Johnson Earns SEC Player of the Week Honors

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Junior guard Meechie Johnson was named SEC Co-Player of the Week on Monday the league office announced. He shares the honors with LSU’s Jordan Wright.

Johnson led South Carolina with 24 points, six rebounds, two assists and one steal in a 68-62 win over Mississippi State on Saturday at Colonial Life Arena. It was the team’s first SEC opening win since 2021 and improved the Gamecocks to 13-1 for the sixth time in program history.

Johnson scored 15 of his 24 in second half. He was an efficient 6-of-12 from the floor, knocking down a trio of 3s, and 9-of-11 at the free throw line. The Cleveland, Ohio, native had a crucial steal and sunk four free throws to seal the victory, all in the final 7 seconds of regulation.

Johnson, the SEC’s third-leading scorer, now has a career-best six 20-point games this season. He’s led the Gamecocks in scoring in eight of the team’s 14 games. He is having the best season of his career averaging 18.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.

The second-year Gamecock has posted career best marks in field goal percentage (44.6% – 14^th in SEC), 3-point field goal percentage (36.4%) and free throw percentage (82.2%). He recently made 27-straight free throws and is 42-of-45 (93.3%) at the free throw line the team’s last nine games dating back to a 65-53 ACC/SEC Challenge win at home over Notre Dame on Nov. 28.

With the win over the Bulldogs on Saturday, Carolina improved to 8-2 the last two seasons in games when Johnson scores 20 or more.

Johnson is the first Gamecock to take home SEC Player of the Week honors since Jair Bolden on Dec. 23, 2019. Bolden had 22 points in an upset win at No. 9 Virginia.

The Gamecocks travel to Alabama (9-5, 1-0 SEC) on Tuesday. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. (ET) with Dave Neal and Jon Sundvold on the call for the SEC Network broadcast.

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