Auburn basketball is gearing up to face South Carolina on Saturday evening as they compete in their fifth Southeastern Conference (SEC) game of the season. Both teams enter the matchup with identical overall and conference records, sitting at 10-7, with each having only one SEC victory thus far. South Carolina recently secured a win against LSU, but they are on a downward trajectory with consecutive losses to Georgia and Arkansas.
Auburn’s head coach, Steven Pearl, highlighted the potential of the Gamecocks despite their recent struggles. “South Carolina is a team that had a tough result at Arkansas, and then I watched the next game at LSU, and they’re up 43-15 in the first half. This is an incredibly capable team. They have a lot of experience; they have two of the most experienced active players in the SEC right now as far as minutes played,” Pearl noted in a press conference on Friday.
Leading the Gamecocks is guard Meechie Johnson, who averages 14.7 points and 4.1 assists per game. Another key player to watch is Mike Sharavjamts, contributing 11.6 points per game while also leading the team in rebounds with 5.8 per game. Coach Pearl acknowledged Johnson’s impact, emphasizing, “Meechie Johnson is a guy that’s been in this league for a while, prolific scorer does a lot of really good things. When they make 3s, they’re a different basketball team.”
Pearl also praised South Carolina’s offensive consistency, noting their proficiency in maintaining low turnover rates, achieving single-digit turnovers in three of their first four SEC contests. He pointed out that their only losses in SEC competition have come at the hands of ranked opponents, indicating their capability to challenge tough teams.
Auburn is set to host South Carolina at 5 p.m. CT, with the game being broadcast on the SEC Network. This matchup promises to be competitive, and both teams will be eager to secure a much-needed victory as they navigate the challenging SEC landscape.