South Carolina is back home Tuesday night looking to keep its early-season momentum going when Saint Peter’s visits Colonial Life Arena for a 7 p.m. tip.
It’s a rare matchup, too. The Gamecocks and Peacocks have met only once before, and this will be the first time they’ve shared a floor in Columbia.
Saint Peter’s still owns the edge in the series, 1-0, after a 57-56 win on Jan. 16, 1990, in Jersey City, N.J. The teams have not played on the hard court since 1990.
South Carolina comes in off a 78-68 win over SEMO on Sunday, a game that was tighter and messier than the final margin suggests. The Gamecocks had to fight through 15 turnovers and managed only eight assists, but they controlled the game with size and physical play when it mattered most.
That showed up at the foul line, where South Carolina went 30-of-40, while SEMO finished 15-for-22. The Gamecocks also owned the glass, outrebounding the Redhawks 40-24 and limiting them to just four second-chance points.
One of the biggest positives from that win was the long-awaited debut of Marcus Johnson. The consensus four-star guard sat out the opener against Stetson after an injury in practice the previous weekend, but he got on the floor against SEMO and delivered 10 points and three rebounds while wearing a facemask.
Saint Peter’s arrives at 0-3, and the Peacocks are still searching for their first win after a brutal finish to Sunday’s game against NJIT. They were up 52-51 with 4.6 seconds left before Bryce Eaton missed the front end of a 1-and-1, and Brandon Stores Jr. answered by banking in the game-winning three at the buzzer. That came on the heels of losses to Seton Hall, 66-42, and Binghamton, 58-55.
Eaton has been the focal point for Saint Peter’s so far, leading the team with 15.3 points per game while adding 4.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists. Xavier Thomas is also scoring in double figures at 10.7 points per game and pulling down 5.0 rebounds.
As a group, the Peacocks are averaging 49.7 points per game and shooting 49-of-156 from the field, which works out to 31.4 percent. From three, they are 21-for-74, or 28.4 percent.
Dave Weinstein, John Williams and Perry Clark will handle the SEC Network+ broadcast. Derek Scott and Casey Manning will call the game on 107.5 The Game. The matchup will also be available on the Gamecock Radio Network, SiriusXM 256 and the SXM app on 256, with live stats provided by StatBroadcast.
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For the Gamecocks, this is the kind of road test that can help clarify where they stand as the season winds down. The numbers and the betting line point to a game with real stakes, but the bigger storyline is how Arkansas responds after a year defined by close calls and missed chances. South Carolina coach has already framed the challenge in terms of focus and execution, and Saturday offers another chance to see whether the Gamecocks can keep their postseason push moving while the Razorbacks try to keep their season from slipping away. [Read more 🡒]