Exhibition Game: NC State versus USC (east)

SB Nation

Exhibition Game Details

NC State Wolfpack versus South Carolina Gamecocks
Date / Time: Sunday, October 26 4:30
First Horizon Coliseum, Greensboro NC
Tickets still available through Ticketmaster
Double Header: Immediately follows the 2:00 Lady Pack vs Maryland game
TV / Radio: No TV / Wolfpack Sports Network – introducing Chucky Brown!

Introducing the Gamecocks

The Gamecocks are coming off a 12-20 / 2-16 last place season. But let’s not forget, the SEC was a monster last season, sending 14 teams to the NCAAT. (South Carolina just barely

missed the cut)

But who cares about that because most of those guys are gone. This team is nearly all new, hard to predict, and their favorite clownblog ’Backing the Cocks’ is probably saying something similar about the Wolfpack.

The SEC writers have voted and predict the ‘25-‘26 Gamecocks will again finish last in the league. KenPom and Torvik concur, ranking them 86th and 106th respectively.

They beat Georgia Tech in their ‘not so secret’ scrimmage last weekend, .

Coach Lamont Paris (a buddy of Adam Sandler’s) is starting his 4^th season at USC and his 8^th overall as a head coach. Coincidentally, he began his head coaching career at Chattanooga a couple of seasons after our favorite coach did.

This offseason his goal was to bring in more depth, experience, and particularly outside shooting. He thinks he has done just that. He is particularly excited about the guard tandem of Stute and Johnson who played together on their 2024 NCAAT team.

Here’s what Coach Paris is working with this season

4 Returnees

Myles Stute – 6’7” RS-Senior guard – Started 14 games last season and was then lost for the season with an injury. Averaged 5.4 / 2.7 / 1.1 and shot 32.8% from 3PT.
Cam Scott (6’6” guard) and Jordan Butler (7’0” forward) averaged a cumulative 4.3 / 2.2 and did not start.
Eli Sparkman is a walk-on who did not play last season.

6 Transfers

Meechie Johnson – 6’2” RS-Senior Guard – He’s baaaack! Played two seasons at Ohio State, transferred to South Carolina and started every game for two seasons, transferred back to Ohio State and started 10 games and then took the rest of last season off for personal reasons. Averaged 9.1 / 2.5 / 2.7 and shot 35.6% from 3PT.
Elijah Strong – 6’8” Junior Forward – Started 19 games for BC last season. Averaged 9.6 / 4.1 / .9 and shot 36.2% from 3PT.
Mike Sharavjamts – 6’9” Senior Guard – Started 29 games for Utah last season. Averaged 5.6 / 1.9 / 2.6 and shot 31.5% from 3PT.
Nordin Kapic – 6’8” Senior Forward – Started 33 games at UC-San Diego. Averaged 10.7 / 5.2 / 1.2 and shot 30.7% from 3PT.
Christ Essandoko – 7’0” RS-Junior Forward – Started 7 games at Providence. Averaged 4.3 / 3.9 / .8 and shot 21.4% from 3PT
Kobe Knox – 6’5” RS-Senior Guard – Started 22 games at USF. Averaged 10.8 / 3.1 / 1.6 and shot 33.1% from 3PT.

And 5 freshmen

Eli Ellis (6’0” Point Guard) is the highest ranked player in the class, 4-star ranked #69
Abu Yarmah (6’6” Guard), Grant Polk (6’6” Guard), EJ Walker (6’7” Forward), and Hayden Assemian (6’6” Forward) are 3-star recruits.

*** Projected Starters ***