After a thrilling 83–79 overtime win over Southern Miss, South Carolina basketball remains unbeaten, though the road there was anything but smooth. In our 3-2-1 Breakdown, we highlight three positives, two negatives, and one key question as the Gamecocks move forward.
Three Positives
🏀 Clutch Meechie
When South Carolina looked dead in the water — down double digits late in the second half — Meechie Johnson put the team on his back.
The senior guard exploded for 16 points in the final five minutes, including a pair of jaw-dropping deep threes that reignited the Colonial Life Arena crowd and sent the game to overtime. He then added three more points in the extra period to seal the win.
Johnson finished with a career-high 33 points, shooting 9-for-19 from the field and 7-for-14 from three-point range. Simply put, South Carolina doesn’t win this game without his takeover performance.
“He just hit big shot after big shot when we needed it most,” head coach Lamont Paris said postgame.
Early Offensive Spark
While Johnson’s late heroics stole the show, South Carolina’s early offensive burst built the foundation for victory.
The Gamecocks opened the game scorching hot, knocking down their first three 3-point attempts and jumping out to a 16-point first-half lead. But when Southern Miss responded and eventually led by 11 in the second half, that early cushion proved vital.
Without that opening surge, South Carolina likely wouldn’t have survived the Golden Eagles’ comeback.
Freshmen Poise
South Carolina’s newcomers played beyond their years.
Freshman guard Eli Ellis delivered a statement performance, dropping 20 points while shooting 3-for-6 from deep and 7-for-8 from the line — including two clutch free throws that iced the game.
Meanwhile, Hayden Assemian didn’t score or even take a shot, but his presence was undeniable. The freshman big man impacted the game with hustle plays, rebounding, and tough screens that freed up shooters.
“He just does everything right — plays hard, plays smart, and plays for the team,” Paris said of Assemian.
Two Negatives
Offensive Drought
From the 10:17 mark of the first half to 9:50 left in the second, the Gamecocks managed just 15 points — over 20 minutes of game time.
Southern Miss’s switch to a zone defense completely stalled South Carolina’s rhythm, especially when Johnson sat with foul trouble. The Gamecocks settled for contested jumpers and struggled to generate clean looks inside.
“We stopped moving the ball and started watching too much,” Paris admitted afterward.
While they escaped with a win, that kind of stagnation could prove costly against tougher opponents.
🚫 Defensive Struggles
Defensively, the Gamecocks looked disjointed. Southern Miss stars Isaac Taveras and Tylik Weeks combined for 45 points on 17-of-27 shooting, routinely carving up mismatches and attacking the paint.
Paris described one particularly bad breakdown as “cornfused” — his word for a total communication failure.
Transition defense was also a recurring problem, and South Carolina’s bigs failed to contain drives or defend without fouling. Though the team improved in the late stages, defensive consistency remains a concern.
“We just didn’t guard well enough for long stretches,” Paris said.
One Lingering Question
💭 Can the Gamecocks Score Inside When the Threes Stop Falling?
South Carolina hit 16 three-pointers against Southern Miss, but those accounted for the majority of its offense.
In total, 65 of the team’s 83 points came from threes and free throws. Inside the arc? The Gamecocks went 5-for-13 on layups and scored just 14 points in the paint — numbers that nearly cost them the game against a non-conference opponent.
If the deep ball isn’t falling, can the Gamecocks manufacture points elsewhere? That’s a question Paris and his team must answer soon.
What’s Next
South Carolina returns to action on Wednesday, November 12, hosting Presbyterian at Colonial Life Arena. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m., with live streaming available on SEC Network+.
The Gamecocks may be 2–0, but as Paris said, “We’ve got a lot to learn — and sometimes, the best lessons come from the games you barely survive.”
