Preview of Missouri at South Carolina Men’s Basketball

COLUMBIA, S.C. (Interstat) — The Missouri Tigers look to solidify their standing in the Southeastern Conference when they visit the struggling South Carolina Gamecocks at Colonial Life Arena on Saturday, February 7, 2026.

Missouri (15-7, 5-4 SEC) enters having won two of its last three, including an 84-79 home victory over Mississippi State last Saturday. The Tigers are led by forward T.O. Barrett, who is averaging 14.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists in conference play. Barrett is coming off a strong all-around performance against the Bulldogs, posting 16 points, eight rebounds and four assists.

South Carolina (11-12, 1-9) seeks to end a six-game losing streak, its most recent an 84-75 defeat at Texas on Tuesday. Despite the team’s struggles, guard Meechie Johnson has been a standout, averaging 22.4 points and 5.1 assists in SEC contests. Johnson erupted for a season-high 35 points in the loss to the Longhorns.

The Gamecocks’ conference slide has been marked by defensive woes, allowing an average of 87.2 points during the streak. They will be tested by a balanced Missouri attack that features Barrett, Mark Mitchell (19 points vs. Mississippi State) and Trent Pierce.

Missouri has won three of the last five meetings in the series, but South Carolina won the most recent matchup, 72-70, in Columbia last season. The Tigers, however, are a more experienced and consistent squad this campaign, while the Gamecocks have found wins elusive in league play.

For South Carolina to pull the upset, it will need another high-scoring afternoon from Johnson and significant improvement on the defensive end. Missouri aims to avoid a letdown on the road as it pursues a high seed in the upcoming SEC Tournament.

Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. EST. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.

Up Next: Missouri visits Texas A&M on Wednesday, February 11. South Carolina travels to face Alabama on Saturday, February 14.