After a first half that was controlled by South Carolina, 22nd-ranked Xavier exploded for 46 points while shooting 55% from the field in the second half to rally past the Gamecocks 75-66 in the opening game of the Fort Myers Tip-Off at the Suncoast Credit Union Arena.
USC (3-3) will square off with Virginia Tech in the consolation game at 6 p.m. on Wednesday. The Hokies were 75-63 losers to Michigan earlier in the day. A season ago, Carolina beat Virginia Tech 79-77 in Charlotte.
While the second half point total and shooting were eye-popping, it was the Musketeers dominance on the glass that led to the win. Xavier outrebounded USC 41-to-31 while grabbing twelve offensive rebounds, which led to twelve second-chance points.
Zach Freemantle led five Xavier players in double figures with 16 points and nine rebounds. Collin Murray-Boyles paced the Gamecocks with 13 points and six boards. Jamarii Thomas tossed in eleven points, while Jacobi Wright added ten for USC.
Xavier (6-0) looked as if it would cruise to an easy win, scoring the first seven points of the game. However, USC responded with a 17-0 spurt over a five- and half-minute stretch to grab a ten-point lead. Thomas and Murray-Boyles each scored six points during the run to help Carolina build a 17-7 advantage at the 11:34 mark of the opening half.
USC shot 48% in the first half while connecting on 9 of 12 from the free throw line to lead 34-29 at the break. Murray-Boyles led the way with nine points, with Myles Stute adding eight.
Xavier shot only 34% from the floor in the opening twenty minutes, going just one of eleven from three-point range. Freemantle led the Musketeers, and all scorers, with ten first half points.