The No. 4 Vols (24-6, 11-6 SEC) host the South Carolina Gamecocks (12-18, 2-15) for their final regular season home game of the year. The Gamecocks have been underwhelming this season, but head coach Lamont Paris has plenty of experience, especially in East Tennessee.
Paris began his basketball journey in 1992 as a player at the College of Wooster in Ohio. There he was a two-season captain for the Fighting Scots as well as a two-time All-North Coast Athletic Conference selection.
Following his graduation in 1996, he landed his first coaching job in a familiar place, rejoining Wooster as an assistant. After a two-year stint there, he accepted an assistant coaching job at DePauw. He spent two seasons there before accepting another assistant job, this time at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he lasted three years.
His next job was as an assistant to Keith Dambrot at Akron from 2005 to 2010, his first Division I coaching job. Dambrot quickly turned Akron around, posting a winning record every season he was there. The Zips qualified for the National Invitation Tournament in 2006 and 2008. The biggest accomplishment during Paris’ time came in 2009, when the Zips won the MAC Championship Game and qualified for the NCAA Tournament.
Paris left Akron in 2010, making his final stop as an assistant at Wisconsin from 2010 to 2017. He was a part of Bo Ryan’s back-to-back Final Four teams, where the Badgers lost in the title game in 2015. Shortly after, Paris was promoted to associate head coach under Greg Gard.
In April 2017, Paris landed his first head coaching job. He was announced as the 20th head coach of the Chattanooga Mocs, replacing Matt McCall.
His first two seasons at the helm were abysmal, winning just 22 games and losing 43. This included a 10-26 record in conference play over that span as well. He completely turned the program around in his third season, finishing with a 20-13 record but no postseason hopes.
Although Paris’ fourth season was much like his third, his final year in 2021 was special. After winning 18 games the year prior, his team exploded for 27 wins, losing just eight games. The Mocs won their division and made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2015 season. They took on No. 4 Illinois in the first round, losing 54-53 after leading for most of the game.
Following the loss, Paris was announced as the head coach of South Carolina on March 24, 2022. He replaced Frank Martin, who was let go by the Gamecocks after five seasons of missing the NCAA Tournament.
Paris’ time with the Gamecocks has had its ups and downs. He finished with an 11-21 record in his first year, sitting at No. 12 in the SEC standings. Last year, his squad finished 26-8 and 13-5 in SEC play. Paris was named SEC Coach of the Year in 2024, but his team lost to the Oregon Ducks in the Round of 64.
This season, the Gamecocks have returned to their 2023 ways. Heading into its matchup with Tennessee, South Carolina has won only 12 games this season. Although their chances are slim, the Gamecocks hope to spoil the Vols’ Senior Day on Saturday afternoon.
