TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – PJ Dozier scored 11 of his 23 points in the closing minutes and No. 16 South Carolina shrugged off cold shooting to pull away to a 77-66 victory over South Florida on Saturday.
The Gamecocks (9-1) rebounded from their only loss of the season while improving to 2-1 without leading scorer and rebounder Sindarius Thornwell, who has been suspended indefinitely for violating athletic department policy.
Duane Notice of the Gamecocks scored 14 of his 15 points in the second half after missing all eight shots he took before the break.
Jahmal McMurray led USF (5-4) with 25 points. Malik Fitts had 12 points and Geno Thorpe finished with 11 points and nine rebounds for the Bulls, who led 37-31 at halftime.
South Carolina began the second half with a 17-9 burst to take a 48-41 lead. Dozier and Notice keyed the initial surge and Dozier took over down the stretch, when the Gamecocks led by as many as 13.
