AJ Lawson scored 25 points, the best of the game, to help the South Carolina shorthanded team beat Florida A&M 78-71 on Saturday afternoon in Columbia, SC
South Carolina (2-2) played their first game since December 5, after a prolonged shutdown from their program due to COVID-19. Gamecocks had only nine players, as strikers Keyshawn Bryant, Alanzo Frink and Jalyn McCreary, as well as point guard TJ Moss were not available.
For South Carolina, it was the last home debut since 1946.
The Rattlers (1-6), who played for the first time since December 18, gave South Carolina everything they could, led by freshman guard Jalen Speer’s 21 points.
The Gamecocks drew and beat Florida A&M by a 9-2 margin to end the game.
Speer missed a pair of 3 points during the final 1:03 of the game.
FAMU made five of the first nine attempts at 3 points, but missed five of the six finals in the final stretch.
Jermaine Cousinard’s 3-point tray triggered the last raise. He finished with 15 points, six rebounds and five assists.
Justin Minaya, the best rebound in South Carolina, made a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
MJ Randolph finished with 10 points, four rebounds and three assists, while DJ Jones added 10 points and three rebounds.
The Rattlers suffered their fifth defeat to an opponent Power 5, but the third by 10 points or less.
South Carolina committed 56 combined turnovers in its first three games and came in 328th place in the country in turnovers per game (18.7).
But on Saturday, the Gamecocks only turned the ball 11 times and their defense contributed to 18 Florida A&M making 18 turns.
South Carolina surpassed Florida A&M 43-36 and 14-6 on the offensive glass, despite their absence from the attacking court.
– Field-level media