Downey scores 23 as Gamecocks coast to win

By Jeffrey Collins - The Associated Press

COLUMBIA -- South Carolina's returning starters wasted no time showing why this is the most anticipated season for the Gamecocks in at least a decade.

Devan Downey had an assist, steal and a 3-pointer in the first minute of the game. Dominique Archie buried two jumpers and Sam Muldrow swished the first 3 of his career all in the first two minutes of the Gamecocks 88-50 season opening win over Alabama A&M on Friday night.

Downey, the all-Southeastern Conference guard who passed up the NBA to return for his senior season, finished with 23 points in just 22 minutes of work. He made his first five shots from the field, including three 3-pointers, finishing the night 7-of-9 from the field and hitting four of five 3s.

“Downey is everything that I have heard about and seen on film. He is a tremendous competitor and he got them going,” Alabama A&M coach Van Pettaway said.

But Downey said how his teammates fed off him was just as important. Downey and the other three returning starters from last season's 21-10 team combined for 65 points.

“It always starts from the point guard, the quarterback of the team. I think they really did feed off it,” Downey said.

From the tip, the Gamecocks showed why they are expected to be in the NCAA tournament this season. USC made 12 of its first 15 shots and jumped out to a 30-11 lead and led by 24 at halftime and as many as 43 late in the game.

The Gamecocks improved in just about every area, making 71.9 percent of their free throws after shooting 63.9 percent from the line a year ago.

The USC defense continued to be tough, forcing 24 turnovers and holding Alabama A&M to 36.4 percent shooting from the field.

“We did what we wanted to do. We sped them up, we rebounded, we blocked shots, we beat them up on the glass. We played our basketball,” said Brandis Railey-Ross, who finished the night with six points.

The Gamecocks other returning starters all had solid games. Archie had 15 points, Mike Holmes added 14 and Muldrow had 13 points and seven rebounds.

But USC's heralded newcomers struggled a bit. Johndre Jefferson got in quick foul trouble, finishing with eight points. Lakeem Jackson missed all six of his shots and Ramon Galloway shot 1-for-6 from the field, finishing with four points and six rebounds.

Coach Darrin Horn thought the freshmen played tight because they were thinking too hard about doing everything right.

“They're talented. They're guys that are going to be a force. But they're freshmen. It's going to be a growing process for them,” Horn said.

Evan Hilton scored 13 points to lead the Bulldogs, who went 8-19 a year ago to finish in the middle of the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Alabama A&M started just two players who played last season. They have one senior, Hilton, who sat out last season with a medical redshirt.

SOUTH CAROLINA 88ALABAMA A&M 50

ALABAMA A&M( 1-0)

Amusa 3-7 4-9 10, Young 1-6 0-0 2, Cantey 5-6 1-8 12, Lee 0-2 0-0 0, Hilton 6-15 0-0 13, Adams 0-1 0-0 0, Hester 3-7 0-0 6, Deshields 0-2 1-6 1, Jackson 0-1 0-0 0, Porter 0-1 2-2 2, Kemp 0-1 0-0 0, Andrews 0-0 0-0 0, Inman 2-6 0-0 4. Totals 20-55 8-25 50.

SOUTH CAROLINA (1-0)

Archie 4-7 6-8 15, Holmes 6-10 2-3 14, Jackson 0-6 0-0 0, Muldrow 4-5 4-4 13, Downey 7-9 5-6 23, Spinella 0-1 0-0 0, Raley-Ross 2-6 2-4 6, Galloway 1-6 2-2 4, Wilder 0-1 0-0 0, Steed 0-2 0-0 0, Baniulis 1-3 2-2 5, Jefferson 4-8 0-3 8. Totals 29-64 23-32 88.

Halftime–South Carolina 52-28. 3-Point Goals–Alabama A&M 2-11 (Cantey 1-1, Hilton 1-4, Jackson 0-1, Adams 0-1, Hester 0-2, Young 0-2), South Carolina 7-24 (Downey 4-5, Muldrow 1-1, Archie 1-2, Baniulis 1-3, Spinella 0-1, Wilder 0-1, Raley-Ross 0-3, Galloway 0-4, Jackson 0-4). Fouled Out–None. Rebounds–Alabama A&M 36 (Young 9), South Carolina 43 (Jefferson, Muldrow 7). Assists–Alabama A&M 6 (Cantey, Deshields, Hilton, Kemp, Lee, Porter 1), South Carolina 12 (Downey 4). Total Fouls–Alabama A&M 24, South Carolina 18. A–10,769.