“Jay Bilas Makes Bold Statement on South Carolina’s Place in SEC History”
Jay Bilas was on the call Wednesday as South Carolina faced Arkansas in the opening round of the SEC Tournament—and he made a striking observation about the Gamecocks.
Despite a tough season, South Carolina battled until the final moments but ultimately fell 72-68 to the Razorbacks. For Gamecock fans, it was a familiar sight: another close game slipping away.
Late in the second half, Bilas offered high praise for Lamont Paris’s squad, calling them the best last-place team the SEC has ever seen.
“I can’t imagine we’ve ever seen a team in last place as good as South Carolina,” Bilas remarked. “I don’t think there’s ever been one.”
Close, But Never Quite Enough
The 2024-25 season was a frustrating one for South Carolina. They started strong with a 10-3 nonconference record but struggled mightily in SEC play, finishing just 2-16 in the conference.
However, many of those SEC losses were heartbreakers. Wednesday’s four-point loss to Arkansas was just one of several razor-thin defeats.
- Auburn (66-63): The Gamecocks pushed the SEC regular-season champions to the limit.
- Vanderbilt (66-63): Another three-point loss that could have gone either way.
- Mississippi State (65-60, OT): A tough overtime defeat.
- Texas A&M (76-72) and Ole Miss (72-68): More games that slipped away late.
- Florida (70-69): Perhaps the most painful, as the Gators took their first lead of the game with just 4.8 seconds left.
Looking Ahead to 2025-26
With another season in the books, South Carolina will turn its attention to next year, hoping for better luck in close games. If they can find ways to close out tight contests, the Gamecocks may finally turn near-misses into victories.
