and are holding teams to just 16.3 percent from three, the fourth-best mark in the country.
Teams are shooting just 35.3 percent from inside the arc as well, which is sixth-best in the country right now.
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They're 18th nationally in rebounding margin at plus-14 and are tied for first in the SEC in turnover margin, averaging plus-seven per game.
Because of their stifling play to start the season, the Gamecocks have moved up 10 spots in KenPom's ratings, up to No. 58 from 68 where they were in the preseason.
They're also now predicted to finish the year 18-12 and 9-9 in the SEC, which is better than KenPom's initial prediction of 17-13, 8-10 SEC.
It's still too early to tell if those numbers will keep up through the entirety of a 30-plus game season, but the Gamecocks certainly look like they have the tools to be a quintessential Frank Martin level defense.
They have experienced guards and athletic bigs returning as well, along with Maik Kotsar and Alanzo Frink who are comfortable in Martin's system.
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The Gamecocks have a few days off before hosting Boston as one of their two home games as part of the Cancun Challenge.
They'll host Gardner Webb Nov. 22 before heading down to Mexico to face Wichita State and either Northern Iowa or West Virginia.