The Wright choice: How Jacobi Wright lifted Gamecocks to win in first start of season

A change was needed after a tough season-opening loss to North Florida.

That change came in the form of senior Jacobi Wright being added to the starting lineup in South Carolina basketball’s 86-64 win over S.C State in Colonial Life Arena on Friday.

Wright is no stranger to the role, as he’s started 25 games in his career. That’s likely one of the reasons coach Lamont Paris turned to him.

Another is how Wright just makes the right play when he’s on the court. Paris is especially impressed with Wright’s growth defensively, saying “that’s probably the area that he has developed the most.”

“Some of it had to do with the propensity to do certain things better early on in the game,” Paris said. “And Jacobi Wright, just in his DNA as a basketball player, is the kind of guy who’s going to do those things more often.”

Wright responded with perhaps his best statistical performance of his career. He scored a career-high 20 points to go along with three assists and a block.

It was a must-win game for the Gamecocks after the disappointing season opener. Perhaps it was also a must-dominate game.

But it was even more than that for Wright: It was also a special day in the Wright household. It was Wright’s mother Mikisha’s birthday.

“I’m gonna give her credit. She gave me a few words before the game, motivated me a little bit for her birthday,” Jacobi Wright said.

In the exhibition and the first regular season game, the Gamecocks got off to slow starts, which Paris felt needed to change. It didn’t take long for him to put Wright in the first five. He let Wright know his number was being called, and it was academic from there.

Wright had been the first player off the bench, and in both of those previous games he provided a spark to a struggling Gamecock offense.

In the Wooster game, USC missed its first three 3-pointers before Wright came in and knocked one down. He had six points and an assist in the first half.

Similarly, he checked into the UNF game and immediately scored a layup and had a couple assists shortly after.

Paris needed that spark from tipoff, which prompted the lineup change.

Wright took the first shot of the game, attempting a 3-pointer early. Though it missed, it was indicative of the aggression he would show throughout the night.

Wright attempted 10 shots, only his sixth time with double-digit shots in his 96 collegiate appearances. He only had one such game all of last season.

“He’s developing into a well-rounded guy,” Paris said. “He made threes. I thought he did a good job of finding some good looks. He was aggressive on a couple of them also, which I like (them) to be aggressive as shooters.”

He finished with four 3-pointers, which was needed for USC, which struggled from beyond the arc all night. The Gamecocks shot 4-of-20, excluding Wright’s production.

Paris isn’t one to project lineups – or anything – for down the line. So, it’s not clear whether Wright will be the starter going forward.

What is clear: Wright will be ready for whatever he’s asked to do.

“I think that one of the biggest things for him is just, when you get open shots, be able to knock those things down,” Paris said. “Jump up with confidence and knock those things down. So, he did that tonight, and hopefully does the same thing every game.”

South Carolina schedule: Next four games

• Nov. 12 vs. Towson, 7 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)

• Nov. 16 at Indiana, 3 p.m. (Peacock/streaming only)

• Nov. 21 vs. Mercer, 7 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)

• Nov. 25 vs. Xavier – Fort Myers Tip-Off – 8:30 p.m. on FS1