USC’s impressive SEC opener raises the ceiling on the back of Meechie Johnson
Colonial Life Arena rose to its feet as South Carolina’s men’s basketball team took a four-point lead over Mississippi State with three seconds to go. Some 11,000 fans began chanting “Meechie Johnson” as the starting guard went to the free-throw line. He sank both charity shots.
The chanting turned into screams. Three, two, one, buzzer.
USC is 1-0 in conference play, defeating a program that took down the Gamecocks twice last season, 68-62 for their first conference-opening win in three years.
“I don’t think before we walked in here that anyone was doubting [Mississippi State] had a good team,” head coach Lamont Paris said. “They have a good team, and that’s a good win for us.”
Don’t underestimate the importance of the SEC-opening win. It might be just one game of 18 conference matchups on the schedule, but this was a big deal for the Gamecocks. Just a year ago, this USC team was scrapping through its conference schedule, desperately trying to stay afloat.
Now they’re scoring over 70 points per game, with Johnson consistently leading the offense. They’ve got extra confidence they were missing last season. They’re having fun.
“You don’t accidentally carve your way into a win against a team like that,” Paris said. “So our guys earned it. And it was good.”
Is that the difference a year can make? Sure. Paris created a new roster with more maturity. The entire USC starting lineup has played a minimum of three seasons of college basketball. Paris created a lineup with clear roles for every player, both in the starting five and coming off the bench.
He’s created a smart basketball team.
Johnson’s role is different this year. He used to balance being a high-scoring guard with having to run the offense as a point guard. Johnson would have to dish it out, and it led to more single-digit scoring games.
In the win over Mississippi State on Saturday afternoon, Johnson scored 24 points — his sixth 20-plus point game of the season and 10th of his career at USC. He’s scored at least 10 points in 13 of USC’s 14 games this season. The only game he didn’t score 10 was against Grand Canyon on Nov. 19, where he scored nine points.
Bulldogs head coach Chris Jans has watched Johnson play all three games since joining the program. He saw the difference in Johnson’s game.
Jans credited Paris’ addition of Ta’Lon Cooper.
“Cooper has really alleviated some responsibilities that Meechie has had when I was here last year,” Jans said. “It’s really helped him free up to do what he does best, which is score the basketball.”
Again, smart basketball.
The Gamecocks are now 8-2 in Johnson’s career when the guard reaches that 20-point mark, and 5-1 this year. Possibly the most surprising stat is that Johnson’s been 19 for 45 from three in those same six games.
For someone who can bring Colonial Life Arena to its feet with his deep ball, his ability to score in the paint and find success at the free-throw line have been underrated.
“He’s got great, tremendous energy. He’s got tremendous belief in himself,” Paris said. “When he’s out of the game, obviously, he wants to be in the game. And he’s an accomplished player, he’s waving the towel as much or more than anybody.”
Johnson’s game-winning steal against the Bulldogs led to Gamecocks fans chanting his name. The entire roster read how MSU moved its defense around, eliminating those rushed, and occasionally frantic, passes to create open shots for Johnson and the other Gamecocks.
He’ll hype himself up during the game, calling himself “5” while he mutters his own encouragement under his breath.
“I talk to myself a lot,” Johnson said. “I always say things like, ‘Let’s keep going, 5; keep shooting, 5; stay aggressive, 5; big play coming up, 5.’”
All together now: smart basketball.
The next test for USC is repeating its success in its first road game in a month, this time against Alabama. It’ll be a two-game road trip, against programs that have won six games in their barns this year.
The Gamecocks have proven they have the tools: a strong blend of personalities, high IQ and confidence. Johnson has led the way.
“As a team, as coaches, we’re very confident,” Johnson said. “We just believe that we can win any game [when] we go out there and be us.”
Next four games
- Jan. 9 at Alabama, 7 p.m. (SEC Network)
- Jan. 13 at Missouri, 3:30 p.m. (SEC Network)
- Jan. 16 vs. Georgia, 9 p.m. (ESPNU)
- Jan. 20 at Arkansas, 1 p.m. (SEC Network)
