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closePublished: Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009 / Updated: Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009 11:37 PM
Gamecocks hold on to top fiesty mid-major
Gamecocks hold on to top fiesty mid-major
COLUMBIA -- Absent two key players, the South Carolina men's basketball team may still lack the manpower to beat a fellow major-conference team.
But thanks to continued grit and well-timed energy, the Gamecocks still have enough to avoid the upset to a smaller school — even ones that have made hay by beating other major-conference teams.
Richmond entered the Colonial Life Arena on Wednesday with a good resume, including three straight wins over BCS conference teams.
It left with that streak snapped, the victim of an explosive second half by USC, which pulled away for a 76-58 win.
“I'm just so proud of those guys,” USC guard and former Chester star Devan Downey said. “There's a whole lot of talk about we can't get it done and things like that. So this game right here was a really good game for us.”
Downey scored eight of his game-high 18 points during the key run late in the game, when USC went on a 15-0 run after the game was tied.
In fact, the Gamecocks (7-2) trailed by eight at the half. It took a 19-4 run to start the half, powered by hustle and defense that were missing in the first 20 minutes.
For one half, USC looked flat after a 10-day break. A sparser-than-normal crowd didn't help.
But the life was there in the second half, when USC outscored Richmond 52-26.
“We had a good mood in the locker room at halftime,” Gamecock coach Darrin Horn said. “It was just we need to keep doing what we need to do, and eliminate some of their hustle plays and make sure we're winning all the other ones.”
This was USC's third full game without forwards Dominique Archie and Mike Holmes, whose return dates are at least several weeks off. In a loss at Clemson, the Gamecocks' depth, especially in the paint, wore down at the end.
But in 18-point home wins over Richmond and Western Kentucky, each a respected mid-major, the Gamecocks have more than held their own.
“You go down our stat sheet and look at how the game went, every guy did what they could do tonight,” Horn said.
“We do that, we think even with two guys out we've got a chance to play with anybody.”
Listing the factors that led to this win, Horn cited loose balls, defense and offensive rebounds — the typical hustle stuff. Then he added one more.
“We made (more) shots in the second half,” he said.
USC missed all eight 3-point tries in the first half and trailed by eight at the break.
Sam Muldrow kept the Gamecocks in it, making two old-fashioned three-point plays. Big man Johndre Jefferson chipped four points and four offensive boards.
But it took until the second half for others to erupt. Freshman guard Ramon Galloway had a 3 and a breakaway dunk that brought the crowd to its feet early in the half.
The made baskets allowed USC to set their press, which forced a number of turnovers.
SOUTH CAROLINA 76
RICHMOND 58
| RICHMOND | Min | FG-A | FT-A | OR-TR | A | PF | PT |
| Geriot | 28 | 3-8 | 1-2 | 1-2 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| Harper | 26 | 6-12 | 2-2 | 4-6 | 0 | 1 | 15 |
| Gonzalvez | 26 | 4-8 | 0-0 | 0-3 | 2 | 4 | 10 |
| Anderson | 40 | 6-14 | 0-0 | 3-5 | 3 | 1 | 12 |
| Butler | 32 | 3-10 | 2-2 | 2-7 | 0 | 2 | 10 |
| Duinker | 11 | 0-5 | 2-2 | 2-3 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Martel | 14 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-3 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Brothers | 1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Garrett | 10 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| KSmith | 12 | 0-0 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 200 | 23-58 | 7-10 | 16-34 | 7 | 15 | 58 |
| USC | Min | FG-A | FT-A | OR-TR | A | PF | PT |
| Jackson | 21 | 3-8 | 0-0 | 1-5 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| Downey | 33 | 6-18 | 3-4 | 0-3 | 2 | 3 | 18 |
| Raley-Ross | 28 | 3-8 | 2-2 | 3-6 | 1 | 2 | 9 |
| Steed | 20 | 2-6 | 2-3 | 5-6 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| Muldrow | 30 | 5-9 | 3-4 | 3-8 | 0 | 1 | 13 |
| Galloway | 22 | 4-6 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 3 | 1 | 9 |
| Spinella | 6 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Baniulis | 15 | 1-5 | 0-0 | 2-2 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Jefferson | 24 | 5-8 | 2-2 | 6-8 | 0 | 2 | 12 |
| Wilder | 1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 200 | 29-69 | 12-15 | 24-45 | 8 | 12 | 76 |
| Richmond | 32 | 26 | – | 58 |
| South Carolina | 24 | 52 | – | 76 |
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