The Sports Xchange
Nov 10, 2017
Frank Booker scored 12 points, including a 3-pointer to ignite the decisive run, as South Carolina scored the first 12 points of the second half en route to a 73-52 victory over Wofford on Friday in Spartanburg, S.C.
Chris Silva recorded nine points and 10 rebounds while Malik Kotsar scored 13 points for the Gamecocks (1-0), who lost to Gonzaga 77-73 in the Final Four last season. Felipe Haase and Wesley Myers added 10 points apiece off the bench for South Carolina. The Gamecocks won the battle on the boards 40-28.
Fletcher Magee scored 17 points, but only two in the second half for the Terriers (0-1). Wofford, which made 9.4 3-pointers per game last season -- the 25th-most nationally, went 6-for-19 from beyond the arc Friday.
Booker had the hot hand early for South Carolina, scoring nine of its first 17 points on a pair of 3-pointers and a three-point play. The Terriers trimmed a 10-point deficit to 25-22 on Derrick Brooks' bucket with 3:17 left in the first half before the Gamecocks closed the period with an 8-2 run.
Magee scored 15 points on 6-for-11 shooting in the first half, including 3-for-6 from 3-point range.
Booker started the decisive run with his third 3-pointer of the game and Hassani Gravett ended it with a 3 to give South Carolina a 45-24 lead with with 16:49 remaining. The Gamecocks led by as many as 25.
South Carolina was voted to finish 11th in the 14-team SEC this season while Wofford was selected to finish sixth in the 10-team Southern Conference.