SEC Basketball power rankings: Texas A&M soars, Arkansas slides down
By Elijah Campbell
#13- South Carolina (8-9, 1-3)
This might be a first in power ranking history: a team moves up despite losing by more than 40 points at home for the second time in two weeks. It’s weird, it feels kind of wrong and slightly immoral but I have to do it.
On Tuesday, South Carolina won at Rupp Arena for the first time since 2009 and only the third time in program history. That’s a significant win for coach Lamont Paris and his team that has, quite frankly, been the punching bag of major college basketball this season. It’s been atrocious, but Tuesday night proved to be a bright spot of the season.
The magic, of course, was short-lived. Texas A&M came to Columbia and walked into Colonial Life Arena like they owned the place. The Aggies won by over 40 in a game that was never competitive and became the Gamecocks’ second pathetic home performance of the season. They surrendered 1.49 points per possession against A&M which was worse than the insane offensive performance Tennessee had against Mississippi State earlier this season. You won’t find a more sorry defensive output.
Meechie Johnson remains one of the lone individual bright spots. His 6-10 three-point shooting performance against Kentucky helped them shock the south with that upset and he carried it over with a 3-7 three-point shooting game against A&M even though it was nowhere near enough. They host Ole Miss tonight in the battle of the two worst teams in the SEC.