When Richie Riley was asked about Jordan Roper during Wednesday’s media golf outing, he spoke about a changed man.

The senior guard from Irmo has used this offseason to transform his game on the defensive end of the floor.

“Jordan has always been a guy that can run around and make shots. He’s a great athlete. He makes explosive plays,” Riley said. “But, defensively, he’s taken the next step and added some toughness. Then, offseason workouts, he’s shown that he’s going to be tougher. He’s going to compete harder.

“I’ve been really proud of him…I’ve worked with him a ton. He’s one of our most improved guys all the way around. Not only skill-wise, but his demeanor has changed. I think you’ve gotten to see that. He’s going to have to have an edge and play like that.”

Roper showed stretches of strong play last season. He picked up ACC Co-Player of the Week honors on Feb. 2 after averaging 21 points in conference wins over N.C. State and Boston College.

For the season, Roper 6.5 points per game. He was third on the team with 28 made 3-pointers.

“I think the consistency will improve, because of the edge he’s playing with right now,” Riley said. “He’s a guy, a senior, who’s had a good career and he wants to go out with an NCAA Tournament, and try to make a run.

“He’s shown that with his urgency. By urgency, he’s in there shooting. He’s pushing guys to be better, so I definitely think the consistency with Jordan will be there this year.”

Riley also weighed in on a few of Roper’s teammates:

Avry Holmes:

“Avry adds a different dimension to our team, from an offensive standpoint. His ability to make plays scoring the ball is going to huge for us. With the shot-clock going down to 30 seconds, it’s important to have guards that are capable of putting the ball in their hands, you can set a high, flat ball screen, work through the space and for them to be able to make a play. He’s definitely a guy that can do that. He also has an ability to raise up and shoot over top of guys. With his bounce, he can create some space. He does get some quality shots, especially when the shot clock is ticking down. He’s definitely going to be huge for us offensively.”

Shelton Mitchell:

“With his speed and ability to get downhill with his size, he’s going to add another dimension to what we do next year — help us play a little bit faster. He’s going to work on his jump-shot, keep improving that. The thing that people don’t understand, he’s not a bad shooter. He just doesn’t take a ton of them. He’s got to improve his confidence, with that regard.”

Marcquise Reed:

“He’s an unbelievable mid-range shooter, great at using the bounce to create space, shoots the 3 really well, and can attack and get to the free-throw line and finish with size inside. We really struggled with him, so when we found out he was leaving after the season, it was a no-brainer to go after him. Thankful we were able to get him. I think he’ll be a special player here for three years.”