Box Score | Quotes | Notes

By JEFFREY COLLINS
Associated Press Writer

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – In a game filled with remarkable 3-point shooting, South Carolina’s Kerbrell Brown knew his shot toward the end of regulation was too good to pass up.

Even with a little defensive pressure, Brown buried the 3-pointer that sent the game into overtime. The No. 25 Gamecocks (19-3, 6-2 Southeastern Conference) then used a mixture of good shooting and defense combined with Alabama mistakes to beat the Crimson Tide 90-82 on Wednesday night.

Brown, a 25.5 percent 3-point shooter coming into the game, was 4-of-5 from behind the arc, and the two teams combine to hit 30 of 56 3-pointers.

“That was some impressive shooting. Just impressive,” South Carolina coach Dave Odom said. “I don’t know if the baskets here are getting bigger or what.”

The win continues the Gamecocks’ improbable season. Picked last in the SEC, they play Kentucky for the outright SEC East lead Saturday.

“This is a special team,” Brown said. “Each game we just find a way to win.”

South Carolina hit four of its first six shots in overtime, including a 3-pointer and a putback by Brown before he fouled out with 25.4 seconds to go.

Meanwhile, Alabama (11-8, 3-5) was stopping itself in the extra period. The Crimson Tide committed three offensive fouls and missing three free throws and a 3-pointer on its first six possessions of the extra period before Demetrius Smith’s layup with just over a minute to go cut South Carolina’s lead to 83-73.

“They are going to have a couple of runs, a couple of spurts like that,” Alabama coach Mark Gottfried said. “We just lost our poise.”

The Crimson Tide trailed 58-43 with 12 minutes left in regulation before climbing back with some impressive 3-point shooting that highlighted a 28-10 run. Earnest Shelton scored 23 points and Kennedy Winston added 20, on 4-of-6 shooting on 3s, and seven rebounds for Alabama.

“We played good defense,” Brown said. “It just seemed like both teams were unstoppable.”

Shelton, who was 5-of-12 on 3-pointers on the night, hit 3s on four straight possessions to give the Crimson Tide a 71-68 lead with just over two minutes to go.

Eleven of Alabama’s 14 second-half field goals were 3-pointers, including their final seven of regulation. The Crimson Tide tied a school record, hitting 16 of 31 (51.6 percent) from behind the arc against South Carolina, which was allowing teams to shoot just 24.3 percent on 3-pointers coming in.

The Gamecocks’ shooting was even more impressive. They were 56 percent (14-of-25) from behind the arc after shooting just 17.2 percent (10-of-58) on 3-pointers in their past three games.

Josh Gonner led South Carolina with 22 points. Carlos Powell had 13 points, while Michael Boynton added 12 points and Renaldo Balkman had 11 and eight rebounds in his first game back from a one-game suspension for a flagrant foul against Vanderbilt.

The Gamecocks’ goal for the second half of the season is to remain in line for their first NCAA tournament bid since 1998, Powell said.

“That’s the goal,” Powell said. “None of the players on this team have been there before.”