Dec. 19, 2007

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – Freshman LaceDarius Dunn scored a career-high 24 points, including six of eight from 3-point range, as Baylor rallied from 20 points down to beat South Carolina 92-84 Wednesday night.

After finishing the first half on a 16-2 run, Baylor outscored the Gamecocks 19-3 to start the second half. They went up 64-53 with just over 14 minutes left on Kevin Rogers’ dunk after a South Carolina turnover.

With the score knotted at 53, Henry Dugat scored to give the Bears their first lead since just over two minutes in. After he was fouled but missed at the line, Dugat raced to grab the rebound and scored on a layup for a four-point play – and a four-point lead.

South Carolina (5-5) never got closer as the Bears (8-1) snapped a 25-game road losing streak.

After going down 44-24 in the first half, Baylor outscored the Gamecocks 47-12 en route to a 71-56 lead on Dunns 3-pointer.

South Carolina did try to rally, pulling within 88-84 with under a minute to go, but the Bears held on. They hit nine of 12 free throws – five of six by Curtis Jerrells, who had 20 points.

The Gamecocks were led by Brandis Raley-Ross and Devan Downey with 18 points apiece, while Baylors Kevin Rogers had 12 points and 12 rebounds.

The Bears shot more than 50 percent in the second half and hit 11 of 21 3-pointers for the game – compared to just eight of 25 by South Carolina – in rallying to avenge last year’s 64-59 loss at home.

“I know how tough this game was for them,” Baylor coach Scott Drew said. “It just shows the swings in basketball nowadays with the 3-point play. … No game’s over until that final horn sounds.”

South Carolina coach Dave Odom, who said his team played some of their best ball in the game’s first 15 minutes, called the loss a “huge disappointment.”

“I can’t remember the last time one of our teams went as cold offensively and cold defensively at the same time as we did the last five minutes of the first half,” Odom said. “That was certainly the key point in the game and it spilled over the second half. They went zone. We never really found an answer.”