Even with more-balanced team, Meechie Johnson still proving he can take over any given night

As Meechie Johnson walked up to the free-throw line with just over a minute to play, he had a chance to do something he’d never done before in college. He was just two points away from the first 30-point game of his career.

“I told him at the free-throw line, ‘You can’t mess up 30-ball, man,'” forward BJ Mack said. “But I think I jinxed him a little bit.”

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Right after Mack said that, Johnson missed his first shot. But he bounced right back by hitting the second to finish his night with a career-high 29 points. He was the guiding force behind South Carolina’s double-digit win over Notre Dame on Tuesday.

It’s been a little bit of a slow start for the junior guard. The switch hadn’t fully turned on him for him yet. But this past game might’ve woken him up.

“I actually feel like I’ve been in a slump the game before this, not really shooting how I could,” Johnson said. “But again, just getting back into the lab, repping it out, repping it out until you can’t no more. I mean, you have nights like this, which I give all glory to God, too. So just a lot of work, man. Being in the gym with these guys, them pushing me and me pushing them, and it’s just staying together. It’s a great feeling, great place to be.”

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This is who Johnson can be. The commander-in-chief when the ball is in his hands. He’s bound to take plenty of shots and never afraid to shoot from well behind the arc. He went 4-for-9 from three-point range on Tuesday.

“I was kind of just hooping,” Johnson said, smiling. “Just being me, just being me. My teammates tell me to keep going and just keep playing my game. I appreciate my teammates really just helping me throughout the game. Stay even-keeled, poised through the game.

“When you’re in those moments and you’re having those feelings and you’ve got those guys around you that can help build you up and stay at a good level, it’s a great feeling. So it’s a great thing to have great teammates.”

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But there’s also times where he’s going to struggle. That’s just what happens when you take so many shots. Not every one will go through the net.

It was like this last season where Johnson would have fantastic performances. For instance, he infamously led the Gamecocks to an upset win over Kentucky with a then-career-best 26 points. The next game, he only had 11 points.

However, there’s a stark contrast between last year and this year. If Johnson wasn’t at his best last year, South Carolina would’ve had to depend on GG Jackson to take a lot of the shots to get the job done. This year, though, Johnson has a great, more balanced supporting cast around him to shoulder some of the load. And that takes some pressure off him to not be the guy night in and night out.

“One of the biggest things coach Paris taught me is that the ball is always going to come back to you. Get away from the ball and it will still come back to you,” Johnson said. “I really trust these guys, especially when BJ’s in the post. I feel like when he gets the ball down there it’s a bucket. When he’s scoring and doing his thing down there or I’m coming off a ball-screen and they can’t guard me because I’m fast and he’s hitting threes, it’s just a great feeling. You have other players like Ta’Lon (Cooper) who can step up and hit big shots. It’s just a blessing to play with older vets that’s been in college and know game and situations.”

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