Despite a trip to the Final Four last season, South Carolina was picked to finish near the bottom of the SEC by the media.

The Gamecocks were picked to finish 11th in the conference in front of only Mississippi State, LSU and Tennessee.

Kentucky was picked to win the SEC.

In the same vein, no Gamecock was named to either the first or second All-SEC teams.

Georgia’s Yante Maten, Missouri’s Michael Porter Jr. and Texas A&M’s Robert Williams were all listed as preseason SEC Player of the Year.

The Gamecocks start their regular season on the road Nov. 11 against Wofford. They’ll also play an exhibition on Oct. 30 against Erskine at Colonial Life Arena.

ALSO SEE: Four-star big man likes Martin, expected to visit campus soon | The Insider Report | Snap Count: USC/Tennessee | Bye Week Breakdown: How the Gamecocks arrived at 5-2

JOIN THE DISCUSSION: The Insiders Forum