Journalist report: South Carolina basketball team loses to LSU, blowing a 16-point lead.

Before the first tip, the Colonial Life Arena crowd was raucous. Early on in the game, both teams were playing hard defense and had trouble scoring, with former Gamecock Trae Hannibal grabbing three boards in the first two minutes of play.

Six minutes into the game, both teams were shooting 25% from the field, indicating that the offensive problems persisted.

A spectacular alley-oop from Hannibal to Hunter Dean gave LSU a 7–6 lead, but two free throws from Josh Gray, a former LSU Tiger, gave the home team the lead back.

A few plays later, Jordan Wright of LSU scored after escaping with a double dribble, sparking a 6-0 run for the Tigers that continued until the under-12 media timeout.

However, following the pause, aFollowing a beautiful find by Myles Stute, a BJ Mack and-1 increased the Gamecock scoring run to 8-0. Ultimately, a 12-0 run that lasted for around three and a half minutes gave Carolina a 20–13 lead before Tyrell Ward made a 1-2 trip to the free throw line.

But Lamont Paris’ squad didn’t back down, holding LSU without a field goal for more than six minutes in the course of a 17-1 run that gave USC a 29-17 lead.

LSU made a brief 6-0 run in the closing minutes of the first half to narrow their deficit, but Carolina still led 32-25 at the intermission.

Although both teams’ awful shooting starts somewhat improved, neither side was able to break through.

Lamont Paris, the South Carolina basketball coach, had to be happy with his defense after the break because it kept LSU scoreless for the first 3:36 of the half, increasing their lead to 16 points.

The Bayou Bengals’ losing streak came to an end when Jalen Reed made a shot, and they gradually got back into the game.

Two free throws by Trae Hannibal with just over 13 minutes remaining in the contest set the score 42-34. A few minutes later, Reed made a 3-pointer to narrow the deficit to 5 points, but a massive Josh Gray dunk put the Gamecocks ahead by 7 points heading into the under-12 tournament.

Over the following few minutes, the scoreboard appeared to light up on seemingly alternate possessions, but the Gamecocks made a couple ofAfter Reed successfully made a clear out with his off hand, the lead was reduced to four points after a dunk.

Following an unintentional elbow, hie MeecJohnson of Carolina missed the game with what seemed to be a head injury.

After a huge dunk and three-pointer by Tyrell Ward, South Carolina led by one point heading into the under-4 timeout.

Eighteen of LSU’s final twenty points came from Reed and Ward, who drove the comeback.

BJ Mack made a hard running hook shot after the break, but he then easily grabbed the rebound, giving LSU an additional possession.

After gaining another offensive rebound, they capitalized, and Ward knotted the score withThe lead was short lived as Jordan Wright was fouled by Myles Stute after he made a layup.

To tie the game, he made the free throw.

With roughly 30 seconds remaining in the game, Ta’Lon Cooper calmly walked down the floor and got free for a 3-pointer that put them up 63-60 despite struggling offensively for the duration of the game.

Despite Coach Paris’s cries for his side to foul on the subsequent possession, Wright was able to finish easily.

With fifteen seconds remaining and up 63-62, BJ Mack was fouled on a trap, but Pat Adams and his officiating staff chose not to call it.

The foolish sideline pass resulted in a tie-up for LSU, and Jordan Wright was fouled by Collin Murray-Boyles during the subsequent possession.

With five seconds remaining, Wright hit both of his foul shots to take the lead. Murray-Boyles made an incredible athletic move to thwart a long, inaccurate pass from BJ Mack.

To push the ball past halfcourt and prevent the game-ending turnover, CMB leaped up, caught the ball, and lobbed it off an LSU defender out of bounds.

Regrettably, for supporters of South Carolina basketball, Jacobi Wright’s step-back 3-point attempt rimmed out, causing the Gamecocks’ 16-point advantage in the second half to officially collapse. Carolina fell to LSU 64-63 at Colonial Life Arena, losing for the first time this season in their second straight game.