Meechie Johnson scored 24 points and B.J. Mack added 20 as South Carolina remained unbeaten by posting an 89-67 win over visiting George Washington on Friday night in Columbia, S.C.
Johnson shot 9-of-16 from the floor — including 5-of-7 from 3-point land — and had eight rebounds, while Mack made 7 of 13 shots to lead the Gamecocks (7-0). Myles Stute added 11 points, four rebounds and three assists for South Carolina, while Ta’Lon Cooper had 14 points and a team-high eight assists.
The Revolutionaries (6-2) were powered by 18 points and six rebounds from Darren Buchanan Jr. James Bishop added 14 points while Trey Autry chipped in 13.
The Gamecocks led from start to finish, starting the game with a 13-3 run that was highlighted by a pair of 3-pointers from Johnson. GW cut the deficit to four points with about six minutes to play in the first half, but South Carolina broke off a 10-2 run to go ahead by 12 and led 42-32 at intermission.
A 14-0 run midway through the second half allowed South Carolina to really pull away, building a 20-point lead with about nine minutes remaining. Powering the Gamecocks during that stretch was Mack, who scored eight points, including a pair of 3-pointers. Cooper had three assists during the run, and swished a shot from behind the arc moments later.
South Carolina eventually led by as many as 25 points.
Key for South Carolina was its ability to capitalize on George Washington’s mistakes, flipping 10 turnovers by the Revolutionaries into 14 points. Sharp shooting was also crucial, as the Gamecocks knocked down a season-high 18 3-pointers, making them at a 51.4 percent clip.
Next up for South Carolina is a true road game at in-state rival Clemson on Wednesday. The Gamecocks will aim to match their best start to a season since the 2016-17 campaign, when they started 8-0 en route to their first-ever Final Four berth.
–Field Level Media