Up eight with eight minutes to play on 18th ranked Georgia, South Carolina fades down the stretch in 75-70 loss Saturday at the CLA (AUDIO)

**Mike Sharavjamts led USC with 18 points in the loss to Georgia (Gamecock Athletics)**

Georgia 75-USC 70 Game Summary

COLONIAL LIFE ARENA

South Carolina led 62-54 with 8:18 left following an Eli Ellis layup off the fastbreak, capping an 8-0 over three-plus minutes.
The Gamecocks didn’t score for the next 2:22 as Georgia went up 63-62. The teams exchanged the lead with the Bulldogs taking the lead for good at 65-64 with 5:27 left on a pair of free throws by Cyril Somto after a flagrant one call on Kobe Knox.
Neither team could score for the next 2:40. The Gamecocks missed eight straight shots during that stretch, including several good looks from three-point range. The Bulldogs got a fastbreak layup from Blue Cain for a 67-64 lead with 2:47 left.
Elijah Strong and Meechie Johnson missed threes around a missed three by Cain. After a Georgia timeout, the Dogs ran a play that led to a dunk by Cyril for a 69-64 lead with 1:11 to play.
Mike Sharavjamts hit one of two from the line to make it 69-65 with 26 on the clock, and Georgia responded with another dunk by Cyril to go back up 71-65 with 18 to play.
The teams exchanged free throws to leave Georgia with a 73-67 lead with 08 left. Johnson then hit a long three to make it 73-70 with:05 to play. Georgia added two final free throws for the final five-point margin.
South Carolina finished 2-for13 from the floor for the final 8:18 of the game.
With 36% shooting in the second half, USC finished with a 41% shooting day, and 7-24 from three, while Georgia was 41% for the day and 6-27.
Sharavjamts led USC with 18 points. He also had six rebounds. Eli Ellis scored 13 points off the bench. Johnson scored 11 points and had five assists. And Kobe Knox had the first double-double of his career with 10 points and 10 boards. Kanon Catchings led all scorers with 20 points.
The Gamecocks have now lost three straight to Georgia, and their lead in the overall series is 64-63. The teams will play in Athens on February 28th.
USC is now 10-6 overall and 1-2 in the SEC having lost both SEC home games thus far this season. The Gamecocks will travel to Arkansas Wednesday night.