Jackson II scores 18, South Carolina tops Presbyterian 68-57
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- — Freshman Gregory “GG” Jackson II scored 18 points, Meechie Johnson added 16 and South Carolina used a 14-0 run midway through the second half to pull away for a 68-57 win over Presbyterian on Sunday night.
Jackson has scored in double figures in each game as a member of the Gamecocks and went into the game leading the team in scoring (17.0 per game) and rebounding (7.5).
Jackson threw down a dunk with about 12 minutes remaining to spark the big run — including seven points by Hayden Brown — over the next 6 minutes that gave South Carolina a 55-44 lead. Marquis Barnett hit a 3-pointer that trimmed Presbyterian’s deficit to 63-55 with 2:41 left, but the Blue Hose got no closer.
Brown, a graduate transfer who scored 1,402 career points for The Citadel over five seasons, finished with 14 points — 11 in the second half — for South Carolina (5-4).
Winston Hill made 8 of 10 from the field and led Presbyterian (2-9) with 18 points and five assists. Terrell Ard Jr. added 13 points on 6-of-13 shooting.
South Carolina committed a season-low six turnovers.
Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk made back-to-back baskets before he blocked a shot by Ard that led to a fast-break dunk by Jackson to give South Carolina a 6-0 lead less than 90 seconds into the game.
Jackson and Johnson scored five points apiece — and each hit a 3-pointer — in a 10-3 spurt that made it 16-5 with 14 minutes left in the first half. Jackson made another 3 to give the Gamecocks a 13-point lead with 5 minutes before halftime but Presbyterian scored 11 straight points before a Jackson layup made it 37-33 at the break.
Owen McCormack hit a 3 and Trevon Reddish-Rhone followed with four consecutive points to open the second half — while South Carolina missed its first six shots — to give the Blue Hose their first lead of the game at 40-37 with 17 minutes to play.
UP NEXT
Presbyterian (2-9) returns home to play Thursday against Elon.
South Carolina visits defending Conference USA-champion UAB on Wednesday.
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Game Information
- Referees:
- Ron Groover
- Jason Baker
- Michael Wallace
2023-24 Big South Conference Standings
Team | CONF | GB | OVR |
---|---|---|---|
High Point | 13-3 | - | 27-9 |
UNC Asheville | 12-4 | 1 | 22-12 |
Gardner-Webb | 11-5 | 2 | 17-16 |
Winthrop | 8-8 | 5 | 17-15 |
Longwood | 6-10 | 7 | 21-14 |
Presbyterian | 6-10 | 7 | 14-19 |
Charleston Southern | 6-10 | 7 | 10-20 |
Radford | 5-11 | 8 | 16-17 |
South Carolina Upstate | 5-11 | 8 | 10-20 |
2023-24 Southeastern Conference Standings
Team | CONF | GB | OVR |
---|---|---|---|
Tennessee | 14-4 | - | 27-9 |
Auburn | 13-5 | 1 | 27-8 |
South Carolina | 13-5 | 1 | 26-8 |
Kentucky | 13-5 | 1 | 23-10 |
Alabama | 13-5 | 1 | 25-12 |
Florida | 11-7 | 3 | 24-12 |
Texas A&M | 9-9 | 5 | 21-15 |
LSU | 9-9 | 5 | 17-16 |
Mississippi State | 8-10 | 6 | 21-14 |
Ole Miss | 7-11 | 7 | 20-12 |
Georgia | 6-12 | 8 | 20-17 |
Arkansas | 6-12 | 8 | 16-17 |
Vanderbilt | 4-14 | 10 | 9-23 |
Missouri | 0-18 | 14 | 8-24 |