South Carolina Men's Basketball Ranked No. 15 In New AP Poll

The Gamecocks earned the No. 15 spot in the poll after not receiving any votes at all two weeks ago and being the first team out of the poll last Monday. South Carolina leapt into the poll off the back of a dominant 79-62 upset over previously No. 6 Kentucky, a methodical 72-64 victory over Missouri and then another seismic victory at No. 5 Tennesse. It is the first ranking of the Lamont Paris era, an accomplishment he understands the significance of even if it does not directly translate to future success.

"In their minds it's a tremendous reward," Paris said of the players. "Some of these guys have probably never been on a team that's ranked before, and so I think it's significant. We're trying to grow. We're trying to grow and develop a program, and I think that's part of it."

Feb. 13, 2017 was the last poll which included the Gamecocks. Frank Martin's group wsa No. 21 in the poll, but dropped out after losing back-to-back games against Arkasnas and Vanderbilt. The team did make the Final Four despite never returning to the poll, and it has taken nearly seven full years to make it back. No. 15 is South Carolina's highest ranking since the 1997-98 season.

South Carolina received at least one vote in nine consecutive polls beginning on Nov. 20 after winning the Grand Canyon Invitational. Despite hovering in range of making it in the move never quite happened, with scattered losses to Clemson, Alabama and Georgia scuttling the momentum. The last of those three defeats was enough to remove all voters from last week's poll, only for the Gamecocks to turn around with their most impressive win of the season.

Part of it was due to a pre-season perception of the team, picked last place in the SEC media poll coming in.

We were waiting on someome to tell us if South Carolina was good or not," Paris said. "And in November, they told the world that we're not good. And people formed their opinion on that."

South Carolina will be back in action for two home games this week, hosting Ole Miss on Tuesday and Vanderbilt on Saturday.

"We don't want to go over the top with it," Paris said. "But I think it's a significant achievement for this group, and I'm very, very, very happy that they'll be able to attach a little number. It doesn't change the game, but it will change a lot in their minds."

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