In a commendable display of determine, the Gamecocks men's basketball team narrowly missed upsetting the No. 4 Tennessee Volunteers, falling 75-65 on Saturday afternoon in Knoxville.
The Volunteers (25-6, 12-6 SEC) held the lead for most of the game, but South Carolina (12-19, 2-16 SEC) kept within single digits until a second-half surge by Tennessee extended their advantage to 12 points.
Key Performances:
- Jamarii Thomas led the team with 20 points and four assists.
- Nick Pringle recorded a double-double, contributing 16 points and 14 rebounds.
- Collin Murray-Boyles added seven points and three rebounds over 26 minutes.
Tennessee started the game strong, shooting 10 of their first 16 shots (63%), establishing a 23-13 lead midway through the first half. South Carolina responded with a 15-4 run, taking the lead briefly with Thomas and Pringle contributing. The score was tied at halftime, 34-34. In second half of the game, Tennessee regained control with a 16-4 run, highlighted by Tennessee's Chaz Lanier contributing 12 points, including two three-pointers.
Despite the Gamecocks resilience, the Volunteers' offense was more than efficient in the latter half of the game, securing the win.
South Carolina will now turn its attention to the SEC Tournament, where they are slated to face Arkansas on Wednesday, March 12 at 1 p.m. in Nashville, T.N.