Gamecocks' Losing Streak Extended With Loss to Mississippi State

South Carolina's men's basketball team was unable to find consistency on either end of the floor, leading to their sixth straight conference loss.

The South Carolina Gamecocks came into Tuesday night's game on the heels of a disheartening loss to the Georgia Bulldogs, as they let the game slip away slowly but surely late in the contest. 

Their matchup against the Mississippi State Bulldogs wound up playing out similarly, except for an even larger portion of the game, as Carolina dropped their fifth straight game at the Colonial Life Arena 66-51.

The Gamecocks got off to a good offensive start in the first half, as they could get multiple favorable matchups off pick and rolls. From this point on, however, the Gamecocks would have trouble consistently putting the ball through the hoop, as they made only five of their last nineteen shots in the remainder of the period.

On the other end of the floor, Josh Gray put in valuable work against Tolu Smith, as the Bulldogs' center couldn't establish an early rhythm in the paint despite Mississippi State's best efforts. 

The Bulldogs could also not establish a firm presence behind the arc, as they missed all of their first six attempts from this area. Still, for what Mississippi State couldn't convert, they did on second-chance opportunities, as they racked up nine offensive rebounds in the first 16 minutes and scored ten second-chance points.

Heading into the second half with a six-point deficit, Lamont Paris' squad had difficulty getting out of the starting gate, allowing Mississippi State to score the first three baskets of the half. The Gamecocks couldn't get back within seven points for the final sixteen minutes, as turnovers plagued them while Mississippi State made ten of its last 13 shots, handing South Carolina another double-digit loss.

Carolina will retake the floor on Saturday when they take on the Arkansas Razorbacks on Legends Weekend, as they'll honor some of the best players from the program's past.

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