Gamecocks Drop Tight Game at Mississippi State, 74-68

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Shakeel Moore scored 20 points on 9-of-15 shooting, Tolu Smith added 16 points and Mississippi State beat South Carolina 74-68 Tuesday night.

Shawn Jones Jr. added 11 points for Mississippi State (20-10, 8-9 SEC).

Moore made a jumper and then, after a steal by Cameron Matthews, added a layup before D.J. Jeffries made two free throws that gave the Bulldogs the lead for good at 59-57 with 6:41 to play. Gregory “GG” Jackson II made two free throws to pull South Carolina (10-21, 3-15) back within two points with five minutes remaining, but Moore answered with a 3-pointer that sparked an 12-4 run that made it 73-62 when Moore — who also made a jumper and a layup in the spurt — made a free throw with 27 seconds left.

Jackson made 11 of 11 from the free-throw line and led the Gamecocks with 22 points and eight rebounds. Josh Gray and Hayden Brown scored 12 points apiece.

Mississippi State made 26 of 52 from the field and shot at least 50% for the fifth time in the last 10 games and sixth time this season.

The Bulldogs have won eight of their last 10 games.

KEY STAT

• Mississippi State forced nine Gamecock turnovers, including six steals over the final 10:13 of play capitalizing on 10 points off those turnovers. After Carolina took the lead 57-53 with 8:20 to go, the Bulldogs forced four consecutive Gamecock turnovers and turned the game back in their favor.

NOTABLES

• Gregory “GG” Jackson II led all scorers with 22 points and a team-high eight rebounds. It is Jackson’s 10^th game this season scoring 20 points or more and his 24^th game scoring in double figures.
• Hayden Brown and Josh Gray also scored in double figures for Carolina with 12 each. Gray returned to double figures for the first time since scoring a career-high 20 against Arkansas at home on Feb. 4.
• Meechie Johnson led the Gamecocks with four assists, the 17^th time this season he has led the team in the category.
• The Gamecocks shot 94.1 percent (16-for-17) from the free throw line.
• Walk on freshman Eli Sparkman recorded a career-high six points making a pair of corner 3s. He has now recorded a made 3-point field goal in three straight games for Carolina.

UP NEXT

The Gamecocks (10-20, 3-14 SEC) return to Colonial Life Arena for the regular season finale against Georgia (16-14, 6-11 SEC) on Saturday. It’s a 1 p.m. tip with Mike Morgan (pxp) and Joe Kleine (analyst) on the call. It’s Senior Day and the team will honor graduate transfer Hayden Brown pregame.

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