Gamecocks hold off late rally to advance into second round

South Carolina 77, LSU 73

ATLANTA — Say what you want about the unraveling of South Carolina's basketball season.

But the Gamecocks did something here Thursday afternoon that last year's likewise scuffling bunch couldn't: Win an SEC Tournament game.

"It gives us new life," USC guard Devan Downey said.

A 13-2 run helped South Carolina go up as many as 12 late in the second half, and the Gamecocks held on to beat LSU 77-73 inside the sparsely-populated Georgia Dome in the tournament's first round.

With all five starters in double figures, the East No. 5 Gamecocks (14-17) ended the season for the West No. 4 Tigers (13-18), a young and talented team that many considered one of the league's hottest entering the week. LSU had won four of five coming in.

The Tigers went on a 12-3 run of their own in the final minutes to make it tight.

But, in the final 10 seconds, LSU's Marcus Thornton missed a potential tying 3-point try and then USC's Zam Fredrick was able to strip a 3-point attempt by post Chris Johnson.

Fredrick hit a free throw to seal the game.

It wasn't easy. But, for a team that's dropped nine games by seven or fewer points, it was at least a victory.

"In typical fashion, we make it interesting," USC coach Dave Odom said. "We rarely ever win with ease. ... Today was business as usual, with the exception that we were able to hang on and win the basketball game."

By virtue of the victory, Odom, retiring at season's end, will have his coaching career extended by at least one game.

Odom and South Carolina's reward? A meeting at 1 p.m. today with the league champ.

Tennessee (28-3) drummed USC by 33 on Sunday in Knoxville and won both games this season by a combined 57 points.

Odom insisted it'll take a "perfect game" to beat the nation's fourth-ranked team.

"Yeah, we can beat them if we come to play," said Downey, who matched a career high with 11 assists to go with 12 points and a team-high seven rebounds. "We have to get dirty like they're going to get dirty."

Mike Holmes and Evka Baniulis led USC on Thursday with 16 points.

It was the first time since Dec. 22, and the first time against an SEC opponent, that USC had five scorers in double figures.

Maybe it was the best team-concept win of the year?

"If it's not, it's been the most complete in a long time," Downey said.

The Gamecocks had 20 assists — the most in an SEC game — to eight turnovers and forced 19 LSU miscues.

Long and lean Tigers posts Johnson and Anthony Randolph paired for 35 points and 22 rebounds. But they also had 12 turnovers between them.

There were elements, too, that USC had learned from the seven-point Tigers win Feb. 27 in Columbia.

LSU had nine blocked shots in the first meeting and just one Thursday.

Holmes hit 2 of 9 shots in the first game, trying to score near the basket and running into trouble named Johnson and Randolph. He finished with four points then for his only non-double-figure game since breaking out Feb. 16.

Thursday, the freshman hit three early outside jumpers, as he's capable of doing, and settled into a rhythm.

For a time in the first half, it looked as if South Carolina might run away with a game.

The Gamecocks led 31-21 with 5:47 left, but hit just one of six shots thereafter to cling to a three-point halftime lead.

The shooting swoon continued in second half, with USC hitting three of its first 16 shots as LSU opened up a 49-44 lead with 12:55 to go.

At one point, Downey and Fredrick were a combined 4-for-21 shooting.

But then Downey hit a shot in the lane. And then Fredrick hit a jumper. And then Baniulis, who started 1 of 6 from 3-point range, hit a 3.

Holmes added a nice move for a close basket. Fredrick and Downey hit 3-pointers, and USC had completed a 13-2 run to put them up 71-59.

It wasn't elegant by any means, but USC (barely) did what it needed to in the final minutes to escape with victory.

"We had just enough cushion to survive," Odom said. "We stopped them just enough times to survive."

Even if things don't work out today against Tennessee, at least South Carolina had Thursday. Couldn't say that a year ago.

"It just feels good," Fredrick said. "Everybody feels good about themselves right now."