South Carolina's season tipped off in electric fashion at Colonial Life Arena on Tuesday night as the Gamecock men's basketball stormed past North Carolina A&T, 91-72, behind a flurry of threes and unselfish play that had Lamont Paris smiling from the sidelines.
Meechie Johnson set the tone early, splashing a pair of deep balls and finishing with 14 points, five rebounds, four assists, and two steals, a complete performance that reminded everyone why he is the heartbeat of this new-look Gamecock roster.
But this wasn't just a one man show. Twelve Gamecocks logged assists. Nine hit from long range. South Carolina poured in 14 three-pointers, the fourth-most of the Paris era, while shooting nearly 49% from the field. “I thought we played with a great spirit tonight,” Paris said postgame. “The ball moved, guys trusted each other, and that’s what you want to see early in the year.”
Nordin Kapic added 13 points and drained three threes in his Gamecocks debut, while Kobe Knox chipped in 12. Newcomers Elijah Strong and freshman Eli Ellis both finished with 11, giving the Gamecocks five players in double figures. Ellis, making his collegiate debut, led the team with five assists and a +22 rating, not bad for your first night in garnet and black.
The offense clicked from the opening tip, shooting nearing 60% in the first half to build a 46-28 lead that NC A&T never recovered from. On the defensive end, South Carolina forced turnover and pushed the pace, feeding off the home crowd's energy. Lureon Walker led the Aggies with 22 points, but the Gamecocks' depth and tempo proved too much.
There is a different swagger about this team this season. Despite featuring 12 newcomers, they looked connected, crisp ball movement, confident shooting, and chemistry that belied their short time together. The 23 assists on 31 made field goals were the second-highest assist uner Paris, a clear sign this group is buying in.
With this win, South Carolina moves to 13-0 under Lamont Paris when scoring 80 or more points, and 3-1 in season openers during his tenure.
Up next, the Gamecocks (1-0) stay home to host Southern Miss (0-1) on Sunday, Nov. 9 at 6:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network, with John Schriffen on the play by play and Rodney Terry on the call. It'll mark the 20th all-time meeting between the two programs, and the first since 1990-91 season.