No slowing down: Gamecocks follow upset with impressive showing at Georgia
For the second straight week, South Carolina (19-3, 7-2 SEC) upset a nationally ranked program. And for the second straight week, the Gamecocks followed up their national statement with an immediate SEC victory.
Last time it was Missouri. On Saturday, it was Georgia (14-8, 4-5 SEC).
The Gamecocks got their revenge from two weeks ago after falling to the Bulldogs on Jan. 16 — taking down Georgia at Stegeman Coliseum 71-62. It’s USC’s fifth straight SEC win and puts it a half-game back from first in the conference.
Nine minutes of nothing
Despite being down by two at the half, South Carolina’s defense did exactly what it’s done all season: hold opponents scoreless.
Coach Lamont Paris relied on a 1-3-1 formation on defense. He won’t say he’s a genius — he’s used that tactic before — but it worked wonders against the Bulldogs.
“I thought it was great,” Paris said. “It was a part of our game plan, and it was a part of our game plan last time, too ... but we did a better job of attacking the ball.”
The Gamecocks regained their opening lead in the second half via two Georgia scoring droughts. One drought lasted just over four minutes, and the second for five minutes.
For nine minutes of the second half, Georgia couldn’t get a shot to fall. Not a free throw, or layup, nothing.
The two droughts gave South Carolina the offensive momentum it lacked in that first half. Quick passing created open lanes for Gamecocks to have better shots, and USC was getting its rebounds.
The Gamecocks finished with 25 assists, eight going to Ta’Lon Cooper.
“That’s incredible, isn’t it?” Paris said. “I mean, that’s what we have.”
Nine minutes can feel like an eternity in basketball, and for Georgia, it was the dagger to the Bulldogs’ heart.
Forty points in 20 minutes
For the No. 1 defense in the SEC, the Gamecocks struggled to slow down Georgia’s offense. The Bulldogs dropped seven 3-pointers in their first 10 attempts, including three straight from freshman Blue Cain.
“I thought to myself at one point, it was clearly in their plan to come out and fling it,” Paris said. “And they’ve got good shooters. So maybe rather than moving the ball around for 20 seconds, not sure what you get, they let it fly.”
The 40-38 Georgia lead through 20 minutes was only the third time this season South Carolina has allowed 40 points in a half. Ironically, the Gamecocks allowed 41 points against Georgia in the second half on Jan. 16 and the other occasion was the second half against Alabama on Jan. 9.
South Carolina actually shot better than Georgia in the opening frame (53.3% from the field), but four turnovers gave Georgia a free set of seven points. It was the separation the Bulldogs needed. Georgia led the game for over 18 minutes in the first half.
Josh Gray holds it down
South Carolina’s lone seven-foot big led the Gamecocks’ offense for the first time this season, scoring a season-high 15 points. He had three dunks, and finished the game going 7 for 9 from the field and 1-2 from the free-throw line.
Gray also was just two rebounds shy of his first double-double of the season, and first Gamecock double-double in SEC play.
“I always use that dreaded C word with Josh, it’s consistency,” Paris said. “He’s finding a more consistent way about his game. He knows who he is, what path to follow, where to go.”
Gray has come off the bench every game this season, but has picked up considerable minutes since SEC play began. He’s been tasked with facing other formidable bigs across the league, and has improved every game.
Collin Murray-Boyles eventually surpassed Gray, scoring 16 points. He was the first Gamecock to reach double figures. Four USC players scored in double digits, and Cooper (10) and Meechie Johnson (11) were the two guards.
“Even though he had those combative shooting nights,” Murray-Boyles said of Johnson’s 11 points, “we still encouraged him to keep shooting, keep doing what he’s meant to do.”
Other notable stats
Johnson’s 11 points snapped a two-game skid where he didn’t score at least 10 points. Johnson has scored 100 points in SEC play this year, averaging 11.1 points per game.
Murray-Boyles’ 16 points marked his fourth game scoring in double figures this season, and his second time leading the Gamecocks’ offense this year.
Saturday was Gray’s first time scoring in double figures this year. His last time was against Mississippi State on Feb. 28, 2023 (12 points).
This is USC’s third five-game win streak this season and first five-game SEC winning streak since the 2016-17 season.
Next four games
Feb. 6 vs. Ole Miss, 6:30 p.m. (SEC Network)
Feb. 10 vs. Vanderbilt, 1 p.m. (SEC Network)
Feb. 14 at Auburn, 8:30 p.m. (SEC Network)
Feb. 17 vs. LSU, 3:30 p.m. (SEC Network)
