South Carolina rides eight 2nd half 3s to a 75-68 win over ECU

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Jamarii Thomas and Morris Ugusuk each hit three of South Carolina’s eight second-half 3-pointers as the Gamecocks erased a five-point halftime deficit to post a 75-68 win over East Carolina on Saturday.

South Carolina hit 17 of 25 from the field (68%), including 8 of 12 from beyond the arc (66.7%) over the final 20 minutes to earn its third straight win.

East Carolina led by five at halftime and pushed it to 34-27 on an RJ Felton jumper to start the second half, but Collin Murray-Boyles converted three straight layups, Jamarii Thomas hit a jumper and Jacobi Wright hit from deep as the Gamecocks went on a 17-0 run to take a double-digit lead. After C.J. Walker hit two from the line to get the Pirates within 48-42, Ugusuk and Thomas each hit two 3-pointers to fuel a 17-3 run for a 62-45 lead with eight minutes left.

Thomas knocked down five 3-pointers and scored 22 points to lead South Carolina (6-3).

Murray-Boyles was 10-for-10 from the field to score 20 points and had 10 rebounds. Zachary Davis added 10 points and Nick Pringle grabbed 10 rebounds. The Gamecocks shot 54% from the field for the game (27-for-50), including 12 of 23 from distance.

Jordan Riley led East Carolina (7-3) with 18 points. Felton finished with 15 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals and Walker added 14 points with six rebounds.

KEY STAT

• For the second straight game, the Gamecocks shot over 50.0 percent from 3, going 12-of-23 (52.2 percent) from distance against the Pirates today. The 12 3s matches Mercer for the most this season. The double-digit 3s also improves Carolina to 4-0 this season when it makes 10 or more triples in a game. The last two games, the Gamecocks are a combined 22-of-41 (53.7 percent) from behind the arc.

NOTABLES

• Collin Murray-Boyles became just the third player in program history with 10 or more makes from the floor and no misses joining Kenny Holmes (11-for-11 vs. Manhattan on Jan. 15, 1981) and Troy McKoy (11-for-11 at Georgia on March 3, 1993). He had 20 points and 10 rebounds today, his second-straight double-double (third this season).
• Jamarii Thomas recorded a season-highs with 22 points and seven assists. He matched his single-game career high with five made 3s.
• The Gamecocks improve to 6-0 all-time (2-0 this season. under head coach Lamont Paris when shooting 50.0 percent or greater from behind the arc.
• Carolina now leads the all-time series with East Carolina, 8-6, with today’s game marking the first time the two schools have met at Colonial Life Arena.
• The Gamecocks have now won four-straight at home dating back to a 86-64 win against SC State on Nov. 8.
• Carolina improves to 10-1 (2-0 this season) under Paris the last three seasons when shooting 50.0 percent or greater from the floor. The Gamecocks 27-of-50 (54.0 percent) today, shooting a sizzling 68.0 percent (17-of-25) from the floor in the second half.

UP NEXT

The Gamecocks, who are off in the midweek with final exams underway, remain home for the final four games of the non-conference schedule. USC Upstate comes to town on Saturday, Dec. 14. It’ll be another 2 p.m. (ET) start on the SEC Network+ with Weinstein and Williams on the call.

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