COLUMBIA, S.C. (Interstat) — South Carolina outgunned Mississippi State 97-89 in a Southeastern Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at Colonial Life Arena. The Gamecocks led 46-39 at halftime and maintained their advantage throughout the second half before a crowd of 10,265. Meechie Johnson led South Carolina with 21 points and nine assists. Mike Sharavjamts also scored 21 points for the Gamecocks. Quincy Ballard posted a double-double for Mississippi State with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Ja’Borri McGhee added 12 points and seven assists for the Bulldogs. South Carolina improved to 12-15 overall. Mississippi State fell to 11-14.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (Interstat) — In a high-octane Southeastern Conference shootout defined by offensive efficiency and a decisive second-half surge, South Carolina outlasted Mississippi State 97-89 on Saturday at Colonial Life Arena. The Gamecocks, led by a stellar performance from guard Meechie Johnson, overcame a persistent Bulldogs squad by shooting a blistering 55.4% from the field and 50% from three-point range. South Carolina’s offensive rating of 137.0 on 71 possessions proved too much for Mississippi State, which posted a strong 116.7 offensive rating of its own but could not match the home team’s shot-making consistency. The most important stretch of the game came early in the second half, with South Carolina protecting a narrow 46-43 halftime lead. The Gamecocks opened the period with a 15-7 run, fueled by three-pointers from Johnson and Elijah Strong, to build a double-digit advantage. Mississippi State, which relied heavily on offensive rebounding to generate extra chances, repeatedly closed the gap to within six or seven points but could never string together enough stops to fully reclaim momentum. South Carolina answered every Bulldogs push, often from the free-throw line where they shot 23 of 27. Johnson, a junior from Cleveland, Ohio, was the catalyst for South Carolina. He finished with 21 points and nine assists, orchestrating the offense and hitting critical shots whenever Mississippi State threatened. He was complemented by forward Mike Sharavjamts of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, who also scored 21 points and added five assists. The duo combined for 11 of South Carolina’s 12 three-pointers. Eli Ellis added 13 points and Kobe Knox scored 17, including three makes from beyond the arc. For Mississippi State, center Quincy Ballard recorded a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, dominating the interior and helping the Bulldogs to a 13-4 advantage in offensive rebounds. Guard Ja’Borri McGhee distributed seven assists to go with 12 points. The Bulldogs scored 38 points in the paint and 18 fast-break points but were ultimately undone by poor perimeter shooting, connecting on just 10 of 33 three-point attempts, and a 17-for-30 performance at the foul line. The game was a statistical anomaly in several categories. Both teams committed only six turnovers, and assists were remarkably low with South Carolina recording four and Mississippi State five, indicating a game heavy on individual creation and quick shots. The pace was frenetic, resulting in a combined 186 points that sailed over the pregame over/under line of 147. With the victory, South Carolina improved to 12-15 overall. Mississippi State fell to 11-14. Both teams remain in the middle of the SEC standings as the regular season enters its final weeks. South Carolina next hosts Kentucky on Tuesday. Mississippi State travels to face Alabama on Wednesday. The Gamecocks, who were slight 1.5-point favorites pregame, defied the National Statistical ELO system projection which gave Mississippi State a 59.9% probability to win. The result provided a bright spot in an otherwise challenging season for South Carolina, showcasing an offensive potency that had been inconsistent in recent outings. For the Bulldogs, the loss halted a modest two-game winning streak and underscored ongoing struggles to pair their interior strength with reliable outside shooting.

Preview: Mississippi State at South Carolina COLUMBIA, S.C. (Interstat) — Two men’s basketball teams seeking momentum for the stretch run will meet Saturday when the Mississippi State Bulldogs visit the South Carolina Gamecocks in a Southeastern Conference matchup. The game at Colonial Life Arena will feature teams with identical struggles this season. Mississippi State (11-13) and South Carolina (11-15) have both found wins difficult to secure in a rugged SEC schedule. The Bulldogs, however, enter with a measure of confidence after a 91-85 home victory over Auburn on Wednesday. That win snapped a two-game skid and was powered by a spectacular performance from sophomore guard Josh Hubbard, who poured in 46 points. Hubbard has been one of the conference’s most dynamic scorers. Over his last five games, he is averaging 31.2 points, including a 32-point effort in a win at Mississippi on Feb. 14. Containing him will be the primary focus for the Gamecocks’ defense. South Carolina arrives home mired in a six-game losing streak, most recently a 76-62 defeat at Florida on Tuesday. The Gamecocks have lost nine of their last ten contests. Senior guard Meechie Johnson has been a bright spot during the difficult stretch, averaging 21.7 points over his last seven games. He scored a season-high 35 points in a close loss at Texas on Feb. 3 and had 22 in the loss to Florida. The matchup pits two of the league’s premier guards against one another, with Hubbard’s explosive scoring facing Johnson’s all-around playmaking. The team that can get a complementary performance from its supporting cast may find a crucial conference win. Mississippi State won the season’s first meeting, 74-68, in Starkville on Jan. 3. Saturday’s rematch in Columbia is scheduled for a 6 p.m. Eastern tipoff.