South Carolina head coach Lamont Paris made it clear before the season even started — the Gamecocks are going to let it fly from deep. “We’re going to shoot a lot of threes,” Paris said, admitting he just hopes most of them drop.
On Sunday, that plan looked promising — at least for most of the game. South Carolina knocked down 12 three-pointers but couldn’t hold on late, falling in an 88-86 exhibition loss to NC State at First Bank Coliseum.
The Gamecocks finished the night shooting 41.4% from beyond the arc (12-of-29) and were lights out in the first half. They led by seven at the break after connecting on 17-of-31 field goals (54.8%) and 6-of-16 from three-point range, controlling the tempo nearly the entire way.
But NC State came out firing after halftime, quickly reclaiming its first lead since the game’s opening minutes. Wolfpack guard Quadir Copeland scored 16 points, including a personal 7-0 run that shifted momentum.
South Carolina, however, wasn’t done. Freshman sensation Eli Ellis caught fire, hitting his first four three-pointers and finishing with 23 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including 5-of-7 from deep. With Ellis leading the charge, the Gamecocks went on a 13-3 run, turning a 63-62 deficit into a double-digit lead midway through the second half.
Still, NC State stormed back once again, capitalizing on South Carolina’s mistakes. The Gamecocks went cold down the stretch, committing five turnovers and enduring a five-minute scoring drought, allowing the Wolfpack to tie the game with under three minutes left.
A late flurry made for a dramatic finish. Tre Holloman put NC State ahead with an and-one, but Kobe Knox responded with an and-one layup of his own to reclaim the lead for the Gamecocks with 11.9 seconds left. Knox finished his debut with 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting.
However, the Wolfpack had the final word — Paul McNeil drilled a clutch three-pointer with 0.5 seconds remaining to seal the win.
Meechie Johnson, returning to South Carolina after two years away, impressed with 22 points on 9-of-17 shooting. Elijah Strong added 11 points on an efficient 4-of-7 from the field.
The Gamecocks will now turn the page to the regular-season opener on Tuesday, Nov. 4, when they host North Carolina A&T at Colonial Life Arena. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. on SEC Network+.
