On December 13, 2025, South Carolina faced The Citadel in a thrilling basketball game. Despite a slow start, South Carolina emerged victorious with a final score of 71-55. The turning point came in the second half when Meechie Johnson ignited the offense, scoring 14 of his 19 points during this period. Johnson's performance was complemented by Mike Sharavjamts and Kobe Knox, who contributed 14 and 12 points, respectively. However, the Gamecocks' 3-point shooting struggled early on, missing their first 19 attempts before Myles Stute finally broke through with a crucial three-pointer. This momentum shift proved pivotal, as Johnson and Grant Polk followed up with back-to-back 3-pointers, giving South Carolina a commanding 55-47 lead. The game's momentum continued to shift as Johnson's three-point play and Hayden Assemian's basket extended the lead to 11 points with 4:24 remaining. Carter Kingsbury, leading The Citadel with 18 points, made 8 of 14 shots from the field. Despite South Carolina's 3-point struggles, they finished the game with a 42% overall shooting percentage, making 9 of 14 shots in the final 10 minutes. The Bulldogs, on the other hand, struggled against Division-I opponents, shooting 37% from the field and making only 11% of their 3-point attempts. The Citadel's free-throw line performance was also below par, hitting only 55% of their attempts. The game's outcome highlighted the importance of perseverance and strategic adjustments, as South Carolina's ability to adapt and capitalize on their opponents' weaknesses ultimately secured their victory.
