Second half surge propels #Gamecocks past Vanderbilt 75-60 (AUDIO)

Colonial Life Arena: Whatever South Carolina coach Lamont Paris and staff had to say to his players at halftime of Saturday’s 75-60 win over Vanderbilt was taken to heart. After being outhustled and outmuscled in the first half, the 15th ranked Gamecocks dropped anchor on the Commodores in the second half by feeding freshman Collin Murray-Boyles inside and knocking down a bunch of threes outside.

The Gamecocks made eight of their first nine second half shots, five of them around the hoop or in the lane by Murray-Boyles, the others, three-pointers by BJ Mack, Ta’lon Cooper and Jacobi Wright.

USC went from trailing 32-28 at the half to leading 44-36 just three and a half minutes into the second half. And the Gamecocks didn’t let up from there. They hit five more three-pointers over the next 9:40 of gametime to build a 68-53 advantage. 

The Commodores were held to just one three-point field goal in the second half after making four in the first 20 minutes. USC also outrebounding Vandy 18-9 in the second half after getting beat on the boards by four in the first half. 

USC was down by four points at the half as the Commodores outworked them on both ends of the floor. Vandy grabbed more offensive rebounds and beat the Gamecocks to several lose balls. The Dores hit their first four shots of the game and started 11-20 from the floor but finished the half 2-for-8. 

USC used an 8-0 run to take a 13-9 lead. Their biggest lead of the half was five points at 16-11. They were up 26-25 when the Commodores scored five straight for a 30-26 lead with 1:28 left in the half. Both teams shot 46% in the half, but USC was just 1-11 from three.

Murray-Boyles finished with a career high 31 points to go along with seven rebounds (6 offensive), two assists and a block. He was 14-17 from the floor. BJ Mack, who made five three-pointers, was the only other Gamecock in double figures with 18 points.

USC has won seven straight games and is now 21-3 overall and 9-2 in the SEC. They will play at 12th ranked Auburn Wednesday night.

Final Stats

Lamont Paris postgame press conference

Collin Murray-Boyles and BJ Mak postgame press conference