COLUMBIA, S.C. (Interstat) — The South Carolina Gamecocks opened their season with a decisive 91 to 72 victory over the North Carolina A&T Aggies on Tuesday night at Colonial Life Arena, overcoming a spirited effort from the visiting Aggies.

A crowd of 12,344 saw the Gamecocks use a dominant first-half performance to build a substantial lead, which they maintained throughout the second half despite North Carolina A&T’s persistent pressure and superior transition game.

South Carolina established control early, racing to a 46 to 28 advantage by halftime. The Gamecocks’ offensive efficiency and defensive intensity in the opening period proved too much for the Aggies to overcome, though the visitors refused to capitulate.

North Carolina A&T emerged from the locker room with renewed vigor, outscoring South Carolina 44 to 45 in a high-paced second half. The Aggies’ up-tempo style was on full display as they generated 28 fastbreak points, nearly tripling the Gamecocks’ output of 9. They also capitalized more effectively on mistakes, scoring 14 points off turnovers compared to South Carolina’s 8, and dominated inside with 34 points in the paint versus the Gamecocks’ 28.

However, South Carolina’s balanced scoring attack and the cushion built in the first half kept the Aggies at a safe distance for the duration of the contest. The Gamecocks’ victory was in line with pregame expectations, as national statistical models gave them a 98.70 percent probability to win, and they covered the pregame spread of -20.5. The combined score of 163 significantly exceeded the over/under line of 143.5.

The Aggies were led by a spectacular performance from guard Lureon Walker, who poured in a game-high 22 points in 34 minutes of action. He added two assists, one rebound and one block. He was supported by Lewis Walker, who contributed 16 points, four rebounds and two assists. Amadou Doumbia provided a strong presence on the glass, pulling down 10 rebounds to go with seven points and a block in 21 minutes.

For South Carolina, the win was a collective effort, with six players scoring nine or more points. Nordin Kapic came off the bench to lead the team with 13 points and five rebounds in just 17 minutes. Starting guard Meechie Johnson filled the stat sheet with 14 points, five rebounds and four assists. The backcourt duo of Eli Ellis and Kobe Knox each added 11 and 12 points respectively, with Ellis dishing out a team-high five assists.

Elijah Strong provided efficient scoring off the pine with 11 points in 13 minutes, while Myles Stute and Mike Sharavjamts each chipped in nine and four points, with both players grabbing five rebounds. Sharavjamts also tallied three assists and a block.

With the loss, North Carolina A&T begins its season 0-1. The Aggies will look for their first win when they host South Carolina State on Monday, Nov. 10.

South Carolina starts its campaign 1-0 and will return to action at Colonial Life Arena to face Southern Mississippi on Sunday, Nov. 9. The Gamecocks’ early-season schedule continues with home games against Presbyterian and Radford before a multi-team event in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, featuring games against Butler and Northwestern. A key non-conference road test at in-state rival Clemson looms on Tuesday, Dec. 16.

For North Carolina A&T, a challenging stretch of road games awaits, including trips to Morgan State, Davidson, Charlotte, and a neutral-site contest against Howard in Durham, North Carolina, before they return home to face Maryland-Eastern Shore on Friday, Dec. 12.