Couisnard, Lawson Earn Coaches Preseason Honors

COLUMBIA, S.C. – University of South Carolina junior guard AJ Lawson was named to the First Team, and sophomore guard Jermaine Couisnard earned Second-Team honors, as the SEC released its 17^th annual coaches preseason All-SEC teams on Thursday.  It marks the first preseason honor of Couisnard’s career from the coaches, while Lawson collected the same accolade last season.
 
Couisnard led the Gamecocks with 14.8 points per game in SEC contests last season, en route to postseason All-Freshman Team honors from the coaches.  Overall last season, he averaged 12.1 points, a team high 3.2 assists and just under one steal per game.  Couisnard had 18 double-figure scoring games during his rookie campaign, including a career high 28-point performance at Ole Miss in early February.  His 18 games with three or more assists was a team best, and he tallied the first buzzer beater of his college career, hitting a last second 3 to clinch a home win over No. 10/12 Kentucky in SEC action.
 
Lawson, who last week earned preseason All-SEC Second Team honors from the media, had 23 double-figure scoring games last season, including six 20-point outings.  He had 10 games with three or more assists, dishing out an average of 1.9 per game.  Lawson, who is just 196 points away from reaching 1,000 for his career, matched his career high with eight made field goals five times last season.  In league games, he averaged 11.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists and had 13 double-figure scoring games.  His top performance in SEC action last season came in Carolina’s road win at Georgia, as he scored 20 behind seven makes from the field, while also dishing out two assists with three steals.
 
South Carolina begins the 2020-21 campaign when it hosts Coker in an exhibition next Wednesday at Colonial Life Arena.  Continue to visit GamecocksOnline.com for updates on Carolina basketball.

A list of the 2021 SEC Men’s Basketball Coaches Preseason All-SEC teams are below:

First Team All-SEC
John Petty Jr. – Alabama
Keyontae Johnson – Florida
Brandon Boston Jr. – Kentucky
Javonte Smart – LSU
Trendon Watford – LSU
AJ Lawson – South Carolina
John Fulkerson – Tennessee
Yves Pons – Tennessee 
 
Second Team All-SEC
Herbert Jones – Alabama
Desi Sills – Arkansas
Scottie Lewis – Florida
Olivier Sarr – Kentucky
Devontae Shuler – Ole Miss
Dru Smith – Missouri
Jermaine Couisnard – South Carolina
Savion Flagg – Texas A&M
Scottie Pippen, Jr. – Vanderbilt