Couisnard turns in career day as Gamecocks outlast LSU. What we learned
On Saturday afternoon in Columbia, men’s basketball took the spotlight.
Colonial Life Arena was perhaps the loudest it’s been for a South Carolina men’s game all season, stocked to the brim with Gamecocks past, present and prospective.
The 1971 USC ACC tournament winning team and the 1997 SEC championship team were both honored at halftime. More recent Gamecock greats P.J. Dozier and Chris Silva watched from courtside seats. And just behind the Gamecocks bench sat Rivals’ No. 1 2023 basketball recruit and Ridge View High School star G.G. Jackson on his official visit.
With a shot at the postseason hanging in the balance, Frank Martin’s Gamecocks (16-10, 7-7 SEC) put on a performance that matched the buzz in the building, matching LSU (19-8, 7-7) blow for blow in an exhilarating back-and-forth contest.
The Gamecocks came out on top 77-75, keeping their postseason hopes alive with just four games remaining before the SEC tournament.
The win is the third straight for the Gamecocks in SEC play and it’s also USC’s best win by far in terms of NET rankings. LSU came into the game ranking No. 16 in the NET, compared to 94 for the Gamecocks. The victory gives USC a second, more-impressive Quadrant I victory to go along with its road win over Texas A&M earlier in conference play.
“This team has incredible resolve, incredible fight,” Martin said after the game. “They’re fun to be around. So what if I’ve aged 27 years in the last six days, it’s all worth it when you’re around quality people. And that’s what these kids are.”
Couisnard sets career high with family in the stands
The past year has been challenging for USC veteran guard Jermaine Couisnard, who found out just before the school year that his mother, Raven Merkerson, was diagnosed with cancer.
In good news for Couisnard and his family, Merkerson attended Saturday’s game, along with one of Couisnard’s sisters. And Couisnard responded by playing his best basketball of the season.
After dealing with nagging ankle and groin injuries throughout the season, Couisnard played an explosive brand of basketball Saturday as USC’s starting point guard. With the Gamecocks struggling early in the contest, Couisnard went on a 5-0 run by himself midway through the first half, making USC’s first 3-pointer of the game, stealing a ball, then scoring on the other end to cut the LSU deficit to five points.
He finished the first half with 18 points — one more than his season high. And he blew past his 28-point career high in the second half, finishing with 33 points and five 3-pointers.
“It was amazing,” Couisnard said. “I actually didn’t know my mom was coming until this morning. So it was definitely amazing. Just to see what she’s going through and just be able to put on a show like that and see her smile.”
Another slow start, late rally
The Gamecocks have had their fair share of sloppy starts in SEC play this season, with turnovers representing one of the team’s key issues this season. Those turnovers struck early for the Gamecocks on Saturday, and LSU took full advantage.
By the time USC reached the under-12 media timeout in the first half, the Tigers already had 11 points off of seven USC turnovers, building a sizable lead.
A surging Couisnard helped the Gamecocks claw back into the contest, making it a six-point game at halftime, and the Gamecocks continued to make a push into the second half. The usual culprits stepped up for USC in that second half, with veterans Erik Stevenson and James Reese and top freshman Devin Carter each contributing on the offensive end.
The Gamecocks spent most of the game playing catch up, with LSU holding a lead for nearly 33 minutes of game time. The Tigers had the ball with 15.2 seconds left, down by one point, and the Gamecocks held tough defensively to finish off the game.
Next USC men’s basketball game
Who: South Carolina vs. Mississippi State
When: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday
Where: Colonial Life Arena in Columbia
Watch: SEC Network
This story was originally published February 19, 2022 at 5:41 PM.
