Gamecocks Fall in OT at Vanderbilt in SEC Opener

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Reserve Ezra Manjon scored 24 points and fellow backup Liam Robbins scored 22 points and Vanderbilt used overtime to create safe space for an 84-79 win over South Carolina on Tuesday night.

In an SEC opener for both teams, Vanderbilt (8-6, 1-0) built its largest lead of the game at 82-75 with 21 seconds left in the extra session.

Despite their 22-for-35 effort from the free-throw line, the Commodores went 12 for 15 from the line in overtime to seal it with Manjon and Robbins the only Vandy players going to the line.

Reserve Jordan Wright scored 13 points for Vanderbilt, which saw its bench account for 64 points. Tyrin Lawrence was the only starter to score in double figures with 10 points.

South Carolina tied it at the end of regulation on its frantic final possession when Meechie Johnson found a wide-open Hayden Brown who laid it in underneath the basket without landing on the ground upon the receiving the pass with .3 seconds left.

Johnson recovered the loose ball after Robbins blocked Chico Carter Jr.’s 3-point attempts with a second left. Carter recovered the long rebound after Johnson missed a deep 3 with four seconds left.

Robbins’ put-back basket following Manjon’s miss on a reverse-layup attempt put Vanderbilt ahead 63-61 with 3:20 left, its first lead in more than 13 minutes.

Carter scored 24 points, Johnson 18, Gregory Jackson II 13 and Brown 12 for the Gamecocks (7-7, 0-1).

South Carolina coach Lamont Paris was seeking to become the first coach in program history to win his first SEC road opener. The Gamecocks joined the league in 1991-92.

South Carolina host No. 8 Tennessee on Saturday. The Commodores travel to No. 20 Missouri on Saturday.

KEY STAT

• Vanderbilt doubled up South Carolina in free throw attempts 35-15 and scored 23 of its 84 points at the free throw line. Liam Robbins went 10-of-15 at the line and Ezra Manjon went 8-for-9 for the Commodores.

NOTABLES

• Chico Carter Jr. finished with a team-high 24 points on 9-for-14 shooting, including 4-for-6 from three. It marks Carter’s seventh game this season scoring in double figures and his second scoring 20 plus.
• Four players scored in double figures for Carolina: Carter Jr. (24), Meechie Johnson (18), Gregory “GG” Jackson II (13) and Hayden Brown (12).
• Gregory “GG” Jackson II remains the only freshman in the country to score in double figures every game this season with his 13 points tonight. He also recorded a team-high seven boards.

UP NEXT

• Carolina (7-7, 0-1 SEC) welcomes in No. 8/9 Tennessee (12-2, 2-0 SEC) to Colonial Life Arena for the team’s first league game on its home floor. Tipoff is set for 3:30 p.m. (ET) on SEC Network with Kevin Fitzgerald (pxp) and Mark Wise (analyst) on the call.

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