Feb 19, 2003

Box Score?|? Quotes

By PETE IACOBELLI
AP Sports Writer

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Tony Kitchings scored 15 of his 21 points in the second half and South Carolina ended Tennessee’s six-game winning streak, 77-63, on Wednesday night.

Kitchings had 9 points during a 26-4 run as the Gamecocks (11-11, 4-7 Southeastern Conference) won their fourth straight. The 6-foot-10 senior also held SEC leading scorer Ron Slay to one of his least effective games this season.

Slay finished 10-of-24 from the floor for 23 points. But 16 of them came in garbage time after Kitchings’ two foul shots put South Carolina up 52-31 with 14:35 remaining.

Slay and Vols (15-7, 7-4) were off from the start, missing their first six shots to trail 9-0. Even after they got back in it with a 14-5 run, Slay was far from dominant.

Kitchings was a big reason why. He smacked away two dunk attempts by Tennessee’s 6-8 senior star early in the second half. A frustrated Slay was called for a technical on the other end of the court when he complained to officials.

About six minutes later, Slay drove into three Gamecocks, missed his shot and was knocked out of bounds. He stood among the cheerleaders, looking for the referees as Chuck Eidson finished a fastbreak at the other end.

South Carolina led 66-40 on Eidson’s basket with 8:22 to go before Tennessee made a futile run. Slay’s 3-pointer with 1:16 left made it 71-59, but time ran out on the Vols longest winning streak in two seasons.

Carlos Powell had 17 points for South Carolina, Chris Warren and Eidson added 12 each.

Powell and Kitchings broke the game open at the end of the first half and start of the second. Powell, the Gamecocks leading scorer coming in, had two 3-pointers as South Carolina outscored the Vols 10-1 in last 2:31 before the break to lead 36-28.

Things continued the Gamecocks way in the second half as they opened with a 16-2 surge. Kitchings, who also had eight rebounds, closed the run with a pair of foul shots.