COLOMBIA, Missouri (AP) – Jeremiah Tilmon had 19 points and 10 rebounds in another efficient performance, and Missouri’s number 19 defeated South Carolina 81-70 on Tuesday night.
Tilmon, who came in throwing 74% of the ground with the SEC advantage, improved that score by making 8 of 11. With the exception of a nine-point game against No. 6 Tennessee on December 30, the great man scored at least 14 points in each conference game.
“I just kept letting the game come to me,” said Tilmon. “I’m still not pushing anything. I am the same player since the beginning of the season, I would say. Things are just getting better for me, I think. “
Missouri (9-2, 3-2 SEC) had its best overall shooting performance with 58.3%. Mark Smith scored 18 points and made 3 to 7 in the 3-point range for Tigers. Dru Smith added 16 points out of 5 out of 6 shots.
Missouri jumped to a 10-0 lead and did not allow South Carolina to come close to five points the rest of the way. With 45-34 in the break, the Tigers failed to turn the match into a rout, but were never seriously threatened.
The Tigers led by up to 18 points in the second half, and the 81 points allowed by Gamecocks were the maximum of the season. Missouri also surpassed South Carolina by 20-7 in the transition.
“You want to go up and down and play, you want to have some excitement,” said Tigers coach Cuonzo Martin. “The key is that you have to continue to grow in that role and how you play that way, at that rate that you play. But you still have to be strong defensively to be able to stop. “
Reserve Keyshawn Bryant scored 19 points for South Carolina (3-4, 1-2) and Trey Anderson scored 17, also off the bench, as 45 of the Gamecocks’ points came from reserves. South Carolina scorers AJ Lawson and Jermaine Cousinard added 11 points out of 4 out of 20 shots.
The Tigers made 19 turnovers, but the Gamecocks scored only 18 points. South Carolina tied their record this season with 70 field shots, but hit 38.6% of their area. Gamecocks also had difficulties in the free throw line, going from 8 to 19 (42.1%).
“If you are not going to defend, you better do offensive shots,” said South Carolina coach Frank Martin. “Our defense … was not good against LSU the other day, and it was definitely not good today. You are not overcoming good teams on the road. You better defend yourself. “
MAN IN THE MIDDLE
Tilmon has become one of the SEC’s biggest bosses. The 1.80 m senior entered the game with a career-high average of points (16) and rebounds (7.8) during the league game. The duo Tuesday was fourth in six games.
BIG PICTURE
South Carolina: Martin returned to the sideline for the first time since his second positive COVID-19 test – he had already contracted the virus last summer. Assistant Bruce Shingler took over as head coach during Martin’s absence. Tuesday was South Carolina’s second game in four days, after playing two games in 41 days due to a litany of problems at COVID-19.
Missouri: Since an 11-day break due to problems with COVID-19, the Tigers have won two consecutive double-digit wins. Missouri also broke the 80-point barrier for the fourth time this season, improving its record to 4-0 by doing so.
NEXT
South Carolina: hosts Auburn on Saturday.
Missouri: No. 6, Tennessee, on Saturday. The visiting Volunteers defeated the Tigers 73-53 on December 30.
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