South Carolina basketball lost a second direct confrontation from the SEC.
South Carolina Gamecocks
70
Missouri Tigers
81
The South Carolina basketball team fell for the second consecutive time at the conference last night, dropping 81-70 to Missouri’s nineteenth ranking. The Tigers jumped to a 13-2 lead and never lost in the game.
The fatigue was obvious to a group in South Carolina that had been unable to form a complete list in almost two months. After losing a final advantage to LSU due to cramps and tired legs, that overworked Gamecocks didn’t score in the first four minutes of Tuesday’s competition.
This confrontation fell right into the hands of the Tigers, who consistently fed the great man Jeremiah Tilmon with the Gamecocks losing their best graduate players Jalyn McCreary and Alanzo Frink. Tilmon hit 8 of 11 on the field, scoring 19 points and taking 10 bags to complete the double-double.
TIlmon improved his best shot percentage by 74% in the SEC, while Dru and Mark Smith scored 16 and 18 points, respectively. The Smiths agreed to connect in 5 out of 10 three-point attempts and helped keep the Tigers at the top for all 40 minutes.
Gamecocks received double digits from Keyshawn Bryant, Trey Anderson and Justin Minaya. Bryant has scored at least 19 points in both games since returning to the team. He had lost more than a month on the COVID protocol. Junior hit 8 of 12 shots and got five rebounds.
Anderson played the best game of his career, throwing 78% of the field, including a 66% clip from outside the arc, on his way to the top 17 career points. Minaya recorded his third double-double in four games.
Unfortunately, Gamecocks pivot Wildens Leveque had problems at first, leaving Minaya and Anderson in charge of controlling Missouri Tilmon. TIlmon had a big advantage, standing 1.80 m tall and towering over the two 1.8 m attackers.
South Carolina had one of its worst shooting performances of the year, a testament to the Tigers’ strong defense, but the tiredness of the Gamecocks cannot be ignored. South Carolina holders hit just 24% of shots (10 out of 41) and scored just 25 points.
AJ Lawson scored five points after playing all 40 minutes of the game against LSU. Minaya was the only two-digit holder.
As a team, Gamecocks hit 39% and only 28% on three-point land. Anderson and Bryant accounted for 15 of the 27 baskets made by the team.
With luck, South Carolina can rest just before a Saturday meeting with Auburn. The tip is set to 12h ET, with the game being broadcast on ESPN2.