25 wins! South Carolina MBB outlasts Mississippi State. SEC Tournament up next
After the emotional loss against No. 4 Tennessee, South Carolina’s regular season finale carried some extra weight. The Gamecocks (25-6, 13-4 SEC), still fighting for a top 4 seed in the SEC tournament next week, had one last shot to solidify a 25-win regular season and pick up conference win No. 13.
The finale against Mississippi State (19-12, 8-10 SEC) was yet another, grind-it-out game on the road. Leading for over 38 minutes of the contest, including playing the second overtime game of the year, the Gamecocks capitalized on late free throws to leave The Hump with a 93-89 win.
Trio of offense
To combat Mississippi State’s Josh Hubbard and Cameron Matthews, the Gamecocks needed someone to step up against the Bulldogs. That someone turned into multiple players: BJ Mack, Collin Murray-Boyles and Meechie Johnson.
Mack led USC’s offense with 25 points, followed up with Johnson’s 16 points and Murray-Boyles’ 19. The true freshman also had eight rebounds and two blocks. The USC trio was supported by Zach Davis’ 13 points and Ta’Lon Cooper’s seven points, with the Gamecocks scoring 10 points off turnovers and 13 points.
Hubbard and Matthews combined for over 40 points, and four Mississippi State players reached double figures. Hubbard and Matthews carried the load for the Bulldogs, particularly in the final moments. Starting guard Dashawn Davis also scored 16 points for the Bulldogs.
Nothing but physical
Both teams are known for forcing turnovers, and both teams did just that. South Carolina forced 12 Mississippi State turnovers while South Carolina relinquished eight.
The Bulldogs did win the rebounding battle, 35-29, with 14 offensive rebounds and had the better shooting afternoon overall. Murray-Boyles played the entire second half with three personal fouls, after 17 fouls were called between both teams in the first half.
Both teams had to rely on their long-range shots in those final seconds of the game, with how physical it got in the paint. Hubbard and Matthews rose to the challenge for Mississippi State, including Hubbard’s massive jumper to tie the game with 32 seconds to go.
The waiting game
There’s not much else for USC to do, except wait.
The Gamecocks’ tournament seeding isn’t set in stone following their season finale. Instead, they have to wait to see what happens across the league. The Auburn vs. Georgia, Tennessee vs. Kentucky and Vanderbilt vs. Florida games all impact where USC lands in Nashville next week.
USC will likely be a top 4 seed, however it won’t be guaranteed until after the the games end. There are only two scenarios where USC is a No. 5 seed, that requires Vanderbilt to defeat Florida and Georgia to defeat Auburn.
Next USC games
March 13-17 at SEC Tournament in Nashville (various TV channels)
