South Carolina Reaffirms Direction In Loss To Alabama

South Carolina took the No. 2 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide down to the wire but fell short in overtime, 78-76.

The South Carolina Gamecocks came into last night's matchup against the Alabama Crimson Tide as massive underdogs. Based on both teams' resumés and rosters, no one would have blamed the majority in this scenario. South Carolina, however, wouldn't allow the narrative to be a reality on Wednesday night.

In the first half, South Carolina immediately displayed that through team basketball and their collective persistence, they wouldn't let the Crimson Tide run away with the game early. They ran multiple defensive hedges off Alabama's pick-and-rolls at the top of the key to prevent wide-open driving lanes to the basket. This forced Alabama's guards to exert far more effort to find open looks. Therefore, they fed their star mired in controversy, Brandon Miller, who scored fifteen first-half points for Alabama through his length, athleticism, and sharpshooting ability.

On the other end of the floor, the Gamecocks' star freshman GG Jackson, who has dealt with his share of struggles on the court in conference play, consistently answered the bell. He tried to drive to the basket, create space with his ball-handling and hesitation moves, and scored thirteen of the Gamecocks' 35 first-half points. 

Meechie Johnson and Jacobi Wright also boosted the backcourt by facilitating Lamont Paris' offense, making subtle yet correct decisions within plays to draw off-ball defenders and give their teammates good shot selections.

The Gamecocks' efficient play on both ends of the floor gave them a four-point lead heading into the break, but with the start of the second half, it was Alabama's turn to send a message, as Brandon Miller wound scoring the Tide's first ten points, mainly due to Carolina's defense losing sight of him in transition. The Gamecocks, however, would battle back, reestablishing some form of position for rebounds and would get some penetration near the rim through Carolina's backcourt to build up a five-point lead.

In the final ten minutes of regulation, and the full overtime period, through accumulated fatigue and foul trouble, Carolina would fall short in the end, with Meechie Johnson and Jacobi Wright keeping the Gamecocks in it offensively through their tenacious shooting and their decisions near the basket. South Carolina will take the floor again on Saturday night when they take on the No. 11 Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville.

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