The Gamecocks defeated the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles 83-79 in an overtime thriller on Sunday evening, improving to 2-0 in the early 2025-26 season.
"You could never script this in a way your team could learn more from it," head coach Lamont Paris said.
The Gamecocks got out to an early lead, starting 4-4 from the field and knocking down three from downtown. The 11-2 run to begin the game forced an early timeout for the Golden Eagles.
The deep ball stayed a constant threat from the Gamecocks, knocking down nine 3-pointers in the first half.
Redshirt senior guard Meechie Johnson took advantage of the relaxed Southern Miss defense and scored 11 points, including three 3-pointers in the game's first 15 minutes. Freshman guard Eli Ellis also got in on the action, netting double-digit points in the first half.
Ending the first half, the Gamecocks cooled down offensively, which allowed Southern Miss to cut into the lead. The Golden Eagles went on a 7-0 run and shrank the lead to 4. Johnson picked up three fouls, which kept him on the bench and factored into the Gamecocks leading only 38-34 after being up 16 earlier in the first half.
In addition, the Gamecocks turned it over eight times compared to the Golden Eagles' three in the opening frame.
Similar to the end of the first half, the Gamecocks failed to start strong in the second and allowed a 10-1 run to give Southern Miss the lead.
Senior guard Mike Sharavjamts scored 5 points early in the second half and helped the Gamecock offense get things going. Sharavjamts kept the offense afloat, throwing down a dunk to put himself in double figures shortly after hitting a 3-pointer.
The Gamecocks struggled from three-point range in the second half, shooting 6-15, but they still relied heavily on the outside shot as the game progressed. South Carolina shot 43 3-point attempts, a school-record. On the other hand, the team was outscored 34 to 14 in points in the paint.
As the game continued, Southern Miss made the most of its opportunities. Junior guard Isaac Taveras saw much success late, scoring 25 points in the game and helping extend the Golden Eagles' lead to 11.
Coming down the stretch, however, Johnson caught fire, scoring 11 points in the last three minutes of regulation and forcing overtime, hitting two clutch free throws.
In overtime, the Gamecocks continued their late momentum, taking the lead on a Sharavjamts and-one. This put the team ahead 75-73 for its first lead in over 20 minutes of game time.
Johnson continued his late dominance after knocking down a free throw to regain the lead after a Southern Miss make at the other end. He drew two defenders before finding graduate guard Myles Stute for a three to give the Gamecocks a late two-possession lead.
For the finishing touch, Ellis showed poise hitting two free throws to put the game out of reach. He finished the game as the team's second-leading scorer and top rebounder with seven boards, in his first collegiate 20-point game.
Johnson finished with career highs scoring 33 points, in addition to knocking down seven three pointers. Sharavjamts was also in double figures scoring 17 points on 50% shooting from the field, to go along with five rebounds.
What’s next?
The Gamecocks will be back at Colonial Life Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 12, to face Presbyterian College. The game will tip off at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on SECN+.