COLUMBIA, SC – If not for a rough patch over the final 10 minutes of the first half, it can be said the new-look North Carolina A&T men's basketball team had a decent debut against an SEC/Power Four opponent in the University of South Carolina (USC) on Monday night. In the end, the Gamecocks placed five players in double figures in a 91-72 win over the Aggies at Colonial Life Arena.
Division II/Mount Olive transfer Lureon Walker led the Aggies with 22 points on 9-for-16 shooting from the field and 2-for-4 shooting from 3-point range. UMass transfer Lewis Walker came off the bench to score. Lewis Walker made all six of his free throw attempts and shot 5-for-9 from the floor.
It was Lewis Walker who got the Aggies to within two points, 14-12, with 12:15 remaining in the first half. A minute later, Lureon Walker knocked a 3-pointer to bring the Aggies to within one at 18-17. SC outscored the Aggies 18-5 over the next 5 ½ minutes to take a 36-22 lead with 5:47 remaining in the first half.
A pull-up jumper by Lureon Walker got the Aggies to within 10, 36-26, with 3 ½ minutes to play in the first half. However, the Gamecocks scored the next nine points, sparked by a Nordin Kapic 3-pointer and capped by a Kobe Knox layup in transition, to put the Gamecocks ahead 45-26 with 1:15 remaining in the first half. SC led 46-28 at the half.
A&T played the Gamecocks to a near draw in the second half, as SC outscored the Aggies 45-44 over the final 20 minutes. SC led by as many as 28 points in the second half, 82-54, with 6:14 to play. A&T went on a 9-0 run from that point, getting 3-pointers from Dwayne Pierce and Lureon Walker during the spurt to help the Aggies stay even during the second half.
The Aggies shot 51.7 percent (15-29) from the floor in the second half. Meanwhile, the Gamecocks shot well from the perimeter, knocking down 14 of 32 3-pointers (.438). They shot 49.2 percent for the game. Meechie Johnson led the Gamecocks with 14 points.
Junior Trent Middleton, Jr. also scored in double figures for the Aggies, posting 10 points. Sophomore Amadou Doumbia added seven points and 10 rebounds. A&T will get another South Carolina university when it welcomes longtime rival South Carolina State University (SCSU) to Corbett Sports Center on Monday, November 10, at 7 p.m. for A&T's 2025-26 home opener.
