COLUMBIA — There are going to be these nights. It was set as soon as Lamont Paris said in the preseason, “We’re going to shoot a lot of 3s.”

The hope was South Carolina would find a way to add something to its heavily single offensive dimension. A hope that at least during the first time the Gamecocks were challenged, in an 83-79 win over Southern Miss on Nov. 9, was answered by USC’s prodigal son , the man who everyone comes to see.

Meechie Johnson, take a bow. You’re — even more — legendary.

The Gamecocks’ here-and-back-again senior drilled two 3-pointers and aced two free throws to bring USC back from an 11-point hole, forcing overtime when USC (2-0) was again looking like it would be anchored with a Quad 4 loss in November. Then he calmly swished another free throw, part of his ca

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