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GALLERY: USC vs. Georgia Southern
C. Aluka Berry\caberry@thestate.com/
USC forward Mike Holmes, right, prepares to take a shot as he is defended by Georgia Southern forward Tyler Troupe.
GoGamecocks.com
Slow start, fast finish for USC
Foul-prone Eagles stick around early, but Archie helps Gamecocks pull away
USC guard Brandis Raley-Ross gets some air after being faked by Georgia Southern guard Antonio Hanson (10) at the Colonial Life Arena.
C. Aluka Berry/caberry@thestate.com
The first half was a bruising struggle, and the USC men's basketball team was playing far from its best ball. The Gamecocks trailed most of the half, by as many as seven.
Yet they still beat Georgia Southern going away, 90-66.
It was a good sign for a team that has high expectations this season.
"If you're gonna be a good team, you have to respond to that," coach Darrin Horn said. "Some nights you're not gonna be your best and you have to find a way. I thought our response was good.
"And I think the good news (was) it wasn't just because we made a bunch of shots, and Devan Downey or Dominique Archie or somebody goes for 30. It was a collective effort."
Archie did have a double-double, notching game highs of 18 points and 10 rebounds. Horn said the senior forward "carried" the Gamecocks.
And during a 21-0 run, including a 16-0 spurt to start the second half, Downey had only two points. The senior guard finished with 14.
Georgia Southern (1-1), with some burly forwards, was able to hold its own in the paint. It also outhustled the Gamecocks for a few offensive rebounds.
The most telling stat: The Eagles finished with almost as many fouls (33) as rebounds (35).
They used an early 9-3 advantage on the boards to take an 18-11 lead. At that point, Horn went with a smaller lineup, and soon the Gamecocks had a 30-24 lead.
When the Eagles drew within 35-34, USC's Ramon Galloway nailed a 3.
A minute later, Brandis Raley-Ross hit a 22-footer to make it 43-36 at the half.
The second half started with a couple of turnaround shots by Mike Holmes, a 3 by Archie, and the dams erupted. Georgia Southern committed four turnovers and missed seven shots before scoring, and by then it was too late.
"Maybe it's a Monday game, I don't know. But a slow start, it happens," Raley-Ross said. "We were able to pick it up in the second half and play our brand of basketball."
Georgia Southern closed to within 11, but Archie and Raley-Ross hit consecutive 3s.
USC won on the same night No. 4 Kentucky needed a last-second shot to beat Miami of Ohio, and three nights after Mississippi State and Alabama lost at home. But Horn laughed at a question about being happy to get wins any way at this juncture.
"I didn't know there was a time of the year for that. I thought you took wins any time you could get them all year. At least I will," Horn said. "But, yeah, I think it shows a lot."
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GEORGIA SOUTHERN (1-1) | Baskerville 3-10 2-2 9, Spencer 1-7 4-6 6, Troupe 0-1 0-2 0, Hanson 4-14 0-0 12, Powers 4-8 4-5 14, Brannen 0-1 0-0 0, Johnson 2-7 0-0 4, Drayton III 6-14 2-2 15, Rucker 2-8 0-0 4, Janiszewski 1-1 0-0 2, Wohlleb 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-71 12-17 66.<
SOUTH CAROLINA (2-0) | Archie 5-7 5-7 18, Jackson 3-4 3-4 9, Downey 4-10 5-8 14, Holmes 5-6 2-8 12, Muldrow 1-2 4-4 6, Galloway 3-9 3-4 10, Raley-Ross 4-7 3-3 13, Steed 1-2 2-2 4, Spinella 0-1 0-0 0, Baniulis 1-3 0-0 3, Jefferson 0-0 1-4 1, Wilder 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 27-52 28-44 90.<
Halftime_South Carolina 43-36. 3-Point Goals_Georgia Southern 8-29 (Hanson 4-13, Powers 2-4, Baskerville 1-1, Drayton III 1-8, Brannen 0-1, Rucker 0-2), South Carolina 8-20 (Archie 3-3, Raley-Ross 2-4, Baniulis 1-3, Galloway 1-4, Downey 1-4, Spinella 0-1, Wilder 0-1). Fouled Out_Johnson, Powers. Rebounds_Georgia Southern 35 (Baskerville 10), South Carolina 45 (Archie 10). Assists_Georgia Southern 14 (Drayton III, Powers 4), South Carolina 18 (Downey 6). Total Fouls_Georgia Southern 33, South Carolina 15. A_NA.
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