South Carolina's recent performance in the Southeastern Conference has been a mixed bag, but their 97-89 victory over Mississippi State was a standout moment. The Gamecocks, with only three SEC wins against LSU, Oklahoma, and Mississippi State, are gearing up to host Kentucky tonight. This game is crucial for the Wildcats, who are currently on a three-game losing streak.
Leading the charge for South Carolina was Meechie Johnson, who delivered an impressive 21 points and a career-high nine assists. Mike Sharavjamts matched Johnson's scoring with his own career-high of 21 points, helping to end a seven-game losing streak for the Gamecocks. The team effort was evident as three other players also scored in double figures, contributing to a season-high 97 points.
Kentucky, on the other hand, is facing a challenging season. They've lost three home games this year and five home SEC games over two seasons under coach Mark Pope.
With a record of 17-10 following a controversial loss at Auburn, the Wildcats are in a tough spot. This marks the fourth consecutive season they've lost 10 or more games, a streak not seen since 2005-09.
The Wildcats' struggles can be partly attributed to ball control issues. During their 8-1 start, they averaged just over nine turnovers per game.
However, in their recent three losses, turnovers have jumped to 13.5 per game. Against Florida, 14 turnovers led to 25 points for the Gators.
Similarly, Georgia capitalized on 13 turnovers for 22 points, and Auburn turned 14 turnovers into 17 points.
Coach Mark Pope expressed his frustration following the Auburn game, acknowledging the loss of faith from fans and media. He emphasized the team's determination to maintain control and not be swayed by external pressures.
“We refuse to give control to people outside of our program. Regardless of how personal or bad it might get, we refuse to give control to fans or anyone else.
We don’t make excuses. Regardless of how disgraceful or unacceptable things are, we refuse to give away our power,” Pope stated.
As Kentucky prepares to face South Carolina, the pressure is on to turn things around and regain their footing in the SEC.