In just his second game back with South Carolina, Meechie Johnson delivered the kind of performance that cements legends in Colonial Life Arena lore. The redshirt senior guard poured in a career-high 33 points to lead the Gamecocks to an electrifying 83-79 win over Southern Mississippi on Sunday night. Three South Carolina players scored in double figures, but it was Meechie Johnson who willed is team across the finish line. With the Gamecocks trailing 67-59 and just over two minutes left to play, Johnson caught fire. He buried three deep three-pointers in succession, erasing what had seemed like an insurmountable deficit, tying the game with just 30 seconds left to play.
After Southern Miss briefly regained a 70-68 lead, Johnson calmly hit two clutch free throws to even things out again, then forced a turnover to send the game into OT. He remained the engine of the offense, securing a steal, dishing out a key assist to Mike Sharavjamts fo ra go-ahead basket, and controlling a crucial rebound with under 30 seconds left on the clock. Two more free throws later, and South Carolina had sealed an early-season statement win.
Johnson, who returned to South Carolina this season after two years at Ohio State, has absolutely wasted no time reminding fans what made him a local favorite in his first stint with the program. His return has already proven to be one of head coach Lamont Paris' most impactful offseason moves.
Meechie Johnson’s Big Night: At a Glance
- Points: 33 (career high)
- Shooting: 9/19 FG | 7/14 3pt | 8/11 FT
- Total 3-Point Attempts (Team): 43 (new school record)
- Scoring Surge: 14 points in final 3:39 of regulation
Clutch Plays:
- 3 straight 3-pointers to erase late deficit
- 2 free throws with :05 left to force overtime
- Steal and assist to give South Carolina the lead in OT
- Free throws and a rebound to seal the win
Johnson finished the night shooting 9-of-19 from the field, including 7-of-14 from beyond the arc, and went 8-of 11 from the free-throw line. Myles Stute added a key three-pointer in overtime, and Sharavjamts contributed that late bucket and timely defense.
For South Carolina, the win puts them at 2-0 and much more confident thanks to the return of their late-game savior.