South Carolina Gamecocks vs Georgia Bulldogs Box Score on Feb 02, 2019

Four players finished in double figures for South Carolina as the Gamecocks snapped a two-game losing streak, fending off Georgia Saturday 86-80 in Athens, Ga.

South Carolina improved to 11-10 (6-2 SEC) while Georgia fell to 10-11 (1-7) in coach Tom Crean's first season.

The Gamecocks had to work for the win.

Trailing by 10 with just under five minutes to play, the Bulldogs climbed within three with less than a minute to go, but got no closer as a pair of free throws by freshman A.J. Lawson gave the Gamecocks a two-possession lead that they didn't surrender.

Lawson and Chris Silva led the Gamecocks with 19 points each, followed by Hassani Gravett with 13 and Keyshawn Bryan with 11.

Georgia placed five players in double figures, led by Derek Ogbeide with 16, Tyree Crump with 14, Rayshaun Hammonds and Jordan Harris with 11 each, and Turtle Jackson with 10.

With the Bulldogs trailing 45-40, Jackson brought the Stegeman Coliseum crowd to its feet with a long three-pointer to draw within two on the opening possession of the second half. The Gamecocks responded with four of the next five baskets to push the margin back to eight at 53-45.

Georgia got as close as four a couple of times over the next six minutes but the Bulldogs couldn't pull closer.

After a three-pointer by Harris made it a two-possession game at 60-56 with 11:49 remaining, Felipe Haase took over.

Haase, who played nine minutes in the first half without scoring a point, hit three straight 3-point shots to extend the Gamecocks lead to 13 at 69-56 with 9:42 to play.

South Carolina started quickly, jumping out to a 7-0 lead before Georgia finally scored at the 16:42 mark.

It didn't get a lot better for the Bulldogs.

Georgia only made 3 of its first 18 field goal attempts as the Gamecocks pushed their advantage to as many as 15 points on one of two early 3-pointers by Lawson.

Crump kept the Bulldogs in the game, however.

The junior responded with a trio of threes of his own to bring the Bulldogs back within single digits, ultimately getting within five at halftime, 45-40.

South Carolina, coming off a 92-70 loss to Tennessee, didn't miss much in the first 20 minutes. The Gamecocks shot an impressive 51.4 percent from the field (18 of 35) while converting 6 of their 11 3-point attempts, including three by Lawson.

Georgia rebounded to shoot 37.1 percent (13 of 35) after its slow start to climb back into the game, an effort helped by converting 11 of 12 free throw attempts. South Carolina went to the line just five times.

--Field Level Media