After suffering their most lopsided loss of the season, South Carolina hits the road again-this time heading into the heart of one of college basketball’s toughest environments: Neville Arena. The Gamecocks (10-6, 1-3 SEC) are looking to regroup after a 34-point drubbing at Arkansas, and they'll have to do it against an Auburn squad that, while also struggling lately, has the kind of home-court dominance that can bury teams early.
Auburn (10-7, 1-3 SEC) hasn’t exactly been on a tear either, dropping three of its last four games. But don’t let the recent record fool you-this is a team that’s been through the gauntlet.
With one of the toughest schedules in the country and nine games against Quad 1 opponents already under their belt, the Tigers are as battle-tested as it gets. Their most recent win?
A 22-point blowout over the same Arkansas team that just steamrolled South Carolina.
The Matchup
This is a meeting between two teams each with just one SEC win, but the context around those records tells a bigger story. Auburn’s strength of schedule ranks third nationally, and they’ve already faced nine Quad 1 teams-more than anyone else in the country.
They’ve gone 3-6 in those games, picking up quality wins over St. John’s, Arkansas, and NC State.
South Carolina, by contrast, has only played four such games.
And then there’s Neville Arena. This place has become a fortress.
Auburn has won 65 of its last 71 games at home, and the lone blemish this season came in a nail-biter-a two-point loss to Texas A&M. The Tigers are winning by an average of 27.5 points per game at home this year.
That’s not just home-court advantage-that’s home-court dominance.
South Carolina Storylines
The Gamecocks are likely to be without a key contributor off the bench. Freshman Eli Ellis is listed as “doubtful” for Saturday’s game, and that’s a big blow.
Ellis is South Carolina’s fourth-leading scorer and ranks fourth in minutes played, averaging 9.9 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 27.2 minutes per game. He’s already missed time this season, notably against Clemson, and his absence leaves a noticeable gap in the rotation.
There is some good news, though. Freshman forward Grant Polk, who’s been sidelined for the last two games with a knee injury, is listed as “probable.” Polk brings energy and depth to the frontcourt, averaging 5.4 points and 1.4 rebounds in just over 14 minutes per game.
The bright spot in South Carolina’s recent blowout loss was sixth-year senior Meechie Johnson, who turned in arguably his best performance of the season. Johnson poured in 29 points on 9-of-13 shooting and went 8-for-10 from the line.
He also dished out six assists, showing why he’s one of the SEC’s most versatile guards. He’s one of just three players in the conference averaging at least 14 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal per game-joining Alabama’s Labaron Philon and Vanderbilt’s Tyler Tanner in that elite company.
As of Friday night, South Carolina checks in at No. 97 in the NET rankings and No. 85 in KenPom. Auburn sits significantly higher-No. 37 in NET and No. 34 in KenPom. The predictive metrics give Auburn a strong edge, with KenPom projecting an 82-72 win for the Tigers and an 82% chance of victory.
Auburn Snapshot
The Tigers will likely roll out a starting five anchored by forward Keyshawn Hall, who’s been a force all season. Hall is averaging 20.9 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game-numbers that speak to his ability to impact the game on multiple levels. He’s flanked by KeShawn Murphy, another solid contributor in the frontcourt, and guards Tahaad Pettiford and Kevin Overton, the latter of whom chips in nearly 13 points per game and brings defensive energy with 1.5 steals per outing.
Sebastian Williams-Adams rounds out the starting five, adding a balanced stat line of 7.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game.
In terms of health, Auburn is in relatively good shape. Only Abdullahi Bashir and Emeka Opurum are listed on the availability report, and neither has been a major part of the rotation this season, combining for fewer than six points per game across limited minutes.
Series History
Auburn has owned this series in recent years. The Tigers have won nine straight against South Carolina dating back to January 2020.
Last year’s matchup was a tightly contested battle, with Auburn edging out the Gamecocks by three points in Columbia. Expect another hard-fought game-especially if South Carolina can shake off the sting of Wednesday’s loss and bring the kind of intensity needed to hang in Neville Arena.
What to Watch
If South Carolina wants to pull off the upset, it starts with Meechie Johnson. He’ll need to replicate or even exceed his performance from earlier this week to keep the Gamecocks within striking distance. The potential return of Grant Polk could help stabilize the rotation, but the absence of Eli Ellis-if confirmed-will test the team’s depth.
For Auburn, the formula is simple: keep doing what they’ve been doing at home. The Tigers’ combination of physicality, experience against top-tier opponents, and their home-court advantage makes them a tough out for anyone. If Keyshawn Hall gets rolling early and the defense locks in, Auburn has the firepower to put this one away before the final buzzer.
Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. ET on the SEC Network.