COLUMBIA, S.C. — Meechie Johnson scored 21 points and racked up a career-high nine assists, and Mike Sharavjamts also scored a career-high 21 for South Carolina in a 97-89 win over Mississippi State on Saturday afternoon, snapping a seven-game losing streak. Kobe Knox had 17 points and Elijah St rong put up 16 points for the Gamecocks (12-15, 3-11 Southeastern Conference), who were an efficient 55.4% (31-of-56) from the floor. Eli Ellis had 13 off the bench to help South Carolina score a season-high 97 points. South Carolina jumped ahead with an 8-0 run in the first half that included two points from Johnson and 3 from Knox, and headed into halftime up, 46-39. The Gamecocks took their biggest lead of the game — 89-76 — off a 6-0 run with 2:17 to play after in Ellis corner 3. Mississippi State (13-14, 5-9) was led by Quincy Ballard with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Jaden Epps scored 13 in the first half before leaving the game with an injury, and didn’t return. SEC leading scorer Josh Hubbard finished with 13, after only putting up two in the first half. Ja’Borri McGhee had 12 and Sergei Macura 10 for the Bulldogs. The Gamecocks shot 85.2% from the free throw line (23-of-27). KEY STATS Carolina shot the ball at a high rate from start to finish and was above the 60% mark from the floor for most of the game. The team was 50.0% (12-of-24) from 3 and 59.3% (19-of-32) on two-point field goals. The Gamecocks were out-rebounded by 10 in the first half and flipped the script the final 20 minutes with a 21-16 edge on the boards in the second half. Carolina maintained its prowess at the free throw line, going 20-of-24 (83.3%) in the second half to help secure the victory. The Gamecocks entered today’s game No. 1 in the SEC (No. 7 nationally) in team free throw percentage. The team is now 79.0% (463-of-586) from the foul line this season in 27 games. NOTABLES Redshirt senior guard Meechie Johnson finished with a game-high 21 points, his 10th game this season with 20 or more (8th in SEC play). He was great at the free throw line again, going 9-of-10 after going 9-of-9 earlier in the week at No. 12/11 Florida. The Cleveland, Ohio native now has 13consecutive games in double-figures. He’s scored 10 or more a team-leading 21 times this season. He also now has 24 games in college with 20 or more points, all while wearing Garnet and Black. Johnson had a then career-best 10, 20-point games in the 2023-24 season en route to earning All-SEC distinction. Johnson had a career-high nine assists today, one helper shy of becoming the first Gamecock since three-time First Team All-SEC guard Devan Downey in 2008 to record a points-assists, double-double. Senior guard Mike Sharavjamts matched Johnson with a career-high 21 points. He was efficient from the floor, going 6-of-8 (75.0%). He added five assists (no turnovers) and four rebounds. Sharavjamts’ previous career high was 19 on Nov. 12, 2024 against Queens last season while playing for Utah. He previously had a season-high 18 points back on Jan. 10 against No. 18/20 Georgia. Redshirt senior guard Kobe Knox (17), junior forward Elijah Strong (16) and freshman guard Eli Ellis (13) joined the duo of Johnson and Sharavjamts in double figures in what was a well rounded offensive performance by the home team today. Carolina had 20 assists on 31 made field goals today. Johnson (9), Sharavjamts (5) and Ellis (3) combined for 17 assists and just three turnovers. The 97 points scored today were the most in the Lamont Paris era at South Carolina over the last four seasons. It was the 18th time the Gamecocks have scored 90 or more in an SEC game dating back to 1991-92. Today tied for the fourth-most points in SEC action ever for Carolina and was the most points in an SEC game since a 98-69 home win against Auburn on Jan. 24, 2017. With the win today under Paris, the Gamecocks improved to 21-2 when scoring 80 or more points, 16-2 when shooting above 50% from the floor, 12-0 when making 30 or more field goals, 8-0 when shooting above 50% from behind the arc and 8-0 when dishing out 20 or more assists. Mississippi State All-SEC guard Josh Hubbard, fresh off a 46-point outing in a win over Auburn on Wednesday, was held to just 13 points on 4-of-20 (20.0%) shooting today by the Gamecock defense. He entered the game No. 1 in the SEC (No. 8 nationally) in scoring (22.8 ppg). UP NEXT South Carolina remains home and welcomes Kentucky (17-9, 8-5 SEC) to Colonial Life Arena on Tuesday. Kevin Fitzgerald (pxp) and Perry Clark (analyst) will be on the call for the 7 p.m. (ET) SEC Network broadcast. Categories: Sports, USC Gamecocks ...read more read less