Field Level Media
Aug 25, 2012
Kira Lewis Jr. scored 17 points and Donta Hall had 15 with 10 rebounds as Alabama pulled out a 68-62 road victory over South Carolina on Tuesday night in Columbia, S.C.
Riley Norris and South Carolina native Tevin Mack added 11 points each for the Crimson Tide (17-11, 8-7 in SEC), who led by 13 in the first half then overcame a five-point deficit in the second to prevail in a matchup of NCAA Tournament bubble teams.
Chris Silva had 23 points and 12 rebounds for the Gamecocks (14-14, 9-6 in SEC), who dropped to 6-2 at home in the conference and also lost talented freshman
A.J. Lawson to an apparent ankle injury midway through the second half. Lawson, who had nine points and five assists Tuesday, entered the game tied for the team lead with a 140point average.
While Alabama shot just under 42 percent in the first half, the Gamecocks were dreadful, going 7 of 33 over the first 20 minutes. South Carolina shot 53.2 percent (58 of 109) from 3-point range in the previous five games but missed its first eight attempts from distance before Hassani Gravett connected from beyond the arc with 2:52 left in the first half.
The Gamecocks were 4 of 19 from 3-point range for the game. However, South Carolina regrouped, and used a 10-1 run to get back in the game and trailed by just six at the break.
The second half was filled with plenty of momentum swings, but the Gamecocks used a 10-0 run to lead by five with 7:15 left. The Crimson Tide then went on an 11-1 spurt, highlighted by a 3-point play from Hall and a breakaway Norris dunk, to rally and take control of the contest.
Alabama, which has won two straight following a three-game skid, returns home to face No. 13 LSU on Saturday. South Carolina plays its next two on the road, beginning Saturday at Missouri.
--Field Level Media