South Carolina’s Meechie Johnson (5) shoots during the GarNET & Black Madness on Tue., Oct. 21, 2025 at Colonial Life Arena.
tglantz@thestate.com
Basketball fans, rejoice. The wait is over.
Following a trip to Greensboro, North Carolina, for an exhibition with N.C. State, South Carolina men’s basketball tips off its 2025-26 regular season at home Tuesday against North Carolina A&T. USC will play four home games to open the season before heading up to White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, for a two-game stint at the Greenbrier Tip-Off.
If you’re just now shifting your focus from Gamecock football to hoops, here’s what you need to know:
Scouting report: Four home games to start the season
North Carolina A&T: USC opens the season against N.C. A&T and third-year coach Monté Ross. The Aggies enter their fourth season in the Coastal Athletic Association after moving from the Big South before the 2022-23 season. N.C. A&T looks for its first year of improvement under Ross after two consecutive 7-25 seasons (3-15 in conference play). The Aggies return just five players from last year’s roster. Mount Olive transfer Lureon Walker should be a primary scorer for the squad after averaging 17.5 points per game last season at the Division II level.
Southern Mississippi: The Golden Eagles took a step back last season under sixth year coach Jay Ladner, going from a 16-16 record in 2023-24 to an 11-22 record in 2024-25. Southern Miss. also went 1-13 on the road last season. Leading scorer Denijay Harris graduated after last season, leaving the team without a cemented No. 1 option. Israel Hart, who averaged 16.9 points at Division II Central Oklahoma last season, could be the answer.
Presbyterian College: The Blue Hose return to Columbia to face USC for the second-straight season. The Gamecocks took the win 69-59 in last year’s matchup. Presbyterian also lost its leading scorer as Kory Mincy transferred to George Mason. Fifth-year forward Jonah Pierce averaged 13.1 points in eight games for Presbyterian last year before a season-ending injury. If healthy, he could be a major factor for the Blue Hose this season.
Radford: The Radford game was scheduled under the Greenbrier Tip-Off contract, but the game will be played in Columbia. USC took down the Highlanders 74-48 last season. Tennessee Tech transfer Jaylon Johnson should lead the team in scoring after averaging 14.3 points last season. Also keep an eye on freshman forward Frederik Erichsen. He averaged 16.8 points last season in Germany’s top youth league, and has spent time with the Denmark senior men’s national team.
Gamecocks to watch
G Meechie Johnson, redshirt senior: In an age of college basketball where most players bounce around schools, Johnson’s path has been unique. He started at Ohio State in 2020-21, transferred to USC in 2022-23 and transferred back to Ohio State last season. After cutting his season short due to personal matters, Johnson is once again in Columbia for his sixth and final season of college basketball. He’ll look to repeat his All-SEC second team season from his 2023-24 stint with the Gamecocks. He seems to be on the right track after putting up 20 points and four assists against N.C. State.
G Eli Ellis, freshman: Ellis is the most anticipated freshman of the five first-year players on the team. A product of Moravian Prep (N.C.) and the Overtime Elite League, he averaged 32.1 points per game on his way to a league MVP and championship during his final season in OTE. Ellis led the Gamecocks in scoring against N.C. State with 23 points and five threes in 27 minutes off the bench. He might not be a starter this year, but he will get consistent minutes.
G Kobe Knox, senior: Knox came off the bench against the Wolfpack, but he might take over the third starting guard spot by SEC play. A fourth-year transfer by way of Grand Canyon and South Florida, the 6-foot-5 guard led the team against N.C. State with five rebounds and a steal while putting up 12 points in 25 minutes, good for the fourth-most minutes played by a USC player in the game. The Gamecocks’ lack of overall size might lend to struggles on defense and the glass, and Knox’s effort in those areas could make a difference.
How to watch USC men’s basketball season opener
When: Tuesday, Nov. 4, 7 p.m.
Where: Colonial Life Arena (Columbia)
TV: SEC Network Plus
Radio: Gamecock Sports Network
South Carolina men’s basketball non-conference schedule
- Tuesday, Nov. 4: vs. North Carolina A&T, 7 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
- Sunday, Nov. 9: vs. Southern Mississippi, 6:30 p.m. (SEC Network)
- Wednesday, Nov. 12: vs. Presbyterian, 7 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
- Tuesday, Nov. 18: vs. Radford, 7 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
- Friday, Nov. 21: vs. Butler (at Greenbrier Tip-Off in West Va.), 2 p.m. (CBS Sports Network)
- Sunday, Nov. 23: vs. Northwestern (at Greenbrier Tip-Off in West Va.), 5 p.m. (CBS Sports Network)
- Friday, Nov. 28: vs. Charleston Southern, 4 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
- Tuesday, Dec. 2: vs. Virginia Tech (ACC/SEC Challenge), 7 p.m. (SEC Network)
- Saturday, Dec. 6: vs. Stetson, 2 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
- Saturday, Dec. 13: vs. The Citadel, 7 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
- Tuesday, Dec. 16: at Clemson, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
- Monday, Dec. 22: vs. S.C. State, 4 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
- Tuesday, Dec. 30: vs. Albany, 6 p.m. (SEC Network)
This story was originally published November 3, 2025 at 8:00 AM.
Jackson Castellano
The State
Jackson Castellano is The State’s college sports intern covering South Carolina men’s basketball. A Cape Coral, Florida, native, he is an alum of the University of Florida.
