South Carolina coach Lamont Paris can handle stretches when his team does not play well but getting outplayed by an opponent is another story.

Paris felt the Gamecocks were outplayed in a disappointing loss to North Florida to start his third season and he is hoping they respond against visiting South Carolina State on Friday night in Columbia, S.C.

After playing the Bulldogs, the Gamecocks face Towson before the schedule picks up next week when they visit Indiana. Paris is hoping to avoid a repeat of what unfolded in their 74-71 loss to visiting North Florida on Monday.

South Carolina could not get the lead above eight points, then got outplayed in the final minutes. The Gamecocks held a 64-59 lead before being outscored 15-7 over the final four-plus minutes.

“We were outplayed overall, in a lot of different ways,” Paris said. “It’s OK to not play well. That’s going to happen from time to time. But as competitors, they dominated us.”

After leading by five, the Gamecocks gave up four offensive rebounds on a night they were outrebounded 43-37 and finished 14 of 25 at the free-throw line.

The poor finish occurred in a game when four players scored in double figures, led by Collin Murray-Boyles’ 17 points.

South Carolina State (1-0) was picked to finish fifth in the MEAC’s preseason poll. Six players scored in double figures in its 137-55 season-opening rout of NAIA opponent Morris College on Monday.

Wilson Dubinsky led the Bulldogs with 29 points off the bench, hitting eight of nine 3-point attempts in just 11 minutes. Collin McKenzie hit five 3s and added 19 as South Carolina State shot 64.7 (22-of-34) from 3-point range and 66.2 percent overall (45-of-68) from the field.

South Carolina is 22-0 all-time against South Carolina State and two years ago escaped with an 80-77 victory, Paris’ first with the Gamecocks.