The South Carolina men's basketball team (11-14, 2-10 SEC) fell yet again to the Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday night at the Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa. The Gamecocks dropped their sixth consecutive game.
Alabama was able to score the first 2 points of the game, but senior guard Mike Sharavjamts answered with a jumper. Alabama then made a 3-pointer, but not before graduate guard Myles Stute answered with a 3-pointer of his own.
Alabama made another 3-pointer, after which junior forward Elijah Strong made a jumper. However, the Crimson Tide maintained its lead, 10-8, after a made layup.
The Crimson Tide scored yet another 3-pointer, but redshirt senior guard Kobe Knox earned himself a layup and an and-one.
Knox then scored a 3-pointer, tying the score at 13-13. Knox was able to score once more off a steal, followed by a layup from Sharavjamts, marking an 8-0 run and a 17-13 Gamecock lead.
Alabama responded with a 3-pointer and a layup to take back the lead. Knox then scored another 2 on a fast break. A turnover from Sharavjamts, however, resulted in Alabama scoring its fifth 3-pointer of the game, with a 21-19 lead over South Carolina.
The Gamecocks and Crimson Tide exchanged points, including a dunk from Knox, until Alabama went on a 5-0 run to increase its lead to 28-23. A foul was called on Stute a while later, allowing the Crimson Tide to head to the free-throw line and add 2 more points to its score, 30-23.
Sharavjamts made a 3-pointer after misses from both teams. A South Carolina turnover gave the Crimson Tide the ball back, but a steal from redshirt senior guard Meechie Johnson led senior forward Nordin Kapic to make a layup off a fast break. However, Alabama made yet another 3-pointer.
Johnson then scored his first points of the night off a layup, followed by a made jumper and a 3-pointer for Alabama, bringing the score to 38-29. Another 3-pointer allowed the Crimson Tide to go on an 8-0 run, forcing the Gamecocks to call a timeout.
Sharavjamts made the Gamecocks’ last shot of the first half with a 3-pointer. By halftime, Alabama had increased its lead by 13, 45-32.
The second half opened with a foul called on Knox, sending Alabama to the free-throw line, where it made both shots. Sharvajmats then responded with a 3-pointer, but Alabama scored once more with a layup and a 3-pointer. Knox then scored off a dunk, followed by a 3-pointer from Johnson, with the score now 52-40.
Both teams exchanged points, including two South Carolina free throws, until Alabama was able to go on a 5-0 run. Johnson was then fouled and headed to the free-throw line, making both. The score was now 61-47.
Both teams exchanged layups, and Johnson was fouled once more, making both free throws. Johnson then made a layup and a 3-pointer, allowing the Gamecocks to go on a 9-0 run. While Alabama made yet another 3-pointer, Sharavjamts answered with a layup, making the score 66-58, with Alabama in the lead.
Johnson added 4 more points to the scoreboard for the Gamecocks, but Alabama answered by drawing fouls on Strong, freshman forward EJ Walker and Knox, where it made all six free throws and scored yet another 3-pointer. With a little over four minutes left in the game, Alabama led South Carolina 75-62.
Knox was subsequently fouled, making both free throws, followed by a 3-pointer from Johnson. Both teams then exchanged free throws and layups until a timeout was called by South Carolina, with Alabama still in the lead 80-70.
Alabama was quick to go on a 5-0 run until freshman guard Grant Polk went to the free-throw line after he was fouled attempting a 3-pointer. Knox and Johnson were then called for fouls, sending the Crimson Tide to the free-throw line. Johnson scored the last 2 points of the game with two free throws, making the final score 89-75.
What's next?
The South Carolina's men's basketball team will take on the Florida Gators at the O'Connell Center in Gainesville on Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. The game will be streamed on the SEC Network.