Last Friday South Carolina lost to Auburn 86-55 in the SEC tourney quarterfinals but still earned an at-large bid to this week’s NCAA tournament. The Gamecocks only won 11 games last year but have 26 wins so far this year as they are heading back to the NCAA tourney for the 1st time since 2017. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with South Carolina band member Brayden Russell about his team’s remarkable run.
You are from Blythewood, SC: what made you choose South Carolina? Growing up so close to Columbia, I have always been a Gamecock fan and around the University my entire life. Attending South Carolina and being a part of the Carolina Band has always been a dream of mine after watching the Band and SC’s athletic teams while growing up. It did not matter that I was going to be just 30 minutes from my house: South Carolina was and is home for me.
You are majoring in Chemical Engineering: why did you choose that subject? I chose to major in chemical engineering due to my interest in math/science-based subjects. I had a phenomenal high school chemistry teacher, which led me down the path of connecting chemistry to more advanced math and science classes, which led me to select chemical engineering. Following the completion of my undergraduate degree, I hope to study Patent Law in the Law School here at the University of South Carolina.
You are in the Honors College: how do you balance your work in the band with your work in the classroom? Managing work between the classroom and the Carolina Band can be a challenge at times. Most of my semesters are 18 credit hours’ worth of classes (the maximum amount per semester) along with a 4-day rehearsal week and a full-day commitment for home football games in the fall (away games are entire-weekend trips). While this can be a lot at times, I have been able to stay disciplined and able to make hard decisions to study rather than relax at times. It can lead to late nights and busy days, but I would not change anything. I am beyond happy to be where I am at right now academically while also balancing band commitments.
You are a trumpet section leader: how long have you played trumpet for, and what is your favorite song to play? I have played trumpet for the last 9 years, beginning in middle school. As far as my favorite song to play, nothing really beats South Carolina’s fight song called “Step to the Rear”…especially in high-stake moments like when our football team beat Clemson in Death Valley in 2022!
What is the best part of being in the Carolina Band? The best part of being in the Carolina Band is the family community that everyone is immediately a part of when they join. The members of the Carolina Band are some of my closest friends and the positive atmosphere is unmatched by other bands. I was welcomed to the Carolina Band with open arms as a freshman and fell right into the swing of things from Day 1. While there are plenty of other benefits (like being able to travel with pep bands or witnessing some of the greatest Gamecock games in history), at the end of the day it is the people here that you make those memories with which makes my time in this band so enjoyable.
The Gamecocks went 11-21 last year: how on earth were they able to go 26-7 this year? The jump from 11-21 to 26-7 cannot be emphasized enough; Lamont Paris won SEC Coach of the Year for a reason! His ability to attack the transfer portal and bring in immediate impact veteran players like BJ Mack/Ta’Lon Cooper/Stephen Clark/Myles Stute significantly elevated this team’s floor and ceiling prior to the season starting. Coach Paris also has a great staff with the ability to develop talent, as evidenced by the improved play of guys such as Zach Davis/Josh Gray/Jacobi Wright. Combined with the star power of Meechie Johnson and freshman Collin Murray-Boyles, Coach Paris has built an intense brand of basketball and winning culture here in Columbia. I hope to see a similar approach in his upcoming seasons as head coach of the Gamecocks, but thanks to his elite coaching/recruiting methods he has put the Gamecocks back in the national spotlight.
What is your favorite memory from this season: going 12-1 in non-conference play, beating Kentucky/Tennessee last month, other? My favorite memory is the home upset over Kentucky. I was in attendance for the game as a fan and it was scheduled to be our “blackout game” this season. I remember sitting in the upper-deck with my friends and beginning to discuss if we needed to go down to the lower levels in the event of a court-storming. Luckily, we chose to go down with 4 minutes remaining and were able to storm the court with the rest of the Cockpit. Aside from the court-storming, the main reason this game stood out to me was because of the statement this game made. It was the first of many high-quality wins for the Gamecocks, which helped propel them to qualify for the NCAA Tournament.
Last fall you learned that your band will be a featured performer in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade: what was your reaction when you heard the news? Pure disbelief, at first. Eventually it set in as a reality…but it is still impossible to truly capture the excitement of everyone in the band (myself included). To be a part of such a highly commended parade as one of the feature bands in the nation is a huge honor. Not only is this a huge landmark in the Carolina Band’s legacy, but it is a massive opportunity as well. Being fortunate enough to be selected to play the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a huge recruitment opportunity on a national scale. This is the largest recruiting opportunity not only in the history of the band but also the university. We have a chance to share Gamecock culture with the world and hopefully we can put the nation on notice that the Carolina Band and South Carolina is the place to be!
How does your school decide who gets to go to the NCAA tourney, and what will it mean to you to see your band doing its thing in front of a national TV audience? The Carolina Basketball Band is divided into three pep-bands: Sumter, Greene, and Assembly Band (named after streets on campus). During the regular season, two of these bands are called up to play at men’s and women’s basketball home games while the third has the night off. The three bands rotate each game to help put together a complete band for home games. Each individual pep band is assigned to specific tournaments at the beginning of the year for when tournament season rolls around. That individual pep band will travel to that tournament they are assigned to for the duration of the tournament in that city. Basketball band members can also sub in for multiple tournament trips to fill open spots as they arise due to work or school-related conflicts.
How do you feel about being a 6-seed in Pittsburgh, and what do you know about Oregon? I feel like a 6-seed is fair for the Gamecocks based on their season, and I feel it gives us the best shot to make a run than any other seed could. I know Oregon is no joke: an 11-seed for them is honestly too low to accurately depict their ability to win. The Pac-12 champions were able to take down both Arizona/Colorado, both of whom are also in the NCAA Tournament. Oregon is finally getting back to full strength at the right time with the recent return of N’Faly Dante. This team is legit, and now Jermaine Couisnard has a shot to get revenge on his former squad with a talented Ducks team. This first-round matchup is guaranteed to live up to all the hype due to the talent and storylines surrounding the game.