Reports: South Carolina targeting Chattanooga’s Lamont Paris as next men’s basketball coach

COLUMBIA, S.C. — It appears that the Gamecocks much-maligned search for Frank Martin’s replacement is near its end.

According to multiple reports Monday night, South Carolina is zeroing in on Chattanooga’s Lamont Paris to become the next head coach of the Gamecocks.

Paris is fresh off the Mocs first-round loss to Illinois in the NCAA Tournament. Chattanooga finished the 2021-22 season with a 27-8 record and the program’s 12th Southern Conference championship.

The trip back to the NCAA Tournament was the first for the Mocs in six years.

Here is Chattanooga’s record in the five seasons Paris was at the helm:

2017-18: 10-23 (3-15 SoCon)

2018-19: 12-20 (7-11)

2019-20: 20-13 (10-8)

2020-21: 18-8 (9-7)

2021-22: 27-8 (14-4, SoCon Champs, NCAA Tournament)

Paris was also an assistant at Wisconsin for six seasons before taking over at Chattanooga. The Badgers reached four Sweet 16’s, a Final Four, and a national championship appearance in his time on staff.

South Carolina parted ways with Frank Martin last week after 10 years at South Carolina after the Gamecocks finished 18-13 (9-9 SEC) and missed out on the NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight year.