South Carolina transfer Jermaine Couisnard finds new college home

Former South Carolina guard Jermaine Couisnard has found a new home.

Couisnard announced Thursday on social media that he will transfer to Oregon after also considering Gonzaga, DePaul, Maryland, Houston, UMass and Ohio State. Couisnard entered the transfer portal on March 25 — four days after USC hired Lamont Paris to replace fired 10-year coach Frank Martin.

A three-year starter for the Gamecocks, Couisnard delivered a handful of signature moments throughout his USC tenure, including a game-winning buzzer beater against Kentucky and a career-high 33 points in a win over LSU last season. The 6-foot-4 guard surged at the end of the year, finishing this past season as the Gamecocks’ leading scorer with 12.2 points per game.

Couisnard has dealt with his fair share of adversity, too. A native of East Chicago, Indiana, Couisnard lost one of his childhood friends to gun violence just before the 2020 season and opened up to The State about the mental health impact of that loss. Couisnard’s mother, Raven Merkerson, was diagnosed with colorectal cancer before the 2021-22 season, and Couisnard said he considered walking away from the team then.

But with the support of his family, Couisnard opted to return to school and finished his Gamecocks career on a strong note. After the firing of Martin, he was one of eight Gamecocks to enter the portal.

USC men’s basketball roster moves

Additions

Troy Boynton (April 16) — Evansville

Hayden Brown (April 23) — The Citadel

Meechie Johnson (April 25) — Ohio State

Ebrima Dibba (April 27) — Coastal Carolina

Transfers out (listed with new college)

Brandon Martin (April 27)

Keyshawn Bryant (April 22)

Mike Green (March 28)

Devin Carter (March 28) — Providence

Wildens Leveque (March 27) — Massachusetts

Ta’Quan Woodley (March 26) — Massachusetts

Jermaine Couisnard (March 25) — Oregon

Erik Stevenson (March 24) — West Virginia