Keyshawn Bryant's put-back with 57 seconds left in overtime put South Carolina up for good, and the Gamecocks overcame 36 points from Georgia freshman Anthony Edwards to win 94-90 on Wednesday night in Columbia, S.C.
Sophomore Alanzo Frink scored a career-high 22 points, and Maik Kotsar had 19 with 10 rebounds for the Gamecocks (17-11, 9-6 Southeastern Conference), an NCAA Tournament bubble team who avoided a third straight loss.
Bryant finished with 16 points and 10 boards.
The Bulldogs (14-14, 4-11), who had won two in a row, got a chance at the end, but Sahvir Wheeler was whistled for a charge with 1.4 seconds to play. Edwards, a potential No. 1 overall pick in this summer's NBA draft, went 11 of 22 from the field but missed two free throws with the game tied at 85-85 in the extra session.
Edwards had made all 10 of his foul shots before the two key misfires.
Georgia led 77-74 with 1:20 to play in regulation, but AJ Lawson hit a corner 3-pointer to tie the game, and Kotsar sank a pair of free throws to put the Gamecocks up 79-77 with 15 seconds left. Edwards, though, forced the extra session by sinking two free throws with seven seconds remaining.
Seven straight points from Jermaine Couisnard (13 points) had South Carolina up 59-52 with roughly 12 minutes to play. However, Edwards knocked down a trey and followed with a drive to eventually get the visitors within one. His three straight free throws after being fouled from behind the arc put Georgia up 65-63 to cap an 8-0 run with seven minutes left.
The Bulldogs led 67-65 before Lawson hit a 3-pointer and Kotsar added a bucket to put the hosts up 70-67. Georgia soon went on a 5-0 run to move ahead 73-72 following a basket from Toumani Camara (10 points) with 2:53 left.
Lawson made one of two free throws to tie the game at 73-73.
Rayshaun Hammonds had 13 points and nine rebounds for Georgia. Lawson and Jalyn McCreary contributed 10 points apiece for South Carolina.
--Field Level Media
