Mississippi State’s Southeastern Conference opener on Jan. 6 at South Carolina feels like a distant memory, and both teams look quite different two months later.
The Bulldogs were still working star post player Tolu Smith back into the fold after his return from a foot injury, and budding superstar freshman guard Josh Hubbard was still coming into his own. The surprising Gamecocks were coming off a strong non-conference schedule, but doubts persisted about whether they could compete with the SEC’s best.
MSU (19-11, 8-9 SEC) has had an up-and-down year in conference play, while No. 17 South Carolina (24-6, 12-5) have exceeded all expectations and were in the running for an SEC title for most of the season. Under second-year head coach Lamont Paris, the Gamecocks have the conference’s best defense, holding opponents to 65.5 points per game.
South Carolina defeated the Bulldogs 68-62 in Columbia, then picked up its first signature win on Jan. 27 with a 17-point home victory over Kentucky. A week after that, the Gamecocks won at then-No. 5 Tennessee, part of a seven-game winning streak that ended with a 40-point loss at Auburn.
Meechie Johnson is the engine that makes South Carolina’s offense go, with a team-best 14.2 points per game, with forward B.J. Mack also averaging double-digit scoring. Grad transfer point guard Ta’Lon Cooper is among the SEC’s assist leaders, with Colin Murray-Boyles helping clean things up on the boards.
Overall, though, offense has not been the Gamecocks’ strong suit — only Vanderbilt scores fewer points on average in the SEC, and South Carolina also averages the fewest free throw attempts in the conference. And despite their defensive prowess, the Gamecocks force the fewest turnovers per game in the league, although they commit the second-fewest turnovers in the SEC themselves.
Here are three keys to victory for the Bulldogs as they look to close out the regular season with a much-needed win.
Win the rebounding battle
MSU was out-rebounded 35-26 in the teams’ first meeting by a considerably smaller South Carolina team, including a 15-8 margin on the offensive glass. Smith, who played just 20 minutes due to foul trouble and possibly not being back to full strength, pulled down just four rebounds, and Jimmy Bell Jr. had none in his 20 minutes of action. The Bulldogs will need to limit the Gamecocks’ second-chance opportunities and create some of their own in the rematch at Humphrey Coliseum.
Stay out of foul trouble
It wasn’t just Smith who had foul issues at Colonial Life Arena earlier this year. Cameron Matthews also fouled out late in the game, and Shakeel Moore picked up his fourth foul with just under eight minutes remaining. South Carolina attempted 26 free throws, well above its season average of 17.8, compared to 14 for MSU. A discrepancy like that can make all the difference in a close game.
Speed them up
Playing fast on offense isn’t exactly the Bulldogs’ strong suit, but they are certainly more comfortable doing so than they were last year, thanks mostly to Hubbard and his ability to both attack on the dribble drive and shoot from distance. The Gamecocks, meanwhile, are among the slowest-paced teams in the country — they average 66.8 possessions per game, 340th out of 362 Division I teams. As long as MSU’s shots aren’t rushed, playing with tempo could force South Carolina out of its comfort zone.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 24 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 24 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
