USC stuns No. 19 Baylor

WACO, Texas — All seemed well for No. 19 Baylor as the Bears easily answered every run the Gamecocks brought their way throughout the first half.

But midway through the second half, Baylor’s top scorer, Curtis Jerrells, began to struggle as USC grabbed a lead that it would surrender once more en route to a 85-84 victory at the Ferrell Center.

“For us, the difference in the game is our attitude coming off an emotional, tough game against another top-25 team last week in Clemson,” Gamecocks coach Darrin Horn said. “I can’t tell you how proud I am of our guys and the toughness displayed led by (Devan Downey and Zam Fredrick). They bring it every day, they’ve got huge hearts. They’re the guys who have stepped in and made the big plays when they need to be made.”

Downey led all scorers with 23 points on 10-for-19 shooting as the Gamecocks avenged a home loss last year to Baylor in a game in which they led by as many as 20 points.

“I feel like I was forcing some shots in the first half,” Downey said. “Coach always talks about the little things. It’s amazing, when you get past that mindset of worrying about the little things how easy everything else becomes.”

With 32 seconds to go, Baylor forward Kevin Rogers cut the USC lead to one point, after the Gamecocks had held as much as a 10-point lead minutes earlier.

Following the Rogers bucket, Evka Baniulis picked up a traveling call on the USC inbounds, sending the Baylor crowd into a frenzy. The Bears regained possession and were able to take a one-point lead on free throws by LaceDarius Dunn.

But USC countered by pushing the ball cross-court to Fredrick, who got free for a layup, sealing the win for the Gamecocks and handing Horn his first win against a ranked team as USC’s coach.

“We were trying to get the ball to Devan, but there was nothing there,” Fredrick said. “They were double-teaming him. So instead of forcing something, I just made a cut, saw an opportunity, and made the most of it. I know whenever I shoot the ball it’s going to go in.”

Fredrick was second on the team with 19 points on 7-for-14 shooting.

“He just went and made a play,” Horn said. “That’s our style of play. It’s what we’ve been preaching since we arrived here as a staff. Just make something happen. It’s something our team has been learning to do. It’s great to see it come to fruition on such a big play. It was a terrific play by him.”

Jerrells led Baylor with 22 points and tied his career high with 10 assists. Guard Tweety Carter added a career-high 18 points for the Bears.

The Gamecocks took a 10-point lead with less than eight minutes left, but the Bears, who ran four guards for much of the second half, were able to trim the lead to one on multiple occasions.

“I thought they just outplayed us in every aspect of the game tonight,” Baylor coach Scott Drew said. “(Beating USC last year) is something we knew would be on their minds, and give them credit, they were a heck of a team tonight and I imagine they will be for many games to come.”