South Carolina routs Florida A&M, tops last season's win total

Field Level Media|published: Sat 30th December, 16:16 2023

Dec 30, 2023; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks guard Ta'Lon Cooper (55) drives around Florida A&M Rattlers guard K'Jei Parker (12) in the first quarter at Colonial Life Arena. credits: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

Collin Murray-Boyles netted a career-high 17 points as South Carolina kept its home mark perfect, throttling Florida A&M 94-62 on Saturday afternoon at Columbia, S.C.

A Columbia native, the 6-foot-7 Murray-Boyles went 5 of 6 from the field and 7 of 8 at the free-line in his seventh game as the Gamecocks (12-1) won for the fifth straight time in closing out their nonconference schedule.

Vanderbilt transfer Myles Stute scored 16 points on 5-of-10 shooting, including 4-of-9 from 3-point range.

Meechie Johnson (six assists) and Morris Ugusuk notched 11 points apiece for the Gamecocks, while Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk added 10 points and seven rebounds.

South Carolina is now 8-0 at home, while the 12 victories eclipse last season's win total in coach Lamont Paris' first year, an 11-21 campaign.

The Gamecocks shot 48.4 percent from the floor and sank 10 of 29 (34.5 percent) from 3-point range.

For the Rattlers (2-9), Ja'Derryus Eatmon had 14 points, while team-leading scorer Keith Lamar had 13 points, five rebounds and four steals.

Jalen Speer had 10 points and four assists, but the visitors shot 39.7 percent and were outrebound 44-30.

In the final tune-up for each school before conference play begins next Saturday, the visitors from the SWAC went toe-to-toe with the host SEC school through the first five minutes.

The Rattlers made 5 of 9 from the field in a 10-10 tie, getting four points from Eatmon, while Stute scored five for the Gamecocks.

While FAMU continued to keep it close, South Carolina started to create separation in the latter part of the half when Stute and Ugusuk canned a pair each from long range for a 37-19 lead at 6:17.

South Carolina took full control by racing off on a 30-2 run over the final 9:37 of the first half for a 49-21 lead.

Stute paced the Gamecocks with 11 points before the break and made a trio of 3-pointers as they shot 51.6 percent (16-for-31).

FAMU missed 18 of its 26 attempts (30.8 percent) and saw its reserves get outscored 27-4.

In the second half, the Gamecocks topped the Rattlers by a 45-41 margin in breezing to their final nonconference victory.

—Field Level Media

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