By james art 
The South Carolina Gamecocks stumbled in their first game of the men’s basketball season, losing to North Florida Ospreys. Now, head coach Lamont Paris knows there is work to be done.
In a game the Gamecocks lost by three points, the team’s poor penalty kick execution stood out among the problems they had. After the game, Paris addressed those issues, sharing a general assessment of how to fix those issues moving forward.
“Do you want me to be real? I mean, how do you correct penalty kick shooting? I guess you practice shooting free throws,” Lamont Parris said. “Some guys naturally shoot free throws better than others. They probably have their whole lives. Other guys can always improve by practicing.
South Carolina finished the game making just 14 of 25 free throws, 56 percent. That comes a season after the Gamecocks were 219th in the country in field goal percentage, making 71.1 percent for the 2023-24 season.
“It’s also a sample of one game,” Parris said. “I didn’t even look, but somebody probably had a really bad percentage tonight and that’s not what I’m going to shoot for all season. So today was the day they did that and maybe they’re not great shooters, but they’re not going to shoot like they did today all the time.”
Five different Gamecocks went to the penalty line in the loss. only Jamari Thomas was perfect from the line, making four of four shots. Colin Murray-Boyles, Nick Pringleand Cam Scott all made less than 50 percent of their shots from the free throw line.
“We do a lot of things in training. I always tell them when your name is called, on the penalty line, whenever that is, you have to stand up. They call your name, the referee gives you the ball, stand up. Make them. We didn’t and I must have been infected. Therein lies the problem, that there is no correlation between my ability or propensity to make a free throw and yours. So I can look at you and say, “He’s struggling today. I’ll take it. I will inspire him. I’m going to tell him something really encouraging. But when I get up there, I’ll do mine. That’s for sure. Then I will continue to help him. Then your number ends up being a better number. In a game like this, they all matter,” Paris said.
“We just had some lack of discipline in the game and in defense. I fouled a three-point shooter, which my guys know is my dream to go a whole season without fouling a three-point shooter, and we got to game number one.”
South Carolina will play next Friday against State of South Carolina. The hope for Lamont Paris is that the Gamecocks are able to shoot better and have a rebounding performance.