South Carolina survived turnovers and poor shooting for a 66-63 win over UAB.
South Carolina led by as much as 16 in the second half but made just two field goals and had seven turnovers over the final 11 minutes of the game. Jordan Walker hit a pair of threes and UAB made four free throws during a 10-0 run that wiped out most of the deficit.
UAB got as close as one point, 62-61 with one minute left in the game. After empty possessions by both teams, freshman Devin Carter was fouled. At that point, Carter was 2-6 from the line with some bad-looking misses. He calmly sank both free throws. South Carolina intentionally fouled Walker to prevent a three, and then Carter made two more free throws to clinch the win.
“He’s a real good free throw shooter,” Frank Martin said. “I had all the confidence in the world he was going to make his free throws.”
Carter’s free throws ended a frantic final three minutes that saw the Gamecocks repeatedly hold off the Blazers. The Blazers cut the deficit to 59-57 with about three minutes left and got an open three-point look for Michael Ertel, who entered the game shooting 44.4% from three. The shot rimmed out and Erik Stevenson grabbed the rebound. Frank Martin called a timeout. He ran a play the Gamecocks had worked on in practice that he knew would get an open look. James Reese came free and Carter hit him in the corner for a three.
“That play is one of our plays that we run. It’s not specifically for me, I just happened to be open,” Reese said. “That was there the whole night, but it was our first time executing it.”
UAB coach Andy Kennedy felt like that sequence cost the Blazers the opportunity to take control of the game.
“The game had the feel of they were up 20. If they see that they’re up five or six maybe they’ll tighten a little bit and that’s exactly what happened,” Kennedy said. “Our inability to knock down that open one and we were never able to play from the front, and they knock down a big corner three that ultimately was the separator.”
South Carolina was shooting 47.6% from the floor before the 2-10 finish dropped the Gamecocks to 42.3%. On the flip side, UAB shot 32.3% in the first half, including 3-14 from three and 2-8 from the line, and improved to 34.4% overall, but 6-22 from three (their season average) and made 13-16 free throws in the second half.
“I’m really disappointed with the way we played early,” Kennedy said. “Wow, we were bad.”
Carter finished with 12 points, four rebounds and three assists off the bench. Stevenson broke out of his shooting slump, hitting his first three from behind the arc and tying with Walker for the game-high with 15 points. Reese scored eight consecutive points for South Carolina early in the second half as the Gamecock built their lead, and finished with 14.
Notes:
AJ Wilson missed the game due to illness. He has yet to play this season with injury, bereavement (twice), and illness. … South Carolina was plus-one rebounding. … South Carolina turned the ball over 22 times for 21 points, and only had 13 points off 15 turnovers. … South Carolina was 14-20 from the line. UAB was 15-24. … Announced attendance was 8,856. Frank Martin thanked the student section: “Our students were incredible. Please mention that.” … South Carolina’s next game is Tuesday against Wofford.
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