Field Level Media
Feb 22, 2018
Wesley Myers, Frank Booker and Felipe Haase provided sparks off the bench, and South Carolina knocked off Georgia 66-57 Wednesday in SEC play at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, S.C.
Myers finished with 15 points, including a 3-pointer with just over six minutes to play that helped South Carolina fend off the Bulldogs down the stretch.
Booker scored 14 points and Haase added 12 points for the Gamecocks (15-13, 6-9 SEC), who have won two straight and are trying to build momentum for a run in the SEC tournament. South Carolina's bench outscored Georgia's reserves 41-17.
William Jackson II finished with 14 points and Yante Maten scored 13 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Bulldogs (15-12, 6-9), who had their two-game win streak snapped.
Georgia trailed for the majority of the game and was down 15 at halftime, but cut into the Gamecocks' lead in the second half. The Bulldogs were down 63-57 with 1:47 to play after a 3-pointer by Tyree Crump. But South Carolina held on in the final minute to survive.
Both teams were coming off needed wins over ranked teams. Georgia followed up an overtime win at Florida with a home victory over No. 18 Tennessee on Saturday. South Carolina snapped a six-game losing streak with a win over No. 10 Auburn on Saturday and continued the momentum Wednesday against the Bulldogs.
Georgia stayed close early in a low-scoring, tight first half. Maten scored off an offensive rebound that trimmed the Gamecocks' lead to 19-17 with 6:38 left before intermission. South Carolina closed the first half with a 23-8 spurt, though. Booker ignited the run with a 3-pointer, and Hassani Gravett knocked down another 3 that sent the Gamecocks into halftime with a 42-27 lead.
The Bulldogs opened the second half with a 15-5 to climb back into the game. Rayshaun Hammonds had five quick points to fuel the Georgia surge.
South Carolina travels to surging Mississippi State on Saturday. The Bulldogs return home to host LSU on Saturday.
--Field Level Media