Dec. 31, 2004

Final Stats | Quotes | Notes

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – Josh Gonner scored 13 points, including three 3-pointers, and Carlos Powell had 10 points and seven rebounds to lead South Carolina to a 24-point halftime lead en route to a 76-44 victory over Wofford on Friday night.

Gonner, who finished with a season-high 20 points, has scored 35 points in his last two games while hitting 12 of 20 field goals, including five of 11 3-pointers after he made just six of 27 from beyond the arc in his first nine games.

Powell finished with 14 points and nine rebounds as the Gamecocks (8-3) beat Wofford (7-4) for the 20th straight time.

The Terriers figured to be a tougher opponent, having won at Auburn while losing at Miami, Tennessee and Georgia by six points or less. But Wofford was without its starting guard, Eric Marshall, and its top post player off the bench, Tyler Berg. Marshall has the flu while Berg was out with a sprained ankle.

Wofford forward Howard Wilkerson, who was averaging 23.3 points and 9.8 rebounds against the three SEC foes and Miami of the ACC, was held to just six points before fouling out with 6:43 after being called for a technical.

Sam Daniels led Wofford with 13 points.

The Gamecocks scored the first 10 points of the game, with Powell scoring six while also pulling down six rebounds. The Terriers, who missed their first 12 field goals, didn’t score until Drew Gibson hit two foul shots with 12:07 left and didn’t hit their field goal until Wilkerson’s layup with 10:27 left.

After Gonner’s third 3-pointer of the first half with 1:56 left, Powell turned to the crowd and yelled, “Happy New Year” as the Gamecocks raced to a 39-15 halftime lead. Wofford never got closer than 19 in the second half.