Alabama Escapes Gamecocks

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) – Kira Lewis Jr. scored 25 points and freshman Javian Davis had a season-high 20 to help Alabama rebound from a slow start to beat South Carolina 90-86 on Saturday night.

Davis finished his biggest game of the season by making the second of two free throws with four seconds left to help the Crimson Tide (16-13, 8-8 Southeastern Conference) overcome the absence of injured guard John Petty after an early 12-point deficit.

Beetle Bolden and Jaden Shackelford each made two free throws over the final 25 seconds after the Gamecocks (17-12, 9-7) staged their own comeback in the final minutes.

Davis also had 10 rebounds and Lewis dished out six assists while making 3 of 4 3-pointers. Jaden Shackelford scored 18 and Herbert Jones added 10.

Alabama was without No. 2 scorer Petty, who sustained an elbow injury in Tuesday night’s loss to Mississippi State.

Keyshawn Bryant led South Carolina with 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting to pace five double-digit scorers. He also collected 13 rebounds for his third straight double double.

Lawson scored 17, Jermaine Couisnard 12, Jair Bolden 11 and Alanzo Frink 10.

The Tide took a 78-70 lead on Beetle Bolden’s first basket, a 3-pointer from the corner with 4:33 left.

Bryant’s layup cut it to 86-84 with 1:12 left and South Carolina had a chance to tie it but he couldn’t make a basket inside.

Trae Hannibal matched Bolden’s two free throws with 17 seconds left to keep the Gamecocks alive. Then Davis rebounded AJ Lawson’s missed 3-pointer and drew the foul before icing it with a foul shot after one miss and a South Carolina timeout.

KEY STATS
> South Carolina out-shot Alabama in the game, hitting 45.7 percent from the field (32-of-70).
> Alabama shot 56.5 percent in the second half, including 5-of-11 (.455) from 3-point range to overcome a one-point halftime deficit.
> The Crimson Tide scored 33 of its 90 points at the free throw line.

NOTABLES
> Sophomore forward Keyshawn Bryant posted his third-straight game with a double-double, finishing the contest vs. Alabama wil a career-high 22 points and a career-high 13 rebounds.
> Senior forward Maik Kotsar scored eight points tonight vs. the Crimson Tide, and with his eighth point of the contest, he reached 1,000 for his career in the Garnet and Black. Kotsar is the 46^th member of the Gamecock 1,000-point club.
> R-Junior guard Jair Bolden hit a trio of 3-pointers, marking his 14^th game this season with multiple makes from beyond the arc.

UP NEXT
Carolina returns to Colonial Life Arena to host Mississippi State on Tuesday for Senior Night. Tom Hart (play-by-play) and Andy Kennedy (analyst) and Alyssa Lang (analyst) will have the call for the SEC Network broadcast set for a 6 p.m. ET tipoff.