South Carolina basketball is five games into its 2024-2025 SEC schedule. The Gamecocks are 10-8 and 0-5 in conference play coming off of a 20-point loss to Oklahoma on Saturday.

The upcoming week represents a massive (and, perhaps, the last) opportunity for Lamont Paris’ team to save their season. As is life in the SEC, Carolina will welcome two NCAA Tournament-bound teams to Colonial Life Arena. First up is a date with the Florida Gators.

[Win tickets: South Carolina-Florida MBB]

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Resume Check: Florida Gators

Record: 16-2 (3-2 in SEC)
AP Ranking: No. 5
Last Week: Loss to Missouri 82-83 in Gainesville; Win over Texas 84-60 in Gainesville
Previous Meeting: South Carolina won 82-76 in Columbia during 2023-2024 season

Florida has been ranked in the AP top 25 all season for a reason. Todd Golden’s team is really good and could challenge for one of the top seeds in this year’s NCAA Tournament.

The Gators went 13-0 during their non-conference schedule, including a win over the North Carolina Tar Heels in Charlotte. Though they have two losses in conference play, they’ve come by a combined seven points. UF also knocked off the then-No. 1 Tennessee Volunteers in dominant fashion, 73-43.

Heading into this week, Florida is 4th in the SEC in scoring (85.9 points per game). They also are 3rd in the league in scoring defense (65.6 points per game). The Gators are the best rebounding team in the SEC and tie for the top rebounding margin in America. They do send opposing teams to the free throw line at a high rate, something that plays into the Gamecocks’ strong ability to get to the charity stripe.

Florida boasts four double-digit scorers as all three perimeter starters (Walter Clayton, Jr., Alijah Martin, and Will Richard) and big man Alex Condon each average at least 10.8 points per contest. Clayton and Martin lead the way at 17.9 and 16.2, respectively. Clayton ranks second in the conference in 3-pointers made, as well.

Both of Florida’s starting post players (Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu) sit in the SEC’s top 10 in rebounding as they each pull down better than seven rebounds a night. However, the Gators are a balanced rebounding group with six different players averaging at least 4.5 boards per game.

Coming into the game against South Carolina, the Florida Gators are pretty healthy. Thanks to a broken leg suffered last season, 7’1″ post player Micah Handlogten is redshirting this year (along with 7’9″ center Olivier Rioux). Other than those expected absences, UF hasn’t dealt with many players missing games. Coach Golden didn’t include any Gators on his SEC-mandated availability report last week.

The Gamecocks and Gators will tip off at 7:00 p.m. in Colonial Life Arena on Wednesday, January 22nd. SEC Network will broadcast the game, and the ESPN app will stream it.

President Joe Biden on Sunday marked the final full day of his presidency by visiting South Carolina, the state that propelled him in 2020 to the presidency.  

After a tour of the International African American Museum with his friend, U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., Biden thanked South Carolinians for their support and spoke on themes of faith and community, history and memory, sacrifice and service. 

“Let me close where I started — gratitude for all you’ve done for me,” Biden told an invitation-only crowd at the IAAM.  Then he went on to quote a passage from Psalm 37:25, saying, “‘I have been young and now am old. I have not seen the righteous forsaken.’ And after all these years working alongside you [in this state], I know that’s true.”

White House officials said the visit — on the eve of the national holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. —  reflected Biden’s commitment to the civil and equal rights movements. That the president chose South Carolina underscores his deep ties to the state, the place that “brought him to the dance,” as he likes to say. 

A swansong tour

Biden began his swansong in South Carolina at Royal Missionary Baptist Church in North Charleston, where he attended a worship service and addressed the congregation. The president spoke about a range of topics, from King’s legacy to the Israel-Hamas cease fire to the challenges facing the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump, before taking his seat in the front pew alongside First Lady Jill Biden and Clyburn.  Trump is to be sworn in at noon Monday inside the U.S. Capitol after an outdoor ceremony was moved due to cold weather. 

After church, the Bidens toured the IAAM, located in downtown Charleston on Gadsden’s Wharf. The site once served as the single largest point of entry for enslaved people in the United States. 

After the tour, Biden prepared to address a small crowd of invited supporters and members of the press while a combined choir called Voices of Liberation performed gospel songs. 

IAAM President and CEO Tonya Matthews welcomed attendees. The Rev. Joseph Darby delivered an invocation. Dr. Jill Biden offered her own words of gratitude for the state of South Carolina. 

And then Clyburn enumerated the president’s extensive contributions to the state in the form of economic investment, saying “from interstates to infrastructure … [Biden] has benefited this state like nobody since Lyndon Johnson.” Clyburn also presented the president with a special commemorative award made of sweetgrass. 

Others joining the president during his Charleston visit were daughter Ashley Biden and son Hunter Biden.

Related

Chef Ambassadors represent the state

PUBLISHED ON January 19, 2025

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Governor Henry McMaster announced chefs from Greenville, Conway, and North Charleston have been selected to represent South Carolina as 2025 Chef Ambassadors. He was joined by the Commissioner of Agriculture, Hugh Weathers, and the Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism Director, Duane Parrish.

Jeanne Koenigsberg, executive chef and kitchen general manager of Swamp Rabbit Cafe and Grocery, Greenville
Darren Smith, owner and executive chef of Rivertown Bistro and Bonfire, Conway
Shuai Wang, chef and owner of Jackrabbit Filly and King BBQ, North Charleston

Chef Ambassadors represent the state through food festivals and other promotional opportunities, sharing South Carolina’s culinary traditions, agricultural heritage, and undiscovered places with the world. They support our state’s farmers by using Certified South Carolina produce, meats, dairy, seafood, and other farm-fresh foods.

Now in its 11th year, the South Carolina Chef Ambassador program launched in 2014, unifying the major industries of tourism and agriculture, which collectively contribute tens of billions of dollars to the state’s economy and account for hundreds of thousands of jobs statewide.

Chefs are appointed by the Governor, and the program is run through a collaborative effort between the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism (SCPRT) and the South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA).

QUOTES

“Food is an important part of our state’s history, culture, and economy, and it’s where two of our largest industries – tourism and agriculture – overlap and excel. Our world-class culinary talent is highlighted and celebrated through the Chef Ambassador program, showcasing the best of South Carolina chefs, farmers, and locally grown products. I congratulate the 2025 class on this tremendous culinary honor.” -Gov. Henry McMaster

“Our Chef Ambassadors help people learn about the roots of their food – how it’s grown and who grows it. Food and agriculture are part of who we are in the Palmetto State. On behalf of South Carolina’s farmers, I’m pleased to welcome the 2025 class of Chef Ambassadors to showcase their talents and represent their communities throughout this year and beyond.” -Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers

“Today’s travelers are looking for authentic experiences, and they see food as an essential pathway to getting a true taste of a destination. Countless vacation itineraries are planned around reservations at the destination’s top-rated restaurants, or in some cases, having a meal at the backroad barbecue joint you saw on social media is actually the inspiration for the entire weekend getaway. Chef Ambassadors are an essential ingredient in our state’s recipe for tourism success, helping fuel our tourism industry and boost our economy. The 2025 class will add their own flavors and perspectives to the rich culinary story we share with the world as we invite visitors to discover South Carolina.” -Director of the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism Duane Parrish

“I’m humbled to accept this nomination in a non-traditional food service establishment. It reminds us that the work we are doing is important to our community and surrounding communities. I know that this will continue to give us a platform to show the importance of local agriculture here in South Carolina.” -Chef Jeanne Koenigsberg, Swamp Rabbit Cafe and Grocery

“I have been cooking professionally for 36 years and have had the privilege of owning Rivertown Bistro for 30 of those years. Throughout my career, I’ve been committed to showcasing the incredible bounty of South Carolina, from the rich harvests of local farms to the fresh seafood from our coastline just miles away. As someone born and raised in South Carolina, I’ve always believed our state is the most beautiful, with its diverse landscapes and world-class products. To be named a South Carolina Chef Ambassador is an honor beyond anything I ever dreamed of. This opportunity is more than a title. It’s a chance to learn from others, build relationships with fellow chefs and farmers, and share my culinary knowledge and passion for South Carolina’s vibrant food culture. I’m excited to represent our great state and look forward to an unforgettable year ahead.” -Chef Darren Smith, Rivertown Bistro and Bonfire Taqueria

“This opportunity is a great way for me to showcase just how easy it is to support your local farmers and fishermen, and that any cuisine is able to utilize what is locally grown seasonally. I’m looking forward to all the fun events that I get to be a part of this year, representing Charleston and South Carolina. I grew up in New York, and I never thought I would live anywhere in the South when I was young. When I came down to Charleston to visit one year, I completely fell in love. I worked with some local farms in New York, but not nearly as many or with this amount of variety that is available in Charleston. Certain farmers I’ve been buying from since my wife and I’s first business back in 2015, they’ve become family. That’s one of my favorite parts about living in Charleston, it’s a community.” -Chef Shuai Wang, Jackrabbit Filly and King BBQ

–Eva Moore, SCDA