Meechie Johnson scores 24 points to lift Gamecocks over DePaul, 4-0 start to season
South Carolina head coach Lamont Paris said he expected former Gamecock Chico Carter Jr. to be “motivated” against his former program Friday night. Then USC guard Meechie Johnson scored a season-high 24 points, right there with Carter’s 24.
Johnson’s efforts, despite the combined 30 turnovers and nine 3s made between the two teams, gave the Gamecocks just enough to push past DePaul for a 73-68 win in Phoenix at the Arizona Tip Off Event in a game that started at midnight Eastern time.
USC is now 4-0 for the first time since the 2016-17 season.
It was another game of early foul trouble. Forwards BJ Mack and Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk were forced to sit momentarily in the second half, and Bosmans-Verdonk eventually fouled out with over four minutes to play. Stephen Clark picked up two fouls less than two minutes into the game and finished with those two.
South Carolina never trailed against DePaul but allowed a once 14-point lead to get as close to five in the second half.
USC had nine players score points and two reach double-digits (Johnson and guard Zachary Davis). The Gamecocks had their worst 3-point shooting effort of the season, going 5-for-21 beyond the arc.
South Carolina faces Grand Canyon in the title game of the Cactus Division of the tournament on Sunday at 7 p.m.
Next four USC games
Nov. 19 - Grand Canyon (Arizona Tip-Off), 7 p.m. (CBS Sports Network)
Nov. 28 - vs. Notre Dame (SEC/ACC Challenge), 7:30 p.m. (SEC Network)
Dec. 1 - vs. George Washington (SEC Network Plus)
Dec. 6 - at Clemson (ACC Network)
This story was originally published November 18, 2023 at 9:05 AM.
