Last-Moment Layup by Davis Seals Victory for No. 18 South Carolina Against Texas A&M – Sky Bulletin

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — In a thrilling conclusion to Wednesday night’s game, Zachary Davis’s layup with a mere three seconds to go handed No. 18 South Carolina a nail-biting 70-68 win over Texas A&M.

With the clock ticking down, Meechie Johnson brought the ball up, penetrating deep into the defense before setting up Davis for the winning basket. “We had good pace as we brought the ball up the floor,” observed South Carolina coach Lamont Paris. “I decided to let it play out.”

Although Texas A&M had an opportunity to level the scores, Wade Taylor IV stumbled and lost possession over the halfway line, confirming the triumph for South Carolina.

“The intensity and determination you’re seeing, it’s typical for this time of year — March,” Paris elaborated.

Johnson, leading the scoring for South Carolina (23-5, 11-4 Southeastern Conference) with 22 points, played a key part in clinching their second consecutive victory following a slight dip in form. Davis added a commendable 16 points to his name.

On the opposing side, Tyrece Radford’s impressive double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds topped the charts for the Aggies (15-13, 6-9), with Taylor contributing 15 points in the contest.

Before A&M’s late surge cut the deficit to two, South Carolina held a comfortable seven-point advantage. The Gamecocks managed to reestablish a lead thanks to free throws, with the Aggies suffering their fifth consecutive loss, a dip that has persisted since their upset over then-No. 6 Tennessee on Feb. 10.

Aggies coach Buzz Williams tried to lift his team, commenting post-game, “We need to keep fighting and see what happens.”

The Aggies are now looking ahead after their latest loss but will need a strong finish to their regular season for any shot at the NCAA tournament.

BIG PICTURE

South Carolina is facing tougher challenges ahead with two of their final three regular-season games against ranked rivals.

For Texas A&M, the path to the NCAA tournament seems tougher after a series of losses.

MIXING IT UP

Coach Williams sought to break the streak, ditching the usual suit for a track suit in hopes of sparking change.

UP NEXT

South Carolina prepares for a home game against No. 24 Florida while Texas A&M looks to bounce back against Georgia.

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