Jan. 09, 2018

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Men’s Basketball at Alabama

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) – John Petty scored 12 of his 15 points in the first half and Alabama beat South Carolina 76-62 on Tuesday night.

It was Petty, a usual starter for the Crimson Tide, who provided an immediate spark. The freshman knocked down back-to-back 3-point shots a minute after checking into the game around the 13-minute mark of the first half as Alabama (10-6, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) built a 40-33 halftime advantage.

Donta Hall scored 13 points and Daniel Giddens added 11 for Alabama. Avery Johnson Jr. scored 10 points, knocking down two 3-point baskets. Dazon Ingram, who missed the Crimson Tide’s last game due to illness, finished with four points, three rebounds and two assists.

Collin Sexton, the SEC’s leading scorer averaging 20.5 points per game, picked up his second foul with 14 minutes remaining in the first half, and finished with a season-low five points.

Wesley Myers scored 15 points to lead South Carolina (10-6, 1-3), which was held to 36 percent shooting from the field, and scored just three second-chance points. Maik Kotsar added 10 points.

BIG PICTURE

Alabama: Won both conference home games in dominant fashion, beating both Texas A&M and South Carolina by at least 14 points. The Crimson Tide’s two conference losses have been on the road.

South Carolina: Falls to 1-3 in the conference and is also winless on the road in the SEC.

KEY STAT

Alabama shot 59 percent (30-for-51) from the field Tuesday night at Coleman Coliseum. The Crimson Tide bench also outscored the Gamecocks’ reserves 35-16, led by John Petty’s 15 points.

NOTABLE

• Junior guard Hassani Gravett made is 2018 SEC debut after missing the first three games of league play with an ankle injury. He played 15 minutes off the bench and scored seven points.
• Graduate transfer guard Wesley Myers scored in double figures for the third straight game, finishing with 15 points in a game-high 30 minutes of work.
• Sophomore wing Evan Hinson, who is also a tight end on the South Carolina football team, made his second consecutive start and played a career-high 16 minutes. He scored five points, had two rebounds and a block.
• Sophomore forward Maik Kotsar finished with 10 points, his first double-figure outing since scoring 13 vs. Limestone (Dec. 27).
• The Gamecock defense held Alabama leading-scorer Collin Sexton to just five points on 2-of-8 shooting. The freshman guard came into the game averaging 20.6 points per game, which leads the SEC.

UP NEXT

South Carolina continues road action this weekend when it travels to face Georgia on Saturday in Stegeman Coliseum. Mike Morgan (play-by-play) and Dane Bradshaw (analyst) will have the 1 p.m. ET call on the SEC Network.