In a conference where football means everything, things are looking up for Southeastern Conference basketball these days.
Kentucky is two victories away from their first National Championship since 1998. Florida was one of the biggest surprises during the 2012 NCAA Tournament by advancing to the Elite Eight as a 7-seed. Vanderbilt won the SEC Tournament for the first time since 1951. Alabama saw a resurgence this season by reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2006. And first-year head coach Cuonzo Martin led Tennessee to a 2nd place finish in the conference regular season after they were predicted to finish 11th.
But perhaps the biggest statement heading into the offseason might have been made by the South Carolina Gamecocks.
That is not a typo. South Carolina has made a splash in college basketball. Just yesterday, the University of South Carolina hired Frank Martin from Kansas State to become its 32nd head coach in the history of the program.
Many in the college basketball world are still wondering how South Carolina athletic director Eric Hyman was able to pull this off.
From an initial glance, you would think Frank Martin is crazy for making this move. Kansas State has won at least 20 games every season since Martin replaced Bob Huggins in 2007. He has led the Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament four out of five years while at the helm. The Wildcats have won at least one NCAA Tournament game during each of those four years, including an Elite Eight appearance in 2010. Martin guided the Wildcats to the third round of the NCAA Tournament this season before falling to 1-seed Syracuse.
Meanwhile, South Carolina has been abysmal for the most part since it last reached the NCAA Tournament in 2004. Last week, head coach Darrin Horn was fired for a lack of wins and dwindling attendance. Horn was hired by South Carolina in 2008 after he led Western Kentucky to the Sweet Sixteen. But Horn was never able to replicate that success in Columbia. The Gamecocks reached the NIT during his first season, but followed that up with three consecutive losing seasons.
South Carolina finished the 2011-12 with a 10-21 overall record and 2-14 record in SEC play. The Gamecocks never won an SEC Tournament game under Horn. The high point of the Darrin Horn era came back in 2010, when the Gamecocks defeated top-ranked Kentucky in Columbia.
Dwindling fan support was another reason for the dismissal of Horn. South Carolina fans have voiced frustration over the direction of the program by not attending home games. Over the past few seasons, Colonial Life Arena has been one of the more lifeless venues for big-time college basketball. There were even a number of occurrences where visiting team fans outnumbered Gamecocks’ fans.
But when taking a deeper look, Frank Martin’s move to South Carolina makes sense. The Gamecocks have often been thought of as a sleeping giant in the SEC. South Carolina has the facilities and big-time college atmosphere to attract top recruits. With the exception of men’s basketball, South Carolina athletics has reached new heights. South Carolina football, baseball, and women’s basketball all exemplify unprecedented success.
Head coach Steve Spurrier has made South Carolina football an elite program. The Gamecocks are coming off their first 11-win season in school history after defeating Nebraska in the 2012 Capital One Bowl. South Carolina competed in the SEC Championship Game in 2010 for the first time in school history. The Gamecocks have also defeated in-state rival Clemson three years in a row. Not to mention, South Carolina is known for having one of the best home field advantages in the SEC.
South Carolina’s baseball team has won the College World Series the past two seasons. The Gamecocks are once again nationally-ranked as they begin their quest for a third straight College World Series.
Dawn Staley recently guided the South Carolina women’s basketball team to its first ever Sweet Sixteen. The Lady Gamecocks also reached the semifinals of the SEC Tournament this season for the first time in program history.
The university’s commitment to athletics is a major reason why Frank Martin decided to take the South Carolina job. Martin knows that he will have the full support of the South Carolina administration as he attempts to revitalize this once-proud program. There have also been rumors circulating that Frank Martin did not get along with Kansas State athletic director, John Currie. Regardless, the move brings Martin closer to home. Frank Martin grew up in Miami and is familiar with recruiting in the southeast.
Martin’s biggest obstacle will be instilling a winner’s mentality in Columbia, which is something that has been missing for quite some time. This winner’s mentality is needed to keep in-state recruits at home and play for South Carolina. Duke and North Carolina have dominated recruiting in the Carolinas. The revival of NC State basketball this season only creates more competition for Martin and the Gamecocks.
And let’s not forget about the grueling competition in the SEC. This conference is not just dominant in football. Kentucky is the prized program of the conference. Florida and Vanderbilt are not far behind. Alabama, Arkansas, and Tennessee are making significant progress. And Missouri and Texas A&M will have something to say about this when they join the SEC next season.
Frank Martin is aware of the challenges ahead, but he knows there is potential for a resurgence in South Carolina. Look for the Gamecocks to make some noise on the hardwood in the coming years. This sleeping giant is about to be awakened.
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