Gamecocks Win 91-70 At Georgia

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) Jermaine Cousinard scored a season-high 23 points and South Carolina snapped a six-game losing streak with a 91-70 victory over Georgia on Saturday.

Cousinard came in averaging 9.3 points per game but made 8 of 16 shots, including 4 of 8 from the arc, in leading the Gamecocks (6-12, 4-10 Southeastern Conference) to a season sweep of Georgia (14-10, 7-10), who they also beat 83-59 on Jan. 17. The Gamecocks have defeated the Bulldogs 10 straight times.

Keyshawn Bryant added 17 points, Trae Hannibal 15 points and AJ Lawson 11. Hannibal and Lawson had four steals each with the Gamecocks making 15 thefts. South Carolina shot 54%, including 10 of 23 from the arc, in reaching their highest point total this season.

P.J. Horne scored 17 points, including four 3-pointers, Justin Kier added 16 and Toumani Camara and Andrew Garcia 10 each for Georgia. Sahvir Wheeler, who posted the first triple-double in program history in a Tuesday victory over LSU, scored just seven points on 2-of-13 shooting with seven turnovers. He did have five assists giving him a program-record 170 this season, passing Pertha Robinson’s 169 in 1994-95.

The Gamecocks led the entire second half with a 12-2 run giving them a 19-point lead with eight minutes to go. The lead reached 25 points late in the game.

South Carolina trailed briefly midway through the first half before a 13-0 run put them ahead for good. The Gamecocks led at halftime 41-29.

KEY STATS
> The South Carolina defense was strong from the start of today’s contest, holding Georgia to just 36.7% (11-30) in both the first and second half.
> On the opposite end, the Carolina offense connected on a season high 37 made field goals vs. the Bulldogs, with Couisnard’s eight makes a team high.

NOTABLES
> R-sophomore guard Jermaine Couisnard was 8-of-16 from the field today, including a 4-of-8 mark from 3-point range en route to a season high 23 points.  Couisnard also pulled down five rebounds, dished out two assists and collected two steals in the win.
> Sophomore guard Trae Hannibal matched a career high with 15 points at UGA, while dishing out five assists, and collecting a career high four steals.
> Rookie forward Tre-Vaughn Minott earned the first start of his career today at Georgia, and began the game 3-of-3 from the floor.  He finished with a season high six points, three rebounds and a block.
> Junior forward Keyshawn Bryant was strong on both ends of the court today.  He scored 17, connecting on seven makes from the field, including a 3, and he pulled down seven rebounds to go along with four assists, three steals and a block.
> Today’s win over Georgia marked the 10th straight victory for the Gamecocks over the Bulldogs, and the fifth straight in Athens.

UP NEXT
> South Carolina will host No. 20/20 Arkansas next Tuesday night at Colonial Life Arena in its home regular-season finale.  Tip time vs. the Razorbacks is set for 6:30 p.m. ET on the SEC Network.  The meeting is the only between the two schools this SEC regular season.