No. 11/11 Gamecocks Drop Game at No. 13/12 Auburn

AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Jaylin Williams scored 23 points and Johni Broome added 21 to lead No. 13 Auburn to a 101-61 blowout of 11th-ranked South Carolina on Wednesday night, the Tigers’ most lopsided win over a ranked team.

The Tigers (20-5, 9-3 Southeastern Conference) rolled to a 22-point halftime lead and snapped South Carolina’s seven-game winning streak. They moved into a second-place tie with the Gamecocks (21-4, 9-3) in the league standings, just behind Alabama at 9-2.

Both big men for Auburn did much of their damage from long range, and the team secured its sixth 20-win season in the last seven years.

Williams shot 5 of 7 on 3-pointers, making four in the first half. Broome was 4 of 5 and drained all three attempts in the second half.

Tre Donaldson had 11 points and Chad Baker-Mazara added 10 for the Tigers, who blitzed the SEC’s leading defense. The Gamecocks came in allowing just 64 points per game and hadn’t permitted more than 77.

Meechie Johnson had 22 points for the Gamecocks but was called for a technical foul after shoving Baker-Mazara late.

Collin Murray-Boyles added 19 points and seven rebounds for South Carolina. The freshman was coming off a 31-point performance against Vanderbilt when he made 14 of 17 shots. B.J. Mack scored 14.

The Tigers got off to a blazing start, building a 50-28 halftime lead capped by Baker-Mazara’s 3-pointer with two seconds left. Williams made three straight 3s during one sequence after Auburn took control with an 18-3 run.

South Carolina did manage to cut it to 16 early in the second half but Broome scored Auburn’s next eight points, including a pair of 3s. The margin just kept growing wider from there.

The teams have met 50 times, and this was the first time both entered the game ranked.

KEY STAT

• Auburn shot 61.0 percent (36-for-59) from the field including 60.0 percent (12-for-20) from three. The Tigers 101 points is the most surrendered under head coach Lamont Paris and 61.0 percent is the highest field goal percentage by an opponent since Nov. of 2022.

NOTABLES

• Junior guard Meechie Johnson recorded his seventh 20-point game this season leading Carolina with 22 points on 8-of-17 shooting. Johnson also led the Garnet & Black with seven rebounds and two helpers. It marked his 11^th game leading the Gamecocks in scoring, his sixth leading in rebounding and his ninth leading in passing.
• Freshman forward Collin Murray-Boyles recorded his fourth straight double-figure scoring game notching 19 points on 60.0 percent shooting (6-for-10). The big man also led Carolina with seven rebounds (four coming on the offensive glass). Over his last four games, the reigning SEC Freshman of the Week is averaging 20.5 points per game along with 7.0 rebounds.
• Graduate forward B.J. Mack recorded double-figures for the second consecutive game scoring 14 points, shooting 7-of-8 from the charity stripe. It marked his 16^th game this season scoring in double-digits and the 77^th of his career.
• Carolina made 22-of-28 at the charity stripe, good for 78.6 percent.

UP NEXT

The Gamecocks (21-4, 9-3 SEC) return home for a Saturday matchup against LSU (12-12, 4-7 SEC). Dave Neal (pxp) and Jon Sundvold (analyst) will be on the call for 3:30 p.m. (ET) SEC Network broadcast. It’s Legends Weekend as players from years past will be in town and honored at the game.

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