Well, that was one way to ring in the new year. After going 10-3 in the non-conference slate, South Carolina proved to be no match for No. 17 Mississippi State in the SEC opener, losing 85-50. Here are five things we learned from watching the way the Gamecocks performed on Saturday.

MiLaysia Fulwiley scored 17 points to lead South Carolina's balanced offense, and the second-ranked Gamecocks used a big run in the third and fourth quarters to pull away for an 83-52 victory over Missouri in their SEC opener Thursday night.

The Bulldogs sprint through the start of SEC play, building a double-digit lead in less than seven minutes on their way to a dominant 85-50 win over the Gamecocks.