March 6, 2004

Box Score

By DUNCAN MANSFIELD
Associated Press Writer

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Scooter McFadgon scored 17 points, including a pair of shots to help fight off a late rally by South Carolina, as Tennessee beat the Gamecocks 63-56 on Saturday.

Tennessee, after losing all eight road games, finished the regular season 15-12, 7-9 in the Southeastern Conference, while South Carolina lost its second in a row and seventh of the last 10 to finish 21-9, 8-8.

Trailing by eleven at intermission, the Gamecocks cut Tennessee’s lead to 42-40 with less than nine minutes to go on a jumper by Tre Kelley. The score capped a 13-2 run in which Kerbrell Brown scored seven of his 11 points.

Tennessee was up 48-46 when McFadgon hit a jumper from the right corner and followed with a 3-pointer from the key.

A tip-in by Major Wingate and another jumper by McFagdon put Tennessee ahead 57-49 with 2:27 in the game.

The Volunteers hung on to end the regular season with a 15-4 record in Thompson-Boling Arena, tying Kentucky for the best home mark in the league.

Brandon Crump and C. J. Watson each had 15 points for Tennessee. Josh Gonner had a team-high 13 for South Carolina, while Mike Boynton and Tarence Kinsey added 10 each.

The Gamecocks scored on just 19 of 51 shots from the field, 37 percent, often without second-chance baskets in the absence of center Rolando Howell, whose collegiate career ended with a broken wrist a week ago against Georgia.

Tennessee inched ahead in the first half behind several smooth jump hooks by Crump, who had eight points by intermission, despite several bad passes to would-be scorers.

The Volunteers were hot from the field, connecting on 22 of 40 shots for a 55 percent average, offsetting 29 turnovers.

Fouled on a 3-point shot with 8:45 left in the first half, Boynton hit all three foul shots and looked to spark the Gamecocks.

But Dane Bradshaw responded with a 3-pointer as the shot clock wound down on the next exchange and McFadgon followed with a 3-pointer to put Tennessee up 23-11, carrying the Volunteers to a 32-21 halftime lead.