Paris Picks Up 100th Career Win, 79-77, Over VT

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – (AP) B.J. Mack made the go-ahead basket with 20 seconds left and South Carolina prevented Virginia Tech from getting off a shot on its next possession and the Gamecocks beat the Hokies 79-77 on Friday night.

In the first game played between the programs since 1997, Myles Stute scored 21 points shooting 7 for 11 including 5 for 6 from 3-point range, Mack scored 19 and secured six rebounds, Talon Cooper and reserve Jacobi Wright each scored 12 and Meechie Johnson scored 11 for the Gamecocks (2-0).

On his game winner, Mack methodically backed down Mylyjael Poteat on the left side, drove to the baseline and converted the reverse layup. Following a Hokies (1-1) timeout, South Carolina disrupted a dribble-handoff attempt a few feet beyond the 3-point line to force a turnover to all but end it.

Mack missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with two seconds left, and an errant heave attempt by the Hokies sealed it.

Sean Pedulla scored 26 points, Hunter Catoor 13 and Lynn Kidd 12 for Virginia Tech.

The Hokies host Campbell on Wednesday. South Carolina hosts VMI on Monday.

KEY STAT

• South Carolina shot 56.4 percent (31-for-55) from the floor and knocked down 10 triples shooting 47.6 percent (10-for-21) from distance.

NOTABLES

• Junior guard Myles Stute led the Gamecock with 21 points on an efficient 7-of-11 from the floor, knocking down five triples. He added five rebounds in 35 minutes of action for Carolina.
• Graduate transfer guard Ta’Lon Cooper provided 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting and led Carolina with seven assists and no turnovers.
• Five players scored in double-figures for Carolina: Stute (21), B.J. Mack (19), Cooper (12), Jacobi Wright (12) and Meechie Johnson (11). The group accounted for 75 of the 79 Gamecock points.
• Redshirt senior Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk contributed key minutes off the bench snatching down seven rebounds for the Garnet & Black.
• Thirty-one made field goals is the most in the Paris era for the Gamecocks. Carolina’s previous high of 30 came against No. 2 Alabama back on Feb. 22, 2023.
• Tonight’s victory marked the 100^th career head coaching victory for Lamont Paris. He collected his 100^th win just one day before his 50^th
• The victory also marked Paris’s first career win against the Hokies and his first against head coach Mike Young. The two faced off four times in SoCon matchups when Young was the head coach at Wofford.

UP NEXT

The Gamecocks (2-0) will be in action on Monday again as the team welcomes in VMI (1-1). SEC Network+ will have the broadcast again for the 7 p.m. (ET) tip time with Dave Weinstein (pxp) and John Williams (analyst) on the call.

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