Guards A.J. Lawson, an All-SEC preseason first-team selection, and Jermaine Cousinard, who combined for 25.5 points per game last season, combined for 22 points on Saturday but shot a combined 9-for-24 from the field. Both were among the Gamecocks’ top five scorers last season.
“It sucks that we couldn’t play (Wednesday’s game),” Lawson said postgame. “But we came here, we were ready to play. We still gotta just learn from this and just keep playing.”
The Golden Hurricane expect to have a formidable backcourt this season, but shot just 4-for-18 from 3-point range against TCU. The poor output hindered Tulsa from capitalizing when TCU shot only 36.4 percent from the floor.
Sophomore Keyshawn Embery-Simpson, an Arkansas transfer, showed the potential to be a key backcourt addition with 14 points.
Tulsa’s top returner, 6-foot-6 senior guard/forward Brandon Rachal, got off to a strong start as well.
Rachal finished with 19 points on 9-of-13 shooting and collected eight rebounds, while senior guard Elijah Joiner finished with 10 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals.
“I’ve seen those guys grow, and that’s the beauty of seeing seniors — you see their maturity,” Tulsa coach Frank Haith said.
–Field Level Media
