Bryant, defense help South Carolina beat Georgia 83-59

Jan 27, 2021, 09:35 pm

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- — Keyshawn Bryant had his first double-double of the season and South Carolina's defense smothered Georgia in the Gamecocks' 83-59 win on Wednesday night.

Bryant finished with 19 points, a season-high 10 rebounds and a career-best tying three steals. Jermain Couisnard added 18 points, AJ Lawson scored 12 points and Justin Minaya 10.

Bryant scored all his 11 first-half points during a 21-4 run that gave South Carolina (4-5, 2/3 Southeastern Conference) the lead for good, and made it 32-19 when Lawson hit a 3-pointer with 3:17 left before the break. Andrew Garcia made a layup to trim Georgia's deficit to 41-35 with 16:38 to play. Cousinard answered with a 3-pointer before Bryant made two free throws and Minaya hit a 3 in an 8-2 spurt, and the Bulldogs trailed by double figures the rest of the way.

Freshman K.D. Johnson scored 13 points and Garcia finished with 10 for Georgia (9-6, 2-6).

The Bulldogs made six of their first 13 shot and led 14-8 after Sahvir Wheeler hit a jumper with 11:33 left in the first half, but shot just 28% (15 of 53) the rest of the way. The Gamecocks defense contested jumpers, challenged shots at the rim and forced three Georgia shot-clock violations. The Bulldogs made just 4 of 26 from 3-point range in their lowest scoring game of the season.

Bryant, a 6-foot-6 junior who missed most of December and half of January for undisclosed reasons, is averaging 22.0 points in four games since returning.

South Carolina snapped a three-game skid.