Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at South Carolina Gamecocks
· NCAA Men's Basketball
Johnson's 6 3s, 25 points help South Carolina beat WKU 65-58
Hayden Brown scored 11 points but shot just 3 of 11 from the field and 0 for 6 from 3-point range for South Carolina (6-6). The Gamecocks shot 34% (22 of 64) from the field and made just 12 of 25 (48%) from the free-throw line but hit nine 3-pointers and outrebounded Western Kentucky 51-31.
Emmanuel Akot hit a 3-pointer that capped an 9-0 run and gave Western Kentucky a 49-44 lead midway through the second half but the Hilltoppers went without a made field goal for the next 7-plus minutes. Jacobi Wright answered with a 3 and Johnson hit another in a 15-2 spurt that culminated when Johnson converted a traditional three-point play that gave South Carolina a 10-point lead with 2:15 remaining.
Dayvion McKnight scored 28 points with eight rebounds and three steals for Western Kentucky (8-3). The 6-foot-1 junior was 10-of-16 shooting — 0 for 5 from 3-point range — and is averaging 28.3 points on 61.8% shooting over the last three games.
The Hilltoppers shot 36% (20 of 55), made just 3 of 22 (14%) behind the arc and hit 15 of 25 from the foul line.
Jamarion Sharp scored six points before Luke Frampton hit a 3-pointer to cap Western Kentucky's 11-2 opening run as the Gamecocks made just one of their first 10 field-goal attempts. Johnson hit two 3-pointers and Chico Carter Jr. added another 3 as South Carolina responded with a 12-2 spurt to take a 14-13 lead with 12 minutes left in the first half.
The Hilltoppers, who had their five-game win streak snapped with a 93-84 loss at Louisville on Dec. 14, have lost back-to-back games for the first time this season.
UP NEXT
Western Kentucky opens its Conference USA slate at home against Rice on Dec. 29
South Carolina is off until Eastern Michigan visits on Dec. 30
How can I watch Western Kentucky vs. South Carolina?
Recent Plays
| 2nd 0:00 | End of Game | 58 - 65 |
| 2nd 0:00 | End of 2nd half | 58 - 65 |
| 2nd 0:15 | Meechie Johnson Defensive Rebound. | 58 - 65 |
| 2nd 0:20 | Dayvion McKnight missed Three Point Jumper. | 58 - 65 |
| 2nd 0:25 | Chico Carter Jr. made Free Throw. | 58 - 65 |
Statistics
 WKU |
 SC |
|
|---|---|---|
| 20-55 | FG | 22-64 |
| 36 | Field Goal % | 34 |
| 3-22 | 3PT | 9-28 |
| 14 | Three Point % | 32 |
| 15-25 | FT | 12-25 |
| 60 | Free Throw % | 48 |
| 31 | Rebounds | 51 |
| 5 | Offensive Rebounds | 17 |
| 26 | Defensive Rebounds | 34 |
| 4 | Assists | 10 |
| 5 | Steals | 2 |
| 6 | Blocks | 2 |
| 8 | Turnovers | 10 |
| 0 | Team Turnovers | 1 |
| 8 | Total Turnovers | 10 |
| 0 | Technical Fouls | 0 |
| 0 | Total Technical Fouls | 0 |
| 0 | Flagrant Fouls | 0 |
| 10 | Points Off Turnovers | 7 |
| 11 | Fast Break Points | 7 |
| 26 | Points in Paint | 20 |
| 18 | Fouls | 22 |
| 9 | Largest Lead | 10 |
Game Information
Location: Columbia, SC
Attendance: 9,163 | Capacity:
2025-26 Conference USA Standings
| TEAM | CONF | GB | OVER |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty | 17-3 | - | 26-8 |
| Sam Houston | 13-7 | 4 | 22-12 |
| Louisiana Tech | 11-9 | 6 | 20-14 |
| Western Kentucky | 11-9 | 6 | 18-14 |
| Middle Tennessee | 11-9 | 6 | 17-15 |
| Kennesaw State | 10-10 | 7 | 21-14 |
| Jacksonville State | 10-10 | 7 | 15-17 |
| New Mexico State | 8-12 | 9 | 16-16 |
| Missouri State | 8-12 | 9 | 16-18 |
| Florida International | 8-12 | 9 | 15-17 |
| UTEP | 7-13 | 10 | 11-20 |
| Delaware | 6-14 | 11 | 10-21 |
2025-26 Southeastern Conference Standings
| TEAM | CONF | GB | OVER |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 16-2 | - | 27-8 |
| Arkansas | 13-5 | 3 | 28-9 |
| Alabama | 13-5 | 3 | 25-9 |
| Vanderbilt | 11-7 | 5 | 27-9 |
| Tennessee | 11-7 | 5 | 24-11 |
| Texas A&M | 11-7 | 5 | 22-12 |
| Georgia | 10-8 | 6 | 22-11 |
| Kentucky | 10-8 | 6 | 22-14 |
| Missouri | 10-8 | 6 | 20-13 |
| Texas | 9-9 | 7 | 21-15 |
| Oklahoma | 7-11 | 9 | 19-15 |
| Auburn | 7-11 | 9 | 20-16 |
| Mississippi State | 5-13 | 11 | 13-19 |
| Ole Miss | 4-14 | 12 | 15-20 |
| South Carolina | 4-14 | 12 | 13-19 |
| LSU | 3-15 | 13 | 15-17 |