February 20, 2002

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – Jamel Bradley scored 16 points as South Carolina won back-to-back Southeastern Conference games for the first time this season, beating LSU 66-53 on Wednesday night.

The Gamecocks (16-10, 6-7 SEC) made several second half runs, but the Tigers always caught back up.

But with 5:20 left and LSU trailing 52-49, South Carolina went on a 10-2 run capped by Rolando Howell’s steal and breakaway dunk with 1:29 left. The Tigers (14-12, 4-9) couldn’t recover.

The Gamecocks held Ronald Dupree, LSU’s leading scorer at 17.6 points per game, to just six points Wednesday, all of them in the second half.

The Tigers were led by Torris Bright who had 15 points. Antonoi Hudson added 14.

Howell, Aaron Lucas and Chuck Eidson all scored 10 for South Carolina. Eidson also added six assists.

The first two times South Carolina pulled away in the second half, LSU coach John Brady called a timeout and slowed the momentum.

The Tigers were behind 48-42 after the first timeout, but Jermaine Williams answered with a 3-pointer. After Bray called a second timeout down 52-45, Brad Bridgewater’s jumper and a lay-up by Dupree closed the gap to 52-47 with 5:20 left.

South Carolina would outscore LSU 14-6 down the stretch to win. The game was important for the Gamecocks, who are trying to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.

The Tigers look to be heading to the NIT after going 1-6 so far in SEC road games.

South Carolina led 32-31 at halftime, but a quick 5-0 run punctuated by Dupree’s first points of the game on a dunk left the Gamecocks down 36-32 with 18:13 left.

Bradley then hit back-to-back 3-pointers to retake the lead for South Carolina. The Gamecocks would never trail again.