South Carolina vs Missouri - Keys to the Gamecocks Win

Feb 22, 2025; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks forward Collin Murray-Boyles (30) disputes a call against the Texas Longhorns in the first half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images | Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

After getting their first conference win of the season, the South Carolina Gamecocks are back on the road against Missouri on Tuesday. Here's how they find a way to win.

The Gamecocks had a huge victory over the weekend against the Texas Longhorns, their first conference win of the season. While it was a good morale-booster for the Gamecocks, the season is not over. The Gamecocks next contest will be tonight on the road against the number 14 Missouri Tigers. The Tigers are coming off a disappointing loss to John Calipari’s Arkansas Razorbacks. If the Gamecocks want to pull off another upset, it is imperative that they do the following. 

Step Up Defensively:

The Tigers are an offensive juggernaut, ranking eighth nationally in scoring and average 83.7 points per game. The Gamecocks are a below-average team scoring the ball. With that at their disadvantage, they must make life hard for the Tigers’ offense. Against Texas, the Gamecocks were relentless on defense and forced the Longhorns to turn the ball over 12 times. The Tigers had a brutal display of discipline against the Razorbacks with 18 turnovers. If the Gamecocks are able to continue the pressure and win the turnover margin, they will be in this game.

Continue Offensive Aggression:

Against the Longhorns, the Gamecocks played a tough brand of basketball that kept them at the free throw line. They shot 45 free throws and shot barely under 80%. The Razorbacks had similar results against the Tigers, which allowed them to pull away late and complete the upset. The Gamecocks have not been consistently successful with free throws throughout the season, so it is fair to assume they now realize how impactful it is to their chance to win. If they maintain the same ferocity offensively, do not be surprised if they are able to score with the Tigers’ powerful offense.

Neutralize the three ball:

The Tigers have the second best three-point percentage in the SEC. As for the Gamecocks three point defense, they are in the bottom quarter of three-point percentage allowed. If they let the Tigers get hot defensively, it will be a long night. Against Texas, who hit the three-bill at a similar clip to the Tigers, the Gamecocks were able to disrupt the Longhorn offensive flow and ended up outshooting them from behind the arc. If the Gamecocks maintain that strategy, they will give themselves the best chance to pull off the upset.

The game will tip-off tonight at 9 PM on ESPNU.

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