Maik Kotsar led USC against Tennessee with 17 points (FILE/Travis Bell/SIDELINE CAROLINA)
AJ Lawson came down the floor in the final seconds in Knoxville Saturday afternoon with the game in his hands and looking for a call. But that call went against the USC sophomore guard and with it a chance for a key SEC road victory. Lawson was whistled for a charge as he drove the lane with 1.4 seconds left, and the Gamecocks never got that last shot at victory in a 56-55 loss to the Vols. It’s the third straight loss for the Gamecocks and their fourth in a row to UT. They are 8-7 overall and 0-2 in the SEC.
Key notes from USC’s loss at Tennessee
Three of USC’s five starters…Lawson, Justin Minaya and Jair Bolden…combined to go 0-16 from the floor and scored just 6 points. Minaya did lead the Gamecocks with 10 rebounds.
The Gamecocks led 39-31 with 13:47 left, but the Vols went on an 11-2 run to take a lead they would not relinquish.
USC had a chance to win in the final three seconds after the Vols missed a desperation three at the shot-clock buzzer and Lawson grabbed the rebound and sped down the floor. Frank Martin chose to not call a timeout and let his leading scorer try and make a play in transition.
The Gamecocks turned up their defensive effort and held the Vols to 26% shooting. The Gamecocks were only slightly better at 33%. But Tennessee made 6 three point shots to the Gamecocks’ 2, and outscored USC from the line 22-13. The Gamecocks missed 8 free throws in the second half.
Maik Kotsar led USC with 17 points and Jermaine Couisnard added 15 points off the bench. They were the only Gamecocks to score in double figures.
USC is back at home Wednesday night at 6:30 PM against Kentucky
