South Carolina outlasts Mizzou in OT, 71-69

Field Level Media|published: Sat Jan 13 2024 23:10
Dec 22, 2023; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks forward B.J. Mack (2) shoots over Elon Phoenix guard LA Pratt (22) in the first half at Colonial Life Arena. credits: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

Jacobi Wright hit a jumper with 13 seconds left in overtime to lift visiting South Carolina to a 71-69 victory over Missouri on Saturday in Columbia, Mo.

B.J. Mack scored 21 points for the Gamecocks (14-2, 2-1 Southeastern Conference). Wright and Ta'lon Cooper each scored 11 for South Carolina and Myles Stute had 10.

Noah Carter led the Tigers (8-8, 0-3) with 23 points, but he missed a potential game-winning 3-point shot in the final seconds of overtime.

Sean East II had 15 points and 8 rebounds for Missouri and Tamar Bates scored 12.

Both teams struggled offensively through the first half. The Tigers missed their first 10 shots from 3-point range while the Gamecocks started 1-for-7 from beyond the arc.

There were five lead changes in the first 20 minutes and neither team was able to pull away.

After Missouri took a 12-11 lead, neither team led by more than two points until the Tigers used a 10-2 surge move ahead 29-23 with 3:17 left in the half. East sparked the run with an acrobatic drive to the basket and a deep 3-pointer.

The Gamecocks responded by outscoring the Tigers 9-4 for the rest of the half to cut their deficit to 33-32. Meechie Johnson hit a 3-point jumper and scored on a drive to get South Carolina moving again.

Anthony Robinson hit a 3-point jumper to extend Missouri's lead to 48-42 in the second half, but Mack quickly answered with a 3-point shot to keep the Gamecocks within range.

After Cooper hit a 3-point shot to tie the game with 25 seconds left, East's missed turnaround jumper at the buzzer forced overtime.

Cooper converted a conventional three-point play to put South Carolina up 67-62 with 2:24 left. The Tigers rallied to tie the game 69-69 on Carter's 3-point jumper, but Wright decided the game with a mid-range jumper.

—Field Level Media

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