FAMU

Lawson scores 25, S. Carolina wins first outing in 28 days

AP
Jan 02, 2021

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) AJ Lawson scored 25 points and made two clinching free throws in the closing seconds as South Carolina Gamecocks held off Florida A&M Rattlers 78-71 on Saturday, as the Gamecocks played for the first time in 28 days.

The COVID-19 issues that befell the South Carolina (2-2) program ever since Dec. 5 were still in evidence as the team had just nine players available. Jermaine Couisnard added 15 points, five assists and four steals, Justin Minaya picked up his first double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Justin Speer scored 14 of his career-high 21 points in the second half, hitting four straight from the floor as Florida A&M (1-6) rallied from seven points down into a late lead. Kamron Reaves chipped in 11 points, M.J. Randolph added 10 and D.J. Jones 10. The Rattlers had been idle since Dec. 18.

Lawson scored seven points in the first nine minutes after halftime, including a pair of fast-break dunks off of his own steals, but South Carolina was unable to shake the Rattlers. There were five ties and four lead changes in the second half.

After the Gamecocks took their largest lead, 57-50, Speer scored eight unanswered points to put Florida A&M ahead for the first time since the 5:37 mark of the first half.

Lawson drained a 3-pointer off the break to muscle South Carolina back in front 68-66, and then blocked Randolph at 3:30 to protect a 71-69 lead.

The win was South Carolina's first at home this season and 20th straight win in a home opener. Florida A&M has not played a home game yet this season.

South Carolina opens Southeast Conference play hosting Texas A&M on Wednesday.

More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25

1st Half
FAMU
Rattlers
35
SCAR
Gamecocks
38

Time		Play	Score
20:00		(Gamecocks gains possession)
19:52	+3	AJ Lawson makes three point jump shot (Seventh Woods assists)	0-3
19:29	+2	DJ Jones makes two point layup (Kamron Reaves assists)	2-3
19:10		Wildens Leveque misses two point jump shot
19:08		Jermaine Couisnard offensive rebound
19:03		Jermaine Couisnard misses two point jump shot
19:01		Rattlers defensive rebound
18:50		MJ Randolph misses two point layup
18:48		DJ Jones offensive rebound
18:48		Wildens Leveque shooting foul (DJ Jones draws the foul)
18:48	+1	DJ Jones makes regular free throw 1 of 2	3-3
18:48	+1	DJ Jones makes regular free throw 2 of 2	4-3
18:25		Kamron Reaves personal foul (AJ Lawson draws the foul)
18:13		Justin Minaya turnover (traveling)
18:11	+2	Kamron Reaves makes two point jump shot	6-3
17:26		Jermaine Couisnard misses two point jump shot
17:13		Jalen Speer defensive rebound
17:13	+3	Kamron Reaves makes three point jump shot (MJ Randolph assists)	9-3
17:04	+3	Jermaine Couisnard makes three point jump shot (Seventh Woods assists)	9-6
16:51		Wildens Leveque shooting foul (Kamron Reaves draws the foul)
16:51	+1	Kamron Reaves makes regular free throw 1 of 2	10-6
16:50	+1	Kamron Reaves makes regular free throw 2 of 2	11-6
16:31		Jermaine Couisnard misses three point jump shot
16:30		Justin Minaya offensive rebound
16:30		Bryce Moragne shooting foul (Justin Minaya draws the foul)
16:30	+1	Justin Minaya makes regular free throw 1 of 2	11-7
16:30	+1	Justin Minaya makes regular free throw 2 of 2	11-8
16:10		Jermaine Couisnard shooting foul (Jalen Speer draws the foul)
16:10	+1	Jalen Speer makes regular free throw 1 of 2	12-8
16:08		Jalen Speer misses regular free throw 2 of 2
16:08		Justin Minaya defensive rebound
15:57		Justin Minaya misses three point jump shot
15:55		Bryce Moragne defensive rebound
15:44		Kamron Reaves misses three point jump shot
15:42		Trey Anderson defensive rebound
15:32		AJ Lawson misses three point jump shot
15:30		Justin Minaya offensive rebound
15:25		AJ Lawson misses three point jump shot
15:24		Jermaine Couisnard offensive rebound
15:23	+2	Jermaine Couisnard makes two point putback layup	12-10
15:23		MJ Randolph shooting foul (Jermaine Couisnard draws the foul)
15:23		TV timeout
15:23		Jermaine Couisnard misses regular free throw 1 of 1
15:23		Johnny Brown defensive rebound
15:12		Jalen Speer misses two point jump shot
15:10		Jermaine Couisnard defensive rebound
14:57	+3	Justin Minaya makes three point jump shot (Jermaine Couisnard assists)	12-13
14:26	+3	Jalen Speer makes three point jump shot (MJ Randolph assists)	15-13
14:18		Trae Hannibal turnover (lost ball) (MJ Randolph steals)
14:16	+2	MJ Randolph makes two point layup	17-13
14:00		AJ Lawson misses two point layup
13:58		Johnny Brown defensive rebound
13:50	+3	Jalen Speer makes three point jump shot (MJ Randolph assists)	20-13
13:34		Jermaine Couisnard misses three point jump shot
13:32		Johnny Brown defensive rebound
13:26		Johnny Brown turnover (bad pass) (Jermaine Couisnard steals)
13:21	+2	Seventh Woods makes two point layup (Jermaine Couisnard assists)	20-15
12:57		Evins Desir turnover (bad pass)
12:57		Jalen Speer personal foul
12:40		Bryce Moragne blocks Jermaine Couisnard's two point layup
12:38		Bryce Moragne defensive rebound
12:21		Evins Desir turnover (bad pass) (Jermaine Couisnard steals)
12:13		Jermaine Couisnard misses two point layup
12:11		Ja'Von Benson offensive rebound
12:13		Evins Desir personal foul (Ja'Von Benson draws the foul)
12:13		Ja'Von Benson misses regular free throw 1 of 2
12:13	+1	Ja'Von Benson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	20-16
11:55		DJ Jones turnover (bad pass) (Jermaine Couisnard steals)
11:51		Trey Anderson turnover (bad pass)
11:51		TV timeout
11:38		Kamron Reaves turnover (lost ball) (Seventh Woods steals)
11:34	+2	Jermaine Couisnard makes two point layup (Justin Minaya assists)	20-18
11:09		Keith Littles misses two point layup
11:09		Evins Desir offensive rebound
11:09	+2	Evins Desir makes two point layup	22-18
10:59		AJ Lawson misses three point jump shot
10:57		AJ Lawson offensive rebound
10:50	+2	AJ Lawson makes two point layup	22-20
10:35	+2	Keith Littles makes two point layup	24-20
10:25		AJ Lawson turnover (traveling)
10:15		Kamron Reaves misses two point layup
10:13		Evins Desir offensive rebound
10:14		Justin Minaya blocks Evins Desir's two point jump shot
10:12		Rattlers offensive rebound
10:06		Evins Desir turnover (traveling)
9:53		Seventh Woods turnover (bad pass) (Jalen Speer steals)
9:46		MJ Randolph misses two point layup
9:44		Ja'Von Benson defensive rebound
9:39	+2	Trae Hannibal makes two point layup	24-22
9:32		Kamron Reaves turnover (lost ball) (Trae Hannibal steals)
9:27		Trae Hannibal misses two point layup
9:25		Kamron Reaves defensive rebound
9:27		AJ Lawson personal foul
9:11	+2	DJ Jones makes two point jump shot	26-22
9:11		Justin Minaya shooting foul (DJ Jones draws the foul)
9:10		DJ Jones misses regular free throw 1 of 1
9:10		Trae Hannibal defensive rebound
8:51		Trae Hannibal misses two point layup
8:49		DJ Jones defensive rebound
8:41		Jalen Speer misses two point jump shot
8:39		Ja'Von Benson defensive rebound
8:32	+3	Ja'Von Benson makes three point jump shot (Jermaine Couisnard assists)	26-25
8:13		Trey Anderson personal foul (MJ Randolph draws the foul)
8:07	+2	DJ Jones makes two point jump shot (Kamron Reaves assists)	28-25
7:45	+3	Trae Hannibal makes three point jump shot (Ja'Von Benson assists)	28-28
7:25		MJ Randolph misses two point jump shot
7:23		Gamecocks defensive rebound
7:21		TV timeout
7:12		DJ Jones misses two point jump shot
7:10		AJ Lawson defensive rebound
6:55		AJ Lawson misses three point jump shot
6:53		Trey Anderson offensive rebound
6:47	+2	Trey Anderson makes two point jump shot	28-30
6:40		Trey Anderson shooting foul (MJ Randolph draws the foul)
6:40		MJ Randolph misses regular free throw 1 of 2
6:40	+1	MJ Randolph makes regular free throw 2 of 2	29-30
6:24		Ja'Von Benson misses two point jump shot
6:22		Jalen Speer defensive rebound
6:14		Jai Clark misses three point jump shot
6:12		Justin Minaya defensive rebound
6:06		Justin Minaya misses three point jump shot
6:04		Johnny Brown defensive rebound
5:59		MJ Randolph offensive foul
5:59		MJ Randolph turnover
5:44		Trae Hannibal misses three point jump shot
5:42		Bryce Moragne defensive rebound
5:42		Justin Minaya personal foul (Bryce Moragne draws the foul)
5:37	+1	Bryce Moragne makes regular free throw 1 of 2	30-30
5:37	+1	Bryce Moragne makes regular free throw 2 of 2	31-30
5:14	+2	AJ Lawson makes two point layup	31-32
5:05	+2	Bryce Moragne makes two point layup (Johnny Brown assists)	33-32
4:55	+2	AJ Lawson makes two point layup (Jermaine Couisnard assists)	33-34
4:38		Bryce Moragne misses two point jump shot
4:36		Jermaine Couisnard defensive rebound
4:27	+2	Ja'Von Benson makes two point jump shot (Justin Minaya assists)	33-36
4:03		MJ Randolph misses two point jump shot
4:01		Trae Hannibal defensive rebound
3:51		AJ Lawson turnover (traveling)
3:51		TV timeout
3:20		Rattlers turnover (shot clock violation)
3:02		Seventh Woods misses two point layup
3:00		Rattlers defensive rebound
2:49	+2	DJ Jones makes two point jump shot (Jalen Speer assists)	35-36
2:30		Trey Anderson misses three point jump shot
2:28		Ja'Von Benson offensive rebound
2:17	+2	AJ Lawson makes two point layup (Ja'Von Benson assists)	35-38
1:58		Seventh Woods personal foul (Bryce Moragne draws the foul)
1:58		Bryce Moragne misses regular free throw 1 of 1
1:58		AJ Lawson defensive rebound
1:54		Bryce Moragne personal foul (Seventh Woods draws the foul)
1:55		Seventh Woods misses regular free throw 1 of 1
1:55		Keith Littles defensive rebound
1:40		Keith Littles misses three point jump shot
1:38		AJ Lawson defensive rebound
1:21		Trae Hannibal misses two point jump shot
1:19		DJ Jones defensive rebound
1:13		Rattlers 30 second timeout
0:54		Evins Desir misses two point jump shot
0:52		Seventh Woods defensive rebound
0:41		Jermaine Couisnard misses two point jump shot
0:39		MJ Randolph defensive rebound
0:31		Evins Desir misses two point layup
0:29		Jermaine Couisnard defensive rebound
0:24		DJ Jones personal foul (Ja'Von Benson draws the foul)
0:24		Ja'Von Benson misses regular free throw 1 of 2
0:24		Ja'Von Benson misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:24		Evins Desir defensive rebound
0:00		MJ Randolph turnover (lost ball) (Jermaine Couisnard steals)
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
FAMU
Rattlers
36
SCAR
Gamecocks
40

Time		Play	Score
19:45		Jermaine Couisnard misses three point jump shot
19:43		Wildens Leveque offensive rebound
19:39		DJ Jones personal foul
19:33	+2	Justin Minaya makes two point layup	35-40
19:12		Kamron Reaves offensive foul (Jermaine Couisnard draws the foul)
19:12		Kamron Reaves turnover
18:54		Seventh Woods misses three point jump shot
18:52		Wildens Leveque offensive rebound
18:51		DJ Jones shooting foul (Wildens Leveque draws the foul)
18:51		Wildens Leveque misses regular free throw 1 of 2
18:51	+1	Wildens Leveque makes regular free throw 2 of 2	35-41
18:29		DJ Jones misses two point jump shot
18:27		Jermaine Couisnard defensive rebound
18:17		Jermaine Couisnard turnover (bad pass)
17:57	+2	MJ Randolph makes two point jump shot	37-41
17:50		Johnny Brown shooting foul (Justin Minaya draws the foul)
17:50		Justin Minaya misses regular free throw 1 of 2
17:50	+1	Justin Minaya makes regular free throw 2 of 2	37-42
17:35	+2	MJ Randolph makes two point layup	39-42
17:29		Gamecocks 30 second timeout
17:29		TV timeout
17:18		Justin Minaya turnover (bad pass) (MJ Randolph steals)
17:11		Jalen Speer turnover
16:58		Ja'Von Benson misses two point jump shot
16:56		Jalen Speer defensive rebound
16:50		Jalen Speer turnover (lost ball) (AJ Lawson steals)
16:45	+2	AJ Lawson makes two point dunk	39-44
16:31	+2	Jalen Speer makes two point jump shot	41-44
16:00		Jermaine Couisnard misses three point jump shot
15:58		Justin Minaya offensive rebound
15:52		Justin Minaya misses two point layup
15:50		MJ Randolph defensive rebound
15:50		Seventh Woods personal foul
15:50		TV timeout
15:45	+3	Johnny Brown makes three point jump shot (Kamron Reaves assists)	44-44
15:29		Bryce Moragne personal foul
15:21	+2	Seventh Woods makes two point jump shot	44-46
15:09		Kamron Reaves misses two point jump shot
15:07		Justin Minaya defensive rebound
15:02		Johnny Brown blocks Seventh Woods's two point layup
15:00		Justin Minaya offensive rebound
14:49		Justin Minaya misses two point jump shot
14:47		Keith Littles defensive rebound
14:43	+2	Keith Littles makes two point layup	46-46
14:39	+2	Jermaine Couisnard makes two point jump shot	46-48
14:31		AJ Lawson personal foul (Keith Littles draws the foul)
14:26		Evins Desir misses two point layup
14:24		Trae Hannibal defensive rebound
14:20	+2	Wildens Leveque makes two point dunk (Trae Hannibal assists)	46-50
14:08		Kamron Reaves turnover (lost ball) (AJ Lawson steals)
14:03	+2	AJ Lawson makes two point dunk	46-52
13:40	+2	Kamron Reaves makes two point layup	48-52
13:26		Trae Hannibal turnover (lost ball) (Keith Littles steals)
13:20	+2	MJ Randolph makes two point layup (Evins Desir assists)	50-52
13:10		Kamron Reaves personal foul
12:48	+3	AJ Lawson makes three point jump shot (Trey Anderson assists)	50-55
12:33		AJ Lawson personal foul
12:21		Seventh Woods personal foul (Jalen Speer draws the foul)
12:13		MJ Randolph misses two point jump shot
12:11		Seventh Woods defensive rebound
12:02	+2	Seventh Woods makes two point jump shot	50-57
11:47		Keith Littles misses three point jump shot
11:45		Justin Minaya defensive rebound
11:38		Justin Minaya turnover
11:38		TV timeout
11:30	+3	Johnny Brown makes three point jump shot (Jalen Speer assists)	53-57
11:02	+2	Seventh Woods makes two point jump shot	53-59
10:49		Trae Hannibal shooting foul (Jalen Speer draws the foul)
10:48	+1	Jalen Speer makes regular free throw 1 of 3	54-59
10:48	+1	Jalen Speer makes regular free throw 2 of 3	55-59
10:48	+1	Jalen Speer makes regular free throw 3 of 3	56-59
10:27		Jermaine Couisnard misses three point jump shot
10:24		Trey Anderson personal foul
10:06		Jalen Speer misses two point jump shot
9:46		Jermaine Couisnard misses three point jump shot
9:44		Keith Littles defensive rebound
9:40	+3	Jalen Speer makes three point jump shot (Keith Littles assists)	59-59
9:28		Seventh Woods misses two point jump shot
9:26		Evins Desir defensive rebound
7:32	+1	Evins Desir makes regular free throw 1 of 1	64-61
7:32	+1	Evins Desir makes regular free throw 1 of 1	64-61
7:20		DJ Jones shooting foul (AJ Lawson draws the foul)
7:20	+1	AJ Lawson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	64-62
7:20	+1	AJ Lawson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	64-63
7:02		MJ Randolph misses two point layup
7:00		Wildens Leveque defensive rebound
6:55	+2	Justin Minaya makes two point layup (Jermaine Couisnard assists)	64-65
6:40	+2	Kamron Reaves makes two point layup	66-65
6:33	+3	AJ Lawson makes three point jump shot (Trae Hannibal assists)	66-68
5:58		Rattlers turnover (shot clock violation)
5:40		Kamron Reaves shooting foul (Jermaine Couisnard draws the foul)
5:40	+1	Jermaine Couisnard makes regular free throw 1 of 2	66-69
5:40		Jermaine Couisnard misses regular free throw 2 of 2
5:40		Bryce Moragne defensive rebound
5:34	+2	Jalen Speer makes two point jump shot	68-69
5:11		Wildens Leveque misses two point layup
5:09		Kamron Reaves defensive rebound
5:03		MJ Randolph misses two point jump shot
5:01		Rattlers offensive rebound
4:54		Wildens Leveque shooting foul (MJ Randolph draws the foul)
4:54		MJ Randolph misses regular free throw 1 of 2
4:54	+1	MJ Randolph makes regular free throw 2 of 2	69-69
4:54	+1	MJ Randolph makes regular free throw 2 of 2	69-69
4:45		Trae Hannibal misses two point jump shot
4:43		MJ Randolph defensive rebound
4:31		Kamron Reaves misses two point jump shot
4:29		Justin Minaya defensive rebound
4:15	+2	Jermaine Couisnard makes two point layup	69-71
3:56		MJ Randolph offensive foul (Trae Hannibal draws the foul)
3:56		MJ Randolph turnover
3:56		TV timeout
3:34		Seventh Woods turnover (lost ball) (Jalen Speer steals)
3:27		AJ Lawson blocks MJ Randolph's two point jump shot
3:25		Seventh Woods defensive rebound
3:22	+3	Jermaine Couisnard makes three point jump shot (Seventh Woods assists)	69-74
2:51		Johnny Brown misses three point jump shot
2:49		Seventh Woods defensive rebound
2:42		AJ Lawson misses three point jump shot
2:40		Johnny Brown defensive rebound
2:34		Johnny Brown misses three point jump shot
2:32		Gamecocks defensive rebound
2:04		AJ Lawson misses three point jump shot
2:02		Johnny Brown defensive rebound
1:38	+2	Jalen Speer makes two point jump shot	71-74
1:15		Seventh Woods misses three point jump shot
1:13		MJ Randolph defensive rebound
1:02		Jalen Speer misses three point jump shot
1:00		Gamecocks defensive rebound
0:41		Jalen Speer shooting foul (Wildens Leveque draws the foul)
0:41	+1	Wildens Leveque makes regular free throw 1 of 2	71-75
0:41	+1	Wildens Leveque makes regular free throw 2 of 2	71-76
0:32		Kamron Reaves misses three point jump shot
0:30		Rattlers offensive rebound
0:19	+1	AJ Lawson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	71-77
0:23		Jalen Speer misses three point jump shot
0:21		AJ Lawson defensive rebound
0:19		Johnny Brown personal foul (AJ Lawson draws the foul)
0:19	+1	AJ Lawson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	71-77
0:19	+1	AJ Lawson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	71-78
0:12		Trae Hannibal personal foul (MJ Randolph draws the foul)
0:12		MJ Randolph misses regular free throw 1 of 1
0:12		Justin Minaya defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

Justin Minaya defensive rebound