South Carolina came back from a 13 point deficit to beat Texas A&M 84-77 Saturday in Columbia.
The Gamecocks had their largest deficit with five minutes to go in the first half and went into the half down by seven. The Aggies held the lead until six minutes into the second half when South Carolina caught fire from beyond the arc. South Carolina tied the program record for most three-pointers made in a game with 16.
Chris Silva was the star for the Gamecocks putting up 22 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks. Silva also only committed three fouls.
Freshman AJ Lawson put up 23 points, seven rebounds and five assists. He shot lights out from the three-point line, making six out of his seven three-point attempts. He has proven to be the best shooter for the Gamecocks, and has so much more potential.
For reference, Sindarius Thornwell shot 38.6 percent in his freshman year while Lawson has shot 41.5 percent. Thornwell wasn’t an exceptional shooter until his senior season.
Hassani Gravett also came off the bench to put up 18 points, five rebounds and four assists. He has proven himself to be the perfect sixth man for the Gamecocks.
At the beginning of the season, it seemed like the guard position would be the biggest problem, but Lawson and Gravett along with Tre Campbell have showed they can perform at a satisfactory level.
South Carolina will return home on Saturday to face Ole Miss in a game that will determine who keeps the fourth spot in the SEC since they are both 8-4 in SEC play.