Mack scores 21 as South Carolina holds off Missouri, 72-64
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) BJ Mack, a senior transfer from Wofford, scored 21 points to help South Carolina hold off Missouri and earn a 72-64 win Saturday to sweep the regular season series.
South Carolina came into the game on a high after beating No. 6 Kentucky, 79-62 on Tuesday. Mack led South Carolina with 21 points in its 71-69 overtime win over the Tigers January 13.
Mack scored 15 of his points in the first half as the Gamecocks built a 10-point lead, 39-29, at the break. South Carolina forced 12 Missouri turnovers in the first half, turning them into 10 points, but managed just five points off a dozen second-half Missouri turnovers.
Missouri grabbed the lead three minutes into the second half on a layup by Tamar Bates, but Mack answered with a three-point play and the Gamecocks did not trail again. The Tigers tied the game twice, but South Carolina answered each threat. Josh Gray hit the first of two free throws and Jacobi Wright and Ta'Lon Cooper each buried a 3-pointer to make it 53-46. Bates dunked and followed it with a layup with 2:28 left to make it 67-62. but the Tigers were able to add only a layup by East in the final minute.
Meechie Johnson, who averages 43.4% from the field and just under 17 points per game, did not score for the Gamecocks, going 0-for-9 from the field and 0-7 from 3-point range.
Mack hit 6 of 11 shots from the field, including 2 of 5 from distance, and hit 7 of 11 from the free throw line to lead South Carolina (17-3, 5-2 Southeastern Conference). Cooper added 12 points, Wright chipped in 10 and Morris Ugusuk was a perfect 3 for 3 off the bench, hitting two 3-pointers and knocking down both free throw attempts to add 10 points off the bench.
East finished with 21 points and seven assists to lead Missouri (8-12, 0-7). Bates contributed 16 points and seven rebounds.
South Carolina travels to face No. 5 Tennessee Tuesday. Missouri returns home to play host to Arkansas Wednesday.
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| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20:00 |  | (Gamecocks gains possession) | ||
| 19:29 | | Jordan Butler blocks Zachary Davis's two point layup | ||
| 19:27 |  | Tigers defensive rebound | ||
| 19:27 | | Gamecocks turnover (shot clock violation) | ||
| 19:08 | | +2 | Tamar Bates makes two point layup | 2-0 |
| 18:45 | | Meechie Johnson misses three point jump shot | ||
| 18:43 | | Gamecocks offensive rebound | ||
| 18:43 | | Sean East II personal foul | ||
| 18:41 | | Meechie Johnson misses three point jump shot | ||
| 18:39 | | Jesus Carralero Martin defensive rebound | ||
| 18:24 | | +2 | Jesus Carralero Martin makes two point layup | 4-0 |
| 18:06 | | B.J. Mack turnover (lost ball) (Jesus Carralero Martin steals) | ||
| 17:41 | | Sean East II misses two point layup | ||
| 17:39 | | Collin Murray-Boyles defensive rebound | ||
| 17:18 | | +3 | Ta'Lon Cooper makes three point jump shot (Collin Murray-Boyles assists) | 4-3 |
| 16:46 | | Jesus Carralero Martin misses two point layup | ||
| 16:44 | | Collin Murray-Boyles defensive rebound | ||
| 16:36 | | Jordan Butler personal foul | ||
| 16:21 | | +2 | B.J. Mack makes two point layup (Zachary Davis assists) | 4-5 |
| 16:06 | | Jordan Butler turnover (bad pass) (Collin Murray-Boyles steals) | ||
| 15:57 | | +3 | B.J. Mack makes three point jump shot (Ta'Lon Cooper assists) | 4-8 |
| 15:26 | | +2 | Sean East II makes two point layup | 6-8 |
| 15:26 | | Ta'Lon Cooper shooting foul (Sean East II draws the foul) | ||
| 15:26 | | TV timeout | ||
| 15:26 | | +1 | Sean East II makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 7-8 |
| 15:02 | | Josh Gray misses two point hook shot | ||
| 15:00 | | Aidan Shaw defensive rebound | ||
| 14:38 | | Noah Carter misses two point layup | ||
| 14:24 | | Josh Gray defensive rebound | ||
| 14:12 | | Aidan Shaw blocks Meechie Johnson's two point layup | ||
| 14:10 | | Gamecocks offensive rebound | ||
| 14:06 | | +2 | Jacobi Wright makes two point jump shot | 7-10 |
| 13:54 | | Noah Carter turnover (lost ball) (Stephen Clark steals) | ||
| 13:45 | | +2 | Josh Gray makes two point dunk (Zachary Davis assists) | 7-12 |
| 13:25 | | Sean East II misses three point jump shot | ||
| 13:23 | | Stephen Clark defensive rebound | ||
| 13:05 | | Ta'Lon Cooper turnover (bad pass) | ||
| 12:52 | | +2 | Tamar Bates makes two point layup | 9-12 |
| 12:33 | | +2 | Josh Gray makes two point layup (Stephen Clark assists) | 9-14 |
| 12:17 | | Jesus Carralero Martin turnover (lost ball) (Meechie Johnson steals) | ||
| 12:11 | | Tamar Bates blocks Meechie Johnson's two point layup | ||
| 12:09 | | Aidan Shaw defensive rebound | ||
| 11:41 | | Josh Gray shooting foul (Aidan Shaw draws the foul) | ||
| 11:41 | | TV timeout | ||
| 11:41 | | +1 | Aidan Shaw makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 10-14 |
| 11:41 | | Aidan Shaw misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 11:41 | | Collin Murray-Boyles defensive rebound | ||
| 11:26 | | Collin Murray-Boyles turnover (bad pass) (Curt Lewis steals) | ||
| 11:00 | | Aidan Shaw turnover (bad pass) (Collin Murray-Boyles steals) | ||
| 10:48 | | +3 | B.J. Mack makes three point jump shot (Meechie Johnson assists) | 10-17 |
| 10:40 | | Collin Murray-Boyles personal foul | ||
| 10:20 | | Nick Honor misses two point jump shot | ||
| 10:18 | | Jacobi Wright defensive rebound | ||
| 9:59 | | Jordan Butler shooting foul (B.J. Mack draws the foul) | ||
| 9:59 | | +1 | B.J. Mack makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 10-18 |
| 9:59 | | +1 | B.J. Mack makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 10-19 |
| 9:43 | | Tamar Bates misses two point jump shot | ||
| 9:41 | | Collin Murray-Boyles defensive rebound | ||
| 9:31 | | +3 | Morris Ugusuk makes three point jump shot (Collin Murray-Boyles assists) | 10-22 |
| 9:27 | | Tigers 30 second timeout | ||
| 9:03 | | Jesus Carralero Martin misses two point jump shot | ||
| 9:01 | | B.J. Mack defensive rebound | ||
| 8:37 | | +2 | Collin Murray-Boyles makes two point jump shot (Jacobi Wright assists) | 10-24 |
| 8:22 | | +2 | Sean East II makes two point jump shot | 12-24 |
| 8:10 | | Collin Murray-Boyles misses two point layup | ||
| 8:08 | | Tamar Bates defensive rebound | ||
| 8:04 | | +2 | Tamar Bates makes two point layup | 14-24 |
| 7:35 | | +2 | Morris Ugusuk makes two point layup | 14-26 |
| 7:21 | | Jesus Carralero Martin misses three point jump shot | ||
| 7:19 | | Jacobi Wright defensive rebound | ||
| 7:10 | | B.J. Mack misses three point jump shot | ||
| 7:08 | | Tigers defensive rebound | ||
| 7:08 | | TV timeout | ||
| 6:59 | | Josh Gray shooting foul (Connor Vanover draws the foul) | ||
| 6:59 | | Connor Vanover misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 6:59 | | +1 | Connor Vanover makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 15-26 |
| 6:42 | | Meechie Johnson misses three point jump shot | ||
| 6:40 | | Connor Vanover defensive rebound | ||
| 6:30 | | Tamar Bates misses two point jump shot | ||
| 6:28 | | Tamar Bates offensive rebound | ||
| 6:23 | | +2 | Tamar Bates makes two point layup | 17-26 |
| 5:59 | | Josh Gray turnover (traveling) | ||
| 5:51 | | Nick Honor misses two point jump shot | ||
| 5:49 | | Josh Gray defensive rebound | ||
| 5:29 | | +3 | Morris Ugusuk makes three point jump shot (Jacobi Wright assists) | 17-29 |
| 5:06 | | +2 | Noah Carter makes two point layup (Sean East II assists) | 19-29 |
| 4:32 | | Gamecocks turnover (shot clock violation) | ||
| 4:17 | | +2 | Noah Carter makes two point layup (Sean East II assists) | 21-29 |
| 4:00 | | Connor Vanover shooting foul (B.J. Mack draws the foul) | ||
| 4:00 | | B.J. Mack misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 4:00 | | +1 | B.J. Mack makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 21-30 |
| 3:46 | | Jacobi Wright personal foul | ||
| 3:46 | | TV timeout | ||
| 3:35 | | +2 | Sean East II makes two point jump shot | 23-30 |
| 3:12 | | Jacobi Wright misses three point jump shot | ||
| 3:10 | | B.J. Mack offensive rebound | ||
| 3:10 | | Tamar Bates personal foul | ||
| 3:01 | | Zachary Davis misses three point jump shot | ||
| 2:59 | | Curt Lewis defensive rebound | ||
| 2:52 | | +3 | Nick Honor makes three point jump shot (Sean East II assists) | 26-30 |
| 2:33 | | +2 | B.J. Mack makes two point jump shot (Ta'Lon Cooper assists) | 26-32 |
| 2:20 | | Zachary Davis personal foul | ||
| 2:10 | | B.J. Mack shooting foul (Noah Carter draws the foul) | ||
| 2:10 | | Noah Carter misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 2:10 | | +1 | Noah Carter makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 27-32 |
| 1:57 | | +3 | Jacobi Wright makes three point jump shot (Ta'Lon Cooper assists) | 27-35 |
| 1:43 | | Connor Vanover misses two point layup | ||
| 1:41 | | Collin Murray-Boyles defensive rebound | ||
| 1:37 | | B.J. Mack misses three point jump shot | ||
| 1:35 | | Noah Carter defensive rebound | ||
| 1:23 | | +2 | Sean East II makes two point jump shot | 29-35 |
| 1:07 | | +2 | B.J. Mack makes two point jump shot (Jacobi Wright assists) | 29-37 |
| 0:37 | | Noah Carter misses two point layup | ||
| 0:35 | | Aidan Shaw offensive rebound | ||
| 0:29 | | Aidan Shaw turnover (bad pass) (Jacobi Wright steals) | ||
| 0:05 | | +2 | Ta'Lon Cooper makes two point jump shot | 29-39 |
| 0:00 | | End of period |
| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19:50 | | Tamar Bates misses two point jump shot | ||
| 19:48 | | B.J. Mack defensive rebound | ||
| 19:42 | | B.J. Mack turnover (Sean East II steals) | ||
| 19:35 | | +2 | Jordan Butler makes two point dunk (Sean East II assists) | 31-39 |
| 19:17 | | Jordan Butler shooting foul (B.J. Mack draws the foul) | ||
| 19:17 | | B.J. Mack misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 19:17 |