NASHVILLE ― South Carolina basketball coach Lamont Paris gave his head an exasperated shake late inside the first half, as yet another Auburn bounce shot found the underside of the web.

He’d seen the Tigers blitz his Gamecocks like this sooner than. And really like ultimate time, it was shortly apparent that the top end result might be ugly.

Auburn eradicated South Carolina from the 2024 SEC Occasion quarterfinals 86-55 on Friday at Bridgestone Space. It marked the second time as a result of the beginning of February that the Gamecocks (26-7) had taken a thrashing from the Tigers, who gained 101-61 in Auburn (25-7) all through the widespread season.

The lopsided loss represents an actual missed various for the Gamecocks.

Mississippi State blew the door to the SEC Occasion championship broad open for South Carolina by upsetting top-seeded Tennessee sooner than the Gamecocks took the courtroom docket.

IT’S BRACKET MADNESS: Enter USA TODAY’s basketball match bracket contests for a possibility at $1 million prize.

By the purpose 20 minutes had ticked off the clock, Auburn had slammed it shut.

All through his press conference after a win over Arkansas on Thursday, Paris acknowledged it should “be some precise unhealthy karma” for the Tigers to repeat their prolific capturing effort from the first meeting between the two teams.

The Tigers didn’t pretty attain these heights ‒ nevertheless they weren’t far off, capturing 49.3% from the sphere and 47.4% from deep.

Auburn hung 46 first-half components on South Carolina, making 17 of 35 field-goal makes an try.

That despatched the Gamecocks into the locker room down 20. Inside the second half, the Tigers moved the current to the alternative end of the courtroom docket, the place they stifled South Carolina and erased any potential for a excellent comeback.

The Gamecocks accomplished with 28.1% capturing from the sphere, comfortably their worst effort of the season.

BJ Mack led South Carolina with 14 components, nevertheless he did so by capturing an inefficient 3-of-12 from the sphere.

South Carolina can not cope with Auburn’s inside sport

Auburn’s dominance was largely constructed inside the painted area, the place it outscored Paris’ crew by 20.

PARIS:Unpacking Lamont Paris’ contract extension — and the way in which South Carolina’s Dawn Staley reacted to it

The catalyst for South Carolina’s demise near the rim was first-team All-SEC forward Johni Broome.

Auburn’s star accomplished with 18 components and 10 rebounds, even stepping out to sink a pair of 3-pointers.

He was moreover partially accountable for a subpar afternoon from South Carolina freshman phenom Collin Murray-Boyles. With Broome ‒ a member of the SEC’s All-Defensive Group ‒ guarding him, Murray-Boyles failed to achieve inside the double figures for merely the second time as a result of the beginning of February.

What’s subsequent for South Carolina basketball

The Gamecocks will now await their March Madness trip spot and matchup.

Their first NCAA Occasion look since a 2017 Final 4 run will in all probability be formalized all through the Selection Current on Sunday (6 p.m. ET, CBS). Sooner than Friday’s movement, ESPN analyst Joe Lunardi had South Carolina listed as a No. 5 seed.

David Eckert covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. E mail him at deckert@gannett.com or attain him on Twitter @davideckert98.

Get the newest data and notion on SEC soccer by subscribing to the SEC Unfiltered publication, delivered straight to your inbox.