ELON

Cooper guides South Carolina to a 70-43 victory over Elon

AP
Dec 23, 2023

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) Ta'Lon Cooper scored 20 points to lead South Carolina Gamecocks to a 70-43 victory over Elon Phoenix on Friday night.

South Carolina has won four in a row and is off to an 11-1 start for the fourth time in program history. The Gamecocks have won eight straight at home, their longest streak since a 13-game run during the 2015-16 season.

Cooper made 8 of 12 shots with four 3-pointers for the Gamecocks. He added six rebounds and three assists. Myles Stute finished with 11 points and eight rebounds. Jacobi Wright scored 10 with three assists. Freshman Collin Murray-Boyles scored a season-best 10 points off the bench.

Wright had eight points, Cooper scored seven and the pair accounted for half of South Carolina's output in building a 30-20 lead at halftime. The Gamecocks shot 39.3% and made just 2 of 13 from 3-point range (15.4%). Elon shot 26.7% and hit 2 of 8 from distance.

Sam Sherry led the Phoenix (6-6) with 12 points, while Max Mackinnon scored 11.

South Carolina shot 41.3% overall and made 8 of 30 from beyond the arc (26.7%). Elon shot 32% and missed all six of its second-half shots from distance.

The Gamecocks snapped a two-game skid against the Phoenix, losing 65-53 at home in the last meeting in November 2012. They lead the series 3-2.

South Carolina’s only loss this season was a 72-67 setback at Clemson, which was ranked 24th at the time.

South Carolina will host Florida A&M on Dec. 30.

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1st Half
ELON
Phoenix
20
SCAR
Gamecocks
30

Time		Play	Score
20:00		(Phoenix gains possession)
19:40		Max Mackinnon misses three point jump shot
19:38		Phoenix offensive rebound
19:38		Jacobi Wright personal foul
19:10	+2	Max Mackinnon makes two point jump shot	2-0
18:52		TK Simpkins shooting foul (Stephen Clark draws the foul)
18:52		Stephen Clark misses regular free throw 1 of 2
18:52	+1	Stephen Clark makes regular free throw 2 of 2	2-1
18:37		Sam Sherry misses two point hook shot
18:35		Stephen Clark defensive rebound
18:26		Myles Stute misses three point jump shot
18:24		B.J. Mack offensive rebound
18:12		Myles Stute misses three point jump shot
18:10		Deandre Smart defensive rebound
17:55		TK Simpkins misses two point jump shot
17:53		Myles Stute defensive rebound
17:44		B.J. Mack misses three point jump shot
17:42		Max Mackinnon defensive rebound
17:31	+3	Sam Sherry makes three point jump shot (Max Mackinnon assists)	5-1
17:05		Stephen Clark misses two point reverse layup
17:03		Phoenix defensive rebound
16:39		TK Simpkins misses two point jump shot
16:37		Deandre Smart offensive rebound
16:34		Deandre Smart misses two point layup
16:32		Jacobi Wright defensive rebound
16:21	+3	Ta'Lon Cooper makes three point jump shot (B.J. Mack assists)	5-4
15:59		TK Simpkins turnover (traveling)
15:59		TV timeout
15:50		Rob Higgins personal foul (Zachary Davis draws the foul)
15:48		Collin Murray-Boyles misses two point jump shot
15:46		TK Simpkins defensive rebound
15:38	+2	Rob Higgins makes two point jump shot	7-4
15:18	+2	Ta'Lon Cooper makes two point layup	7-6
14:50		Rob Higgins misses two point jump shot
14:48		Jacobi Wright defensive rebound
14:39		Ta'Lon Cooper misses three point jump shot
14:37		TK Simpkins defensive rebound
14:33		TK Simpkins misses two point layup
14:31		Gamecocks defensive rebound
14:12	+3	Zachary Davis makes three point jump shot (Ta'Lon Cooper assists)	7-9
13:54		Morris Ugusuk personal foul (LA Pratt draws the foul)
13:35		LA Pratt misses three point jump shot
13:33		Zachary Davis defensive rebound
13:13		Morris Ugusuk misses three point jump shot
13:11		Phoenix defensive rebound
12:46		Nick Dorn misses two point jump shot
12:44		Morris Ugusuk defensive rebound
12:20		Ta'Lon Cooper turnover (lost ball) (LA Pratt steals)
12:14		LA Pratt misses two point layup
12:12		Kendall Campbell offensive rebound
12:09	+2	Kendall Campbell makes two point layup	9-9
11:56		B.J. Mack misses two point jump shot
11:54		B.J. Mack offensive rebound
11:51	+2	B.J. Mack makes two point layup	9-11
11:37		Nick Dorn misses three point jump shot
11:35		Gamecocks defensive rebound
11:34		TV timeout
11:07	+2	Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk makes two point layup	9-13
10:34	+3	LA Pratt makes three point jump shot (Max Mackinnon assists)	12-13
10:15		Morris Ugusuk misses three point jump shot
10:13		LA Pratt defensive rebound
9:53	+2	Max Mackinnon makes two point layup (LA Pratt assists)	14-13
9:21	+2	Ta'Lon Cooper makes two point jump shot	14-15
9:06		LA Pratt misses two point layup
9:04		Sam Sherry offensive rebound
9:01		Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk shooting foul (Sam Sherry draws the foul)
9:01		Sam Sherry misses regular free throw 1 of 2
9:01	+1	Sam Sherry makes regular free throw 2 of 2	15-15
8:52		Collin Murray-Boyles offensive foul
8:52		Collin Murray-Boyles turnover (offensive foul)
8:37		Myles Stute shooting foul (Max Mackinnon draws the foul)
8:37		Max Mackinnon misses regular free throw 1 of 2
8:37	+1	Max Mackinnon makes regular free throw 2 of 2	16-15
8:19		Deandre Smart shooting foul (Jacobi Wright draws the foul)
8:19	+1	Jacobi Wright makes regular free throw 1 of 2	16-16
8:19	+1	Jacobi Wright makes regular free throw 2 of 2	16-17
8:04		Max Mackinnon misses two point fadeaway jump shot
8:02		Deandre Smart offensive rebound
7:57		Phoenix 30 second timeout
7:57		TV timeout
7:51		Sam Sherry offensive foul
7:51		Sam Sherry turnover (offensive foul)
7:34		Morris Ugusuk turnover (traveling)
7:23		B.J. Mack personal foul (Sam Sherry draws the foul)
7:21		TK Simpkins misses two point jump shot
7:19		Myles Stute defensive rebound
7:11		Jacobi Wright misses three point jump shot
7:09		Collin Murray-Boyles offensive rebound
6:57		Myles Stute misses two point stepback jump shot
6:55		Gamecocks offensive rebound
6:52		B.J. Mack turnover (traveling)
6:46		Zac Ervin turnover (bad pass)
6:32		Jacobi Wright misses three point jump shot
6:30		Ta'Lon Cooper offensive rebound
6:24	+2	B.J. Mack makes two point jump shot	16-19
6:00		TK Simpkins misses two point jump shot
5:58		Zac Ervin offensive rebound
5:44	+2	Rob Higgins makes two point turnaround jump shot	18-19
5:28	+2	Jacobi Wright makes two point layup (Collin Murray-Boyles assists)	18-21
5:18		Kendall Campbell offensive foul (Jacobi Wright draws the foul)
5:18		Kendall Campbell turnover (offensive foul)
5:01	+2	Collin Murray-Boyles makes two point layup (Ta'Lon Cooper assists)	18-23
4:46		Sam Sherry misses two point dunk
4:44		Myles Stute defensive rebound
4:34		Sam Sherry shooting foul (Collin Murray-Boyles draws the foul)
4:34	+1	Collin Murray-Boyles makes regular free throw 1 of 2	18-24
4:34		Collin Murray-Boyles misses regular free throw 2 of 2
4:34		Sam Sherry defensive rebound
4:12		Rob Higgins misses two point jump shot
4:10		Myles Stute defensive rebound
3:53	+2	Jacobi Wright makes two point fadeaway jump shot	18-26
3:35		Sam Sherry misses two point hook shot
3:33		Gamecocks defensive rebound
3:32		TV timeout
3:19		Zachary Davis misses three point jump shot
3:17		Ta'Lon Cooper offensive rebound
3:06		Myles Stute misses three point jump shot
3:04		Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk offensive rebound
2:58	+2	Jacobi Wright makes two point driving layup	18-28
2:35		TK Simpkins misses three point jump shot
2:33		Gamecocks defensive rebound
2:07		Myles Stute misses two point turnaround jump shot
2:05		Gamecocks offensive rebound
2:03		Myles Stute turnover (lost ball) (TK Simpkins steals)
1:54		Kendall Campbell misses two point jump shot
1:52		Phoenix offensive rebound
1:51	+2	Max Mackinnon makes two point jump shot (Rob Higgins assists)	20-28
1:22		Kendall Campbell shooting foul (Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk draws the foul)
1:22	+1	Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk makes regular free throw 1 of 2	20-29
1:22	+1	Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk makes regular free throw 2 of 2	20-30
0:56		TK Simpkins misses three point jump shot
0:54		Stephen Clark defensive rebound
0:42		Zachary Davis misses three point jump shot
0:40		Rob Higgins defensive rebound
0:33		Max Mackinnon misses three point jump shot
0:31		Zachary Davis defensive rebound
0:04		B.J. Mack misses two point turnaround fadeaway jump shot
0:02		Ta'Lon Cooper offensive rebound
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
ELON
Phoenix
23
SCAR
Gamecocks
40

Time		Play	Score
19:50		Myles Stute turnover (Deandre Smart steals)
19:39		Deandre Smart turnover (bad pass) (Ta'Lon Cooper steals)
19:30		Max Mackinnon blocks Jacobi Wright's two point layup
19:28		Stephen Clark offensive rebound
19:25		Stephen Clark misses two point layup
19:22		TK Simpkins defensive rebound
19:22		Deandre Smart offensive foul
19:22		Deandre Smart turnover (offensive foul)
19:02		Myles Stute misses three point jump shot
19:00		Deandre Smart defensive rebound
18:35		Deandre Smart turnover (lost ball) (Myles Stute steals)
18:12	+3	Ta'Lon Cooper makes three point jump shot (B.J. Mack assists)	20-33
17:51	+2	Rob Higgins makes two point pullup jump shot (Sam Sherry assists)	22-33
17:30		Deandre Smart blocks Stephen Clark's two point layup
17:28		TK Simpkins defensive rebound
17:23		TK Simpkins misses two point jump shot
17:21		Myles Stute defensive rebound
17:04		Ta'Lon Cooper misses three point jump shot
17:02		TK Simpkins defensive rebound
16:57		Rob Higgins turnover (bad pass) (B.J. Mack steals)
16:48	+2	Myles Stute makes two point layup	22-35
16:32	+2	Max Mackinnon makes two point jump shot	24-35
16:09	+3	Ta'Lon Cooper makes three point jump shot (B.J. Mack assists)	24-38
15:53		Rob Higgins misses two point fadeaway jump shot
15:51		Ta'Lon Cooper defensive rebound
15:45	+2	Ta'Lon Cooper makes two point layup	24-40
15:41		Phoenix 30 second timeout
15:41		TV timeout
15:24		Max Mackinnon turnover (bad pass)
15:23		TV timeout
15:03		B.J. Mack misses two point hook shot
15:01		Collin Murray-Boyles offensive rebound
15:01		Nick Dorn blocks Collin Murray-Boyles's two point layup
14:59		Gamecocks offensive rebound
14:50		Jacobi Wright misses three point jump shot
14:48		LA Pratt defensive rebound
14:35	+2	Sam Sherry makes two point layup (LA Pratt assists)	26-40
14:25	+2	B.J. Mack makes two point jump shot (Myles Stute assists)	26-42
14:12		Zac Ervin misses three point jump shot
14:10		Jacobi Wright defensive rebound
14:01		Myles Stute misses three point jump shot
13:59		Nick Dorn defensive rebound
13:46		Jacobi Wright personal foul (LA Pratt draws the foul)
13:44		Max Mackinnon misses two point jump shot
13:42		Myles Stute defensive rebound
13:29		Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk misses two point hook shot
13:27		Kendall Campbell defensive rebound
13:06		LA Pratt turnover (traveling)
12:47		Jacobi Wright misses three point jump shot
12:45		Zachary Davis offensive rebound
12:41		Zachary Davis turnover (lost ball) (Kendall Campbell steals)
12:36		Nick Dorn turnover (bad pass) (Jacobi Wright steals)
12:33		Jacobi Wright turnover (bad pass)
12:08	+2	Nick Dorn makes two point layup	28-42
11:39		Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk misses two point hook shot
11:37		Kendall Campbell defensive rebound
11:28		Zachary Davis blocks Max Mackinnon's three point jump shot
11:26		Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk defensive rebound
10:58	+3	Ta'Lon Cooper makes three point jump shot (Morris Ugusuk assists)	28-45
10:34		Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk blocks Isaac Harrell's two point layup
10:32		Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk defensive rebound
10:24		Ta'Lon Cooper misses three point jump shot
10:22		Isaac Harrell defensive rebound
10:13		Kendall Campbell turnover (bad pass) (Zachary Davis steals)
10:08	+2	Myles Stute makes two point layup (Zachary Davis assists)	28-47
10:08		LA Pratt shooting foul (Myles Stute draws the foul)
10:08		TV timeout
10:08	+1	Myles Stute makes regular free throw 1 of 1	28-48
9:52	+2	Sam Sherry makes two point layup (TK Simpkins assists)	30-48
9:52		Ta'Lon Cooper shooting foul (Sam Sherry draws the foul)
9:52	+1	Sam Sherry makes regular free throw 1 of 1	31-48
9:37	+2	Ta'Lon Cooper makes two point layup	31-50
9:36		TK Simpkins shooting foul (Ta'Lon Cooper draws the foul)
9:36		Ta'Lon Cooper misses regular free throw 1 of 1
9:36		Ta'Lon Cooper offensive rebound
9:27		Sam Sherry blocks B.J. Mack's two point layup
9:25		Max Mackinnon defensive rebound
9:20		Morris Ugusuk shooting foul (TK Simpkins draws the foul)
9:20	+1	TK Simpkins makes regular free throw 1 of 2	32-50
9:20	+1	TK Simpkins makes regular free throw 2 of 2	33-50
8:51		B.J. Mack misses two point jump shot
8:49		TK Simpkins defensive rebound
8:44		Jacobi Wright blocks TK Simpkins's two point layup
8:42		Gamecocks defensive rebound
8:27		Zachary Davis offensive foul
8:27		Zachary Davis turnover (offensive foul)
8:06	+2	Max Mackinnon makes two point driving layup	35-50
7:48	+3	B.J. Mack makes three point jump shot (Jacobi Wright assists)	35-53
7:25	+2	Sam Sherry makes two point layup (TK Simpkins assists)	37-53
6:57	+2	Stephen Clark makes two point layup (Jacobi Wright assists)	37-55
6:40		B.J. Mack personal foul (TK Simpkins draws the foul)
6:40		TV timeout
6:25		Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk shooting foul (Sam Sherry draws the foul)
6:25		Sam Sherry misses regular free throw 1 of 2
6:25	+1	Sam Sherry makes regular free throw 2 of 2	38-55
6:06		Collin Murray-Boyles offensive foul
6:06		Collin Murray-Boyles turnover (offensive foul)
5:53		TK Simpkins turnover (lost ball) (Jacobi Wright steals)
5:48		Ta'Lon Cooper misses three point jump shot
5:46		TK Simpkins defensive rebound
5:44		Myles Stute personal foul (TK Simpkins draws the foul)
5:44	+1	TK Simpkins makes regular free throw 1 of 2	39-55
5:44		TK Simpkins misses regular free throw 2 of 2
5:44		Myles Stute defensive rebound
5:36		Myles Stute misses three point jump shot
5:34		Gamecocks offensive rebound
5:27		Max Mackinnon shooting foul (Collin Murray-Boyles draws the foul)
5:27	+1	Collin Murray-Boyles makes regular free throw 1 of 2	39-56
5:27		Collin Murray-Boyles misses regular free throw 2 of 2
5:27		TK Simpkins defensive rebound
5:01		Nick Dorn misses three point jump shot
4:59		Gamecocks defensive rebound
4:38		Nick Dorn shooting foul (Collin Murray-Boyles draws the foul)
4:38	+1	Collin Murray-Boyles makes regular free throw 1 of 2	39-57
4:38	+1	Collin Murray-Boyles makes regular free throw 2 of 2	39-58
4:18		Rob Higgins turnover (lost ball) (Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk steals)
3:58	+2	Jacobi Wright makes two point pullup jump shot	39-60
3:37	+2	Nick Dorn makes two point jump shot	41-60
3:16	+3	Myles Stute makes three point jump shot (Jacobi Wright assists)	41-63
2:56		Sam Sherry turnover (bad pass)
2:54		TV timeout
2:43	+3	Myles Stute makes three point jump shot (Collin Murray-Boyles assists)	41-66
2:33		Isaac Harrell misses three point jump shot
2:31		Ta'Lon Cooper defensive rebound
2:15	+2	Collin Murray-Boyles makes two point dunk (Ta'Lon Cooper assists)	41-68
2:12		Gamecocks 30 second timeout
1:55		LA Pratt misses three point jump shot
1:53		Nick Dorn offensive rebound
1:49		Nick Dorn misses two point jump shot
1:47		Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk defensive rebound
1:19		Morris Ugusuk misses three point stepback jump shot
1:17		Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk offensive rebound
1:11		Morris Ugusuk misses three point jump shot
1:09		LA Pratt defensive rebound
1:08		Collin Murray-Boyles personal foul (LA Pratt draws the foul)
1:08	+1	LA Pratt makes regular free throw 1 of 2	42-68
1:08	+1	LA Pratt makes regular free throw 2 of 2	43-68
0:55		Eli Sparkman misses three point jump shot
0:53		Collin Murray-Boyles offensive rebound
0:50	+2	Collin Murray-Boyles makes two point layup	43-70
0:43		LA Pratt misses three point jump shot
0:41		Myles Stute defensive rebound
0:18		Nick Dorn shooting foul (Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk draws the foul)
0:18		Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk misses regular free throw 1 of 2
0:18		Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:18		Nick Dorn defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

Nick Dorn defensive rebound