The South Carolina men's basketball team extended its win streak to four games on Wednesday with a 66-56 win over Mississippi State. The win ties its longest SEC win streak since the beginning of the 2019 conference season.
“I feel like we’re getting better,” junior guard Jermaine Couisnard said postgame. "People are starting to know our season is on the line, so I feel like we gotta play with a little sense of urgency.”
The Gamecocks outplayed the Bulldogs at their own game on Wednesday. Though Mississippi State entered the evening ranked second in both field goal percentage and rebounding margin in the SEC, it did not stay that way throughout the night.
South Carolina outrebounded the Bulldogs by nine while holding the team to 19-53 from the field. The Gamecocks added to the strong defensive effort by holding Mississippi State 0-14 from three. The Bulldogs are the second team that South Carolina has held scoreless from three this season.
“Really, really proud of the fight and the discipline that we played with defensively today,” head coach Frank Martin said. “I practiced nothing but offense the last two days, and the disciplines that we played with defensively today were really, really good.”
On the offensive end, Couisnard had yet another big game. He finished the evening with 22 points, combining for 55 in his last two games.
Along with his solid shooting from the field, Couisnard finished the game 8-8 from the free-throw line — a place the Gamecocks shot 10-11 on today.
Playing so well on both sides of the ball, the Gamecocks never trailed and the team led by double digits for the final 25 minutes.
The team will look to add to its resume during a matchup against No. 24 Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on Saturday. A Frank Martin-led team has never won in Tuscaloosa.
“I just know that if there’s a time of year you want to get on a run, it's at this time of year. No one ever remembered winning streaks in December and early January. Everyone remembers winning streaks at the end of the year cause it's money time,” said Martin.
Tip-off is at 6:00 and the game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.