The South Carolina Gamecocks men basketball team (8-3) may have to rework their team goals for the 2009-2010 season after it was determined that their star forward, Dominique Archie, would have to undergo season ending knee surgery. 

The 6'7" Augusta, Ga. native went down with a right knee sprain in the fifth game of the season against Miami. 

Although it was believed he would return at some point in SEC play, that hope was dashed recently when South Carolina coach Darrin Horn announced that Archie will miss the remainder of the 2009-10 season.

For the Gamecocks, losing Archie (who had been averaging 14.4 points and a team-leading 6.0 rebounds on 53 percent shooting) is a major blow to their NCAA Tournament hopes.

USC came into this season as a real contender for an at-large bid to the Big Dance and looked to be a team that could cause a ruckus in an improved Southeastern Conference.

Last season, the Gamecocks finished with a share of the SEC East Division crown with the Tennessee Volunteers, and many thought they could finish strong this season to earn a trip to the Big Dance. 

Now, however, the team make-up is different and their “Mr. Everything” is gone. 

It remains to be seen if some younger players can step up and fill the void left by Archie to compete in a stronger SEC.

As the team’s second-leading scorer after five games, he worked for important rebounds, defended forwards and guards with ease, and could extend defenses by hitting the outside shot. 

Archie was in the midst of a breakout senior season and thought to be USC's ticket not only to making the NCAA Tournament, but possibly advancing and playing deep into March.

Yet his absence has clearly been evident this season as scoring droughts at crucial times have been a major problem, especially in a loss last Saturday at Wofford, in which they had obvious problems closing out a winnable game. 

USC is playing like a team searching for its identity, especially now that their other starting forward, Mike Holmes, is shelved for at least a few more weeks after having surgery to repair a broken bone in his face. 

The Gamecocks just don’t present matchup problems without Archie and are weaker inside with not having him or Holmes. 

A lot will be learned about this team in the next week with important non-conference matchups versus Boston College on Dec. 30, and a day-after New Year's showdown against Baylor at home—two pivotal games which may determine the future of the Gamecocks' season. Will the Gamecocks respond to the challenge and step it up?  Or is this season doomed?

The NIT may seem like the logical destination now that South Carolina is without its leading man, but there are still plenty of games to be played.  Last season's leading scorer, 5'9" senior Devan Downey, has played admirably in Archie's absence, averaging 17.5 points and 2.7 steals for the Cocks thus far. And at 8-3, they're currently tied for third in the SEC with Florida, and upstart Tennessee (8-2) is within striking distance. 

The Gamecocks are a resilient bunch, and both players and fans alike should take to heart the South Carolina State motto, which says "Dum Spiro Spero": While I breathe, I hope.