It was not the resounding victory for Missouri men’s basketball that fans might have expected against a struggling South Carolina team.
However, the Tigers bounced back from their loss to Mississippi State on Saturday with an 83-74 win over the Gamecocks on Tuesday at Mizzou Arena.
Missouri was again relentless on defense, forcing 14 South Carolina turnovers to counter the Gamecocks' 36% from 3-point range and 56% first-half shooting from the field.
The Tigers (18-6, 6-5 Southeastern Conference) had a bounce-back shooting night, making 48% of their 3s compared to just 26.1% of their shots from beyond the arc against the Bulldogs. Both teams were clicking from deep as the game went back and forth throughout the final half.
After South Carolina cut Missouri’s lead to 10 with free throws and even forced a backcourt turnover, it was unable to score, and MU was able to capitalize after a long possession. With time winding down on the shot clock, Sean East II drilled a fadeaway jumper to put MU up 80-68 with a little more than 90 seconds left. East finished with 15 points.
The referees dictated the tempo for potions of the second half, giving out a combined 22 fouls — including a flagrant foul on South Carolina’s Meechie Johnson after he swatted Kobe Brown while going for a steal. Johnson was booed by the MU crowd each time he touched the ball for the rest of the game.
South Carolina (8-16, 1-10) grinded out possessions and hung around with the Tigers on the ropes for the majority of the second half. But as the refs called the game tightly in the final period, MU produced a 7-0 run with free throws from Brown and East. Nick Honor capped the run with a right-corner 3 as time expired on the shot clock, putting MU up 76-66 with a little more than four minutes left. Honor finished with 14 points.
"I just feel like we needed a bucket at that time," Honor said. "Sean threw me a great pass, and believe it or not that corner side is something I work on with coach CY (Young) so, it was just a good night, I guess."
When shots weren't falling for either side, it was a physical battle in the paint. South Carolina was unafraid to challenge the Tigers defensively.
Brown showed off his experience against the physical South Carolina defense, making a tough layup to put the Tigers up 65-60. Brown finished with a team-high 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
"I was not pleased with Kobe's start, and I challenged him," MU coach Dennis Gates said. "I looked him in the eye several times (and) challenged him because I thought he was passing the ball too much and passed up on some open shots that he had normally taken. ...
"And at that point I saw him click back and accept that challenge in the right way. (He) didn't pout about it, after his head coach got after him. He was able to focus on my words and deliver what I asked him to deliver, and that's what I'm proud about."
When MU cooled off from 3 in the latter stages of the first half, the Tigers forced four South Carolina turnovers in the final 2:53 and earned a few trips to the line to stay in front. Honor and Mohamed Diarra went a combined 3-for-4 from the charity stripe to help MU hold a 42-37 advantage at the break.
South Carolina star freshman GG Jackson didn't start for the first time this season. Jackson criticized the Gamecocks’ coaching staff in an Instagram video after a loss to Arkansas and later issued an apology on social media. However, he still made a big impact off the bench, finishing with 23 points.
The Gamecocks also helped themselves stay in the game by establishing a presence in the paint in the first half. Hayden Brown posed the biggest threat inside, scoring 12 points in the opening period, including an and-1 with 7:27 left in the first half. He finished the game with 19 points.
MU’s quick start — which was ignited after it won the opening tip, leading to an Honor lob to Noah Carter — helped the Tigers start strong and earn the win. D’Moi Hodge also had a solid outing and was one of four Tigers in double figures with 12 points.
Missouri next faces a difficult test against No. 6 Tennessee at 5 p.m. Saturday in Knoxville, Tennessee.