{"id":84003,"date":"2025-02-23T10:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-23T16:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/demo.wztzfm.com\/wp\/this-is-just-well-overdue-south-carolina-feeling-relieved-after-earning-first-sec-win\/"},"modified":"2025-02-23T10:30:00","modified_gmt":"2025-02-23T16:30:00","slug":"this-is-just-well-overdue-south-carolina-feeling-relieved-after-earning-first-sec-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/demo.wztzfm.com\/wp\/this-is-just-well-overdue-south-carolina-feeling-relieved-after-earning-first-sec-win\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018This is just well overdue\u2019: South Carolina feeling relieved after earning first SEC win"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jamarii Thomas<\/a><\/strong> walked off the podium after doing his postgame interview and shouted out a word that perfectly expressed how everyone felt after Saturday night: \u201cHALLELUJAH!\u201d<\/p>\n

For the first time in almost two months, South Carolina won a basketball game. The Gamecocks, who had endured a grueling 13-game losing streak, defeated Texas 84-69 at Colonial Life Arena.<\/a> It\u2019s their first win since Dec. 30, 2024. It\u2019s also their first SEC win since March 9, 2024, when it defeated Mississippi State 93-89.<\/p>\n

There were times over the last few weeks where the streak could\u2019ve ended a lot sooner. South Carolina had been beaten down at the start of conference play with a pair of blowout losses. But there were also six different games in which the team lost by five points or fewer. So to finally come through in the end, it meant a lot to them.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is just well overdue,\u201d Collin Murray-Boyles<\/a><\/strong> said. \u201cWe put in a lot of work in practice. We\u2019ve had some really close games this season. The feeling is just sigh of relief that we could finally taste what it\u2019s like to win in the SEC and hopefully keep it going for the rest of conference play.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stay on top of all things Gamecocks for just $1 per week\u2014lock in this special offer today!<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

The way in which the Gamecocks lost games was also excruciating. Even in those losses that went down to the final seconds, there was always something holding them back from sealing the deal. Missed free throws, turnovers, inconsistent shooting, to name a few. <\/p>\n

It would\u2019ve been easy for the players to give up on the season when things got tough. No one likes to lose. But having a head coach like Lamont Paris has helped keep the locker room in good order.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe just keeps believing in us day in, day out,\u201d Thomas said. \u201cSometimes, as you know, when you lose, guys lose confidence and things of that nature. But he instills it right back into us, and he just believes in us. So we just play hard for him.\u201d<\/p>\n

About a month ago, after South Carolina had just lost in overtime to Mississippi State,<\/a> Paris said the Gamecocks\u2019 day was coming. He didn\u2019t mean their day to win but more so the day where they\u2019d recognize what keeps preventing them from winning, that\u2019s when they\u2019d be successful.<\/p>\n

And when they won on Saturday, it was a byproduct of all the things they did right. They turned the ball over eight times, kept Texas\u2019 offense in check, played good defense, and didn\u2019t succumb when the Longhorns cut the lead down in the second half. That\u2019s what it took to win.<\/p>\n

\u201cFeels good for to see the guys be able to rejoice when they\u2019ve been yearning to do this so many times. They\u2019ve been on the doorstep so many times,\u201d Paris said. \u201c\u2026 So for them to continually have the energy, the effort, the belief that they have in anticipation of playing well and winning a game has been really impressive. And that\u2019s what I\u2019m proudest, or most proud of them for.\u201d<\/p>\n

Win tickets to Senior Day, South Carolina-Kentucky women\u2019s basketball game<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

One win won\u2019t change everything, though. Not in a season where the Gamecocks are still dead last in the SEC standings with a 1-13 record. It\u2019s still been a disappointing season after making it to the NCAA Tournament last year. <\/p>\n

But with four games to go, this win does help change the perspective on everything. South Carolina can finally move on from the hardships of losing and now sees the formula to win. <\/p>\n

The beauty of college basketball is that it takes one magical run to earn an automatic bid by winning the SEC Tournament next month. The Gamecocks will be there, most likely as the No. 16 seed, and would have to play five games in five days to try and win it all. For now though, the focus is on this one game and getting that winning feeling back.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe relief is that now they can take everything at face value,\u201d Paris said. \u201cThe whole world opened up again. They can listen to things differently that I say. They can process things differently now that they\u2019re not consumed by that one thing. And so I think that\u2019s where relief comes in is that you\u2019re able to move forward and the last thing you remember is playing pretty well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Discuss South Carolina basketball on The Insiders Forum!<\/strong><\/a><\/h2>\n

The post \u2018This is just well overdue\u2019: South Carolina feeling relieved after earning first SEC win<\/a> appeared first on On3<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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