Elijah Strong scores career-high 30 points, leads South Carolina over LSU 78-68

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LSU guard PJ Carter (7) pressures South Carolina guard Myles Stute (10) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Baton Rouge, La., on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (Hilary Scheinuk/The Advocate via AP)

LSU forward Robert Miller III (6) works to maintain control of the ball under pressure by South Carolina guard Myles Stute (10) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Baton Rouge, La., on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (Hilary Scheinuk/The Advocate via AP) — LSU guard PJ Carter (7) pressures South Carolina guard Myles Stute (10) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Baton Rouge, La., on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (Hilary Scheinuk/The Advocate via AP)

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6:32 PM on Tuesday, January 6

The Associated Press

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Elijah Strong scored a career-high 30 points, and South Carolina built a big first-half lead that held off LSU for a 78-68 victory on Tuesday night.

South Carolina (10-5, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) rebounded from an 83-71 loss to Vanderbilt, while LSU (12-3, 0-2) has lost consecutive games.

The Gamecocks built a 25-point halftime advantage and led by double digits with about nine minutes left when LSU started a 12-3 run to pull to 66-60 with 6:22 remaining. Strong scored the next four points, and the Tigers didn't get closer.

Strong shot 10 of 15 from the floor and made all four of his 3-point attempts. Meechie Johnson made three 3s and finished with 19 points for the Gamecocks. Eli Ellis chipped in with 10 points.

Max Mackinnon scored 15 points for LSU. Pablo Tamba and PJ Carter added 10 points for the Tigers. Mike Nwoko grabbed 13 rebounds to go with six points.

Strong scored 18 points, and Johnson added 15 to help give the Gamecocks a 50-25 halftime lead. Nine LSU players scored in the first half, but none had more than four points as the Tigers shot 29%.

Up next

South Carolina: Hosts No. 18 Georgia on Saturday.

LSU: At No. 11 Vanderbilt on Saturday.

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