Lamont Paris’ South Carolina basketball team begins their season in less than a month. On November 4th, the North Florida Ospreys will travel to Colonial Life Arena for the opener, and the 2024-2025 Gamecock season officially will be underway. In the weeks leading up to the first game, GamecockCentral will profile each member of the team. Today we will look at sophomore forward Collin Murray-Boyles.
Collin Murray-Boyles (Sophomore, Power Forward, 6’8”, 245 pounds)
Last Season : 28 games (19 starts), 10.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal, 1.8 assists, 59.7%/0%/66.7%
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Collin Murray-Boyles has a chance to merge into superstardom during his sophomore season. After missing the start of his freshman campaign with mononucleosis, the Columbia native took a while to his body back up to the necessary strength and conditioning levels needed to play a starting role in the SEC. However, once he claimed a spot in the first 5, it became clear that No. 30 was special.
As a starter, CMB averaged 12.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, 1.4 steals, and 2.1 assists. He also made 60.8% of his shots from the floor and turned the ball over just 1.3 times per game.
This year, those numbers should be even better. Murray-Boyles hit the showcase circuit this summer and impressed scouts at every stop. If the strides he’s taken this summer translate to the floor, and if he showcases the ability to make occasional outside jumpers, his preseason Third Team All-SEC honor will seem like an underrating.
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The situation this season also should be better for Collin Murray-Boyles’ success. Last year, the natural power forward had to play a lot of defensive minutes at center because of the athleticism deficiencies of the other post players on the roster. That took its toll physically on him at times, limiting him a bit. Thanks to the addition of Nick Pringle at center, Murray-Boyles shouldn’t have to guard the SEC’s biggest players much.
On offense, the gravity of the other bigs will open things up a bit for Murray-Boyles, as well. Pringle is a real lob threat who will have the opposing defense’s eyes at all times. Jordan Butler, despite struggles at Missouri, is a good outside shooter, thus, also creating natural spacing. When Lamont Paris calls Collin Murray-Boyles’ number, he (theoretically) will have more room to operate this year. His left-handed hook and post spin move won’t be met with immediate double-teams and help side defenders nearly as often. If they are, the sophomore star will have plenty of assist opportunities coming his way.
CMB has been all over mock NBA Drafts this offseason, and with a good year with the Gamecocks, he could be a 1st round pick. It seems a foregone conclusion he will be in the Association next year.
Murray-Boyles and the Gamecocks hope to follow up a record-tying 26-win season and 2nd-place SEC finish with another strong year. Another trip to the NCAA Tournament would mark South Carolina’s first back-to-back berths in the Big Dance since the 1990s.
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