Who: #1 South Carolina (7-0) vs. Morgan State (3-5). Columbia, SC
Time/TV: 7:00 streaming on SEC Network +.
Line: UPDATED TO INCLUDE THE POINT SPREAD: SC -60.5!!! per Draft Kings. I've never seen one that high. Total is 127.5.
History: The two schools have never met. South Carolina is 29-9 against current members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and 40-9 overall against schools that were members of the MEAC at the time the game was contested. The vast majority of those games were against SC State. The Gamecocks hold a 25-9 all-time advantage over the Bulldogs.
Last Meeting: Carolina has opened their NCAA Tournament runs the last two seasons with the MEAC Champion. Howard in 2022 and Norfolk State in 2023. The Gamecocks were incredibly sloppy in their home win over Norfolk State last season. Carolina shot only 39% from the floor and converted only 25 of 41 free throw attempts. Aliyah Boston had only seven points and the entire starting five combined for only 31 points.
Scouting the Bears
Morgan State was tabbed to finish third in the MAEC by its' coaches and SIDs. Sophomore guard Gabrielle Johnson was named a preseason second-team selection. Johnson is the Bears' leading scorer averaging 10.1 points a game. There are three things that the Bears have struggled with this season, rebounding, three-point shooting, and turnovers. They aren't going to pull any upsets if they can't clean up those three vital areas. Even if they do, they aren't leaving the CLA with a win tonight.
The Bears have only two players that are over six feet tall and one of them hardly ever plays. The tallest Bear that is likely to see the court tonight is 6'2 Jael Butler. The sophomore center averages only four points a game and a little over two rebounds. Translation: South Carolina will absolutely own the glass. This is going to be one of those games where the post players just rebound any guard missed shots and put them back in.
The Bears haven't played a team in the same stratosphere as the Gamecocks so it is difficult to tell just how bad things will get tonight. Morgan State is 3-5 with their best win coming over UNC Asheville. The Bears are ranked number 292 in the NET Rankings. This game is going to be cleaning up the some sloppy play from the two-game Tobacco Road trip and nailing down some defensive rotations. You'll be safe turning your attention to the Upstate after halftime.
If you haven't heard another Gamecock super fan has passed away. Just as Sarge Frye Field and Founder Park had Bill "Oot Oot" Golding as a fixture, the Colonial Life Arena had Carlton Thompson. Thompson was another lifelong Gamecock fan that could be counted to be prowling the baseline in front of the CLA student section. Thompson attended his first Gamecock game in 1968 as a sophomore in high school. He passed away yesterday at the age of 70. His funeral information can be found here.
