Gamecocks Beat Missouri 65-60
COLUMBIA, S.C. (USC SID) — The Gamecocks reversed their fortune in late-game situations Tuesday night, making all eight of their shots (six free throws, two field goals) in the final three minutes to hold off Missouri (7-17, 1-10 SEC) in a 65-60 win. Playing with a shortened roster of guards with the absence of Justin McKie and Marcus Stroman, Carolina (12-11, 3-8) used 32 bench points to keep the Tigers from completing the comeback. The Tigers would score the first basket of the game, but Carolina would score the game’s next 10 points to force a timeout with 14:18 still to play. Missouri would have a six-minute scoring drought after its initial basket, broken only by a pair of free throws at the 12:50 mark. Though it would have more turnovers than field goals made through the first ten minutes of the game, Missouri would trail by just two, 14-12, with plenty of time left to play. The Gamecocks would open up a two-possession lead soon after thanks to Duane Notice’s third 3-pointer of the night. The sophomore had not made three from deep in a game since a Dec. 19 matchup with Clemson. Missouri’s offense heated up to help it hang around as the half winded down. It would make five straight field goals to make it a 22-19 with eight minutes still to play. The Gamecocks were just 2-of-9 in that same stretch, but were able to maintain the lead until the Tigers knotted it up at 26 with 4:38 to go. Carolina made the next two baskets to break the deadlock, but went scoreless for the final three minutes of the half to head to the break tied at 30. A 1-of-7 start from the field in the first five minutes of the second half for Carolina would give Missouri a 34-32 lead, but an 8-0 run gave the Gamecocks the advantage for good with 13:38 to play. The run was fueled by tremendous hustle from Michael Carrera, who had a pair of key offensive rebounds that led to second-chance baskets. Though the visitors would never be far behind, the Gamecocks were able to stay ahead thanks to key baskets from Brian Steele and Sindarius Thornwell. Steele would hit a 3 to give Carolina a 43-37 lead with 12 minutes still to play, and the former walk-on finished with eight important points all in the final 20 minutes to tie his career high. The lead would grow as large as 10 points, but it would not last long as Missouri quickly cut it to five points, 52-47 after forcing turnovers on three straight possessions. Tyrone Johnson’s two free throws broke a three-minute scoring drought and moved the lead to seven. Thornwell would hit his biggest basket of the night with 2:24 to play, as the Tigers snuck within three, 54-51. His 3 moved the Gamecocks ahead by two possessions, and was even bigger after the Tigers hit a basket on their next possession. Missouri finished with back-to-back 3s in the final 15 seconds, but six straight free throws made would ensure the Gamecocks would comfortably leave with their second straight home win of the conference season.
