Dec. 4, 2016

Final Stats | USATSI Gallery

COLUMBIA, S.C. — No. 20/23 South Carolina (8-0) picked up its eighth-straight win of the season after defeating FIU (3-6) 70-54 at Colonial Life Arena on Sunday afternoon. Senior guard Duane Notice tied a career-high with 27 points. He was on fire from deep, knocking down six 3s, which set a new-career high. Joining Notice in double-figures was sophomore PJ Dozier (20), who logged his second-straight 20-point game.

Carolina got off to another solid start as Dozier faked a pass to the corner and pulled up from the left wing knocking down a 3 with 17:11 remaining in the first half. The made long-ball forced a Panther time out just three minutes in as the Gamecocks opened play on a 7-0 run.

The lead was pushed to 11-5 at the first media timeout. Dozier, who came into the game fresh off a career-high 21 points in the team’s win over Vermont on Thursday, remained hot from the field scoring seven of Carolina’s first 11 points.

Freshman Rakym Felder pinpointed a long pass down the floor to Notice who laid it in to make it 15-7. FIU cut the score to 19-14 after an Anthony Boswell 3 from the corner.

The Gamecocks then went on another 7-0 run as Notice knocked down a trey ball from the right wing to move the lead to double-digits at 26-14 with 5:07 left in the first half. Another Notice 3 with 3:54 left pushed him into double-figures on the score sheet.

Freshman Maik Kotsar snagged an offensive rebound on Carolina’s final offensive possession of the half and found a wide-open Notice, who was spotting up behind the arc. Notice knocked down his third 3 of the half and put the Gamecocks up 36-22 at the break. The Toronto, Ontario, native, led all scorers with 14 at halftime. Dozier joined him in double-figures with 11 (4-for-4). Carolina’s stingy defense forced a season-high 14 turnovers in the first half.

FIU big man Michael Kessens scored via layup to cut the Gamecocks’ lead to 13 with 11:14 left, but Carolina answered with a 7-0 run to push the lead to 20 with 6:37 remaining. The Gamecocks would lead by 16 or more the rest of the way.

Notice broke 20 on the score sheet after hitting his fifth 3 of the game with 4:54 left to put the Gamecocks up 61-40. Dozier tallied his 20th point with a free throw on the ensuing possession. Notice’s career-high sixth 3 came with 3:21 left. He finished 8-of-13 from the field and 6-of-10 from behind the arc. Dozier went 7-for-13 from the field, including 2-for-4 from deep. The Columbia, S.C., native, had seven rebounds which tied sophomore Chris Silva for the team lead. Felder led the team with four assists.

KEY STATS

Carolina forced a season-high 23 turnovers which led to 24 points.

NOTABLE

• The Gamecocks have not trailed since the first half vs. No. 25/24 Michigan on Nov. 23.
• This afternoon’s win marks the third time since the 2003-04 season South Carolina has started 8-0. The Gamecocks started 8-0 in 2003-04 and in 2015, when the team won 15-straight games to start the year.
• The Gamecocks have now won 23 of their last 26 games in Colonial Life Arena.
• The victory was head coach Frank Martin’s second over his alma mater.
• Freshman forward Sedee Keita (19) and freshman Rakym Felder (25) each logged career highs in minutes.
• Senior Duane Notice matched a career-high with 27 points. He scored 27 at Marshall his sophomore year on Dec. 1, 2014.
• Notice hit six 3s, which set a new single-game career-high. He’s hit five in a game twice, the last time coming at Missouri last season.

UP NEXT

South Carolina will take the next week off from game action due to final exams, before two straight away from Columbia. The Gamecocks will travel back to New York City to face Seton Hall (9 p.m./FS1) at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 12, in the Under Armour Reunion, before an away matchup at USF (1 p.m./CBS Sports Network) on Dec. 17, in Tampa.

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