After COVID issue, Frank Martin’s Gamecocks open SEC play vs. Auburn at full strength

If not for a change in COVID-19 policy, the South Carolina men’s basketball team would open Southeastern Conference play short-handed.

But with the Centers for Disease Control shortening isolation guidelines for asymptomatic individuals from 10 days to five days — and with the SEC following suit with its own policy — Frank Martin’s squad should be at full strength in Tuesday’s SEC opener.

And that’s especially important for the Gamecocks (9-3), as they’ll be welcoming an Auburn team (12-1) that sits at No. 9 in the latest AP poll — marking the first Top 10 opponent USC has seen this season.

As sports teams all over the country grapple with mounting cases and the rise of the omicron variant, COVID-19 issues have impacted USC in each of the last three games. Four Gamecocks sat in a Dec. 18 loss at Clemson due to COVID-19 protocol, with two of those players returning in the subsequent Dec. 22 win against Army. Then a Dec. 29 matchup against South Carolina State was postponed, and Martin said Monday that postponement stemmed from COVID-19 issues within both programs.

“We’re no different than everyone else in the country,” Martin said Monday. “Guys went home for Christmas. We had COVID issues. That’s why the South Carolina State game was delayed. And so some guys have been practicing since Dec. 26. Some guys started practicing two days ago.

“We’re in a good place from a health standpoint. We should have everybody in uniform tomorrow.”

The Gamecocks defeated Army with four regular starters missing. Junior guard Jermaine Couisnard (ankle) and veteran power forward A.J. Wilson (knee) have returned to practice and should be available against Auburn, although freshman Jacobi Wright is likely to start at point guard while Couisnard builds up from the injury layoff.

The two COVID-19 holdovers, shooting guard James Reese and center Wildens Leveque, also project to return and slide into their customary starting roles.

USC will need all the firepower it can get against an Auburn team that score 80 points per game, and the return of the 6-foot-10 Leveque could be paramount with the Tigers playing through 7-foot-1 center Walker Kessler.

“They’re ultra-aggressive on the perimeter,” Martin said. “They’ve got some really hard-playing guys on the perimeter, and they force you to go play at the rim. And if you make the mistake of falling victim to that prey, they’ve got two elite shot blockers in Kessler and (Dylan) Cardwell.”

Despite the recent COVID-19 turbulence, this year’s revamped Gamecocks have found a groove on the court. Nine new players have given Martin one of his deeper teams in recent memory. Newcomers like guards Erik Stevenson and Reese have fortified USC’s backcourt and provided unquantifiable leadership through their veteran experience and aggressive edge on the court. The team’s three freshmen — Wright, Devin Carter and Ta’Quan Woodley — have each carved out sizable roles, with Wright starting at the point and Carter evolving into one of the team’s go-to scorers in big moments.

Wins against Florida State, UAB, Georgetown and Western Kentucky stand out on USC’s resume — as does a road loss at Coastal Carolina — but the next 18 games will define these Gamecocks.

“Obviously, we had three bumps on our schedule,” Stevenson said. “It’s tough; I think we should be at minimum 11-1 right now. But it showed that we got some guys, including myself, that got to play every night. We’ve got to strap it on every night. We’ve got to mentally prepare every night.”

Next USC men’s basketball game

Who:South Carolina vs. No. 9 Auburn

When: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday

Where:Colonial Life Arena in Columbia

Watch:SEC Network

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