Field Level Media
Jan 8, 2019
Junior forward Maik Kotsar scored a career-high 25 points and collected nine rebounds to help host South Carolina defeat No. 14 Mississippi State 87-82 in overtime on Tuesday night in SEC play at Columbia, S.C.
Senior guard Hassani Gravett added 17 points and seven rebounds as the Gamecocks (7-7, 2-0 SEC) won their third consecutive game.
Senior power forward Chris Silva had 11 points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots, sophomore forward Felipe Haase also had 11 points, and senior guard Tre Campbell added 10 points and three steals for South Carolina.
Senior power forward Aric Holman had 20 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks, and sophomore guard Nick Weatherspoon scored 17 points for the Bulldogs (12-2, 0-1), who had a nine-game winning streak halted.
Junior point guard Lamar Peters had 16 points, seven assists and three steals, senior guard Quinndary Weatherspoon had 15 points, nine rebounds and six assists and sophomore forward Abdul Ado scored 12 points and had three blocks.
South Carolina led 83-79 after Kotsar's tip-in with 1:47 remaining in overtime.
The Bulldogs moved within one after Peters stole the ball and made the layup with 1:11 to play before Kotsar hit a 12-foot baseline jumper with 43.1 seconds left to give the Gamecocks an 85-82 lead.
Mississippi State was looking for a tying 3-pointer but Quinndary Weatherspoon lost the ball near midcourt. Freshman guard A.J. Lawson grabbed the ball and drove for the layup with 8.5 seconds left to seal it.
South Carolina held a 50-40 rebounding edge and shot 40.7 percent from the field, including 8 of 23 from 3-point range.
Mississippi State shot 45.3 percent from the field and was 11 of 25 from 3-point range.
The Bulldogs led 51-50 after Nick Weatherspoon's jumper with 15:09 remaining in the second half.
Campbell drained a 3-pointer to start an 8-0 run and Kotsar finished it with a dunk to give South Carolina a 58-51 advantage with 12:31 remaining.
Holman, Quinndary Weatherspoon and Peters all drained 3-pointers during a 12-5 run that allowed the Bulldogs to tie the score at 63 with 8:40 remaining.
South Carolina later took a 75-73 lead on Kotsar's three-point play with 2:03 left. Quinndary Weatherspoon knocked down a tying jumper with 1:50 remaining.
Gravett's 35-footer as time expired in regulation bounced off the front of the rim.
--Field Level Media