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National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
South Carolina 76, Presbyterian 60
When: 1:00 PM ET, Saturday, December 29, 2012
Where: The Colonial Center Arena, Columbia, South Carolina
Officials: # Bruce Benedict, # Marc Ellard, # Tim Gattis
Attendance: 7344


South Carolina 76, Presbyterian 60:
Brian Richardson matched a career high with 17 points and Damien Leonard added a season-high 15 off the bench as the host Gamecocks breezed to a season-best fourth consecutive win.

Mindaugas Kacinas added 13 points and Lakeem Jackson chipped in with 10 for South Carolina (9-3), which has won 32 of 39 all-time meetings between the in-state foes, including all four since its last loss to the Blue Hose in 1943.

Presbyterian (2-11) held its only lead at 2-0, as the Gamecocks used an 8-0 run to gain some breathing room and extended the margin to 40-24 by halftime.

The Blue Hose, who have not defeated a Division I team this season, pulled within 63-54 with 4:19 left. South Carolina responded by scoring five quick points in a sequence that included a technical foul and ejection for Presbyterian coach Gregg Nibert, who was tossed after arguing a foul call against Jordan Downing.

Downing scored 19 points and Khalid Mutakabbir added 17 for Presbyterian.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Gamecocks G LaShay Page (11.7 points per game) was held out for a second game for what the school is calling "an academic issue." The Gamecocks also were without G Bruce Ellington, who will not return to the basketball team until after the football team plays in the Outback Bowl on Tuesday. … South Carolina improved to 71-16 all-time against current members of the Big South Conference, while Presbyterian dropped to 1-10 against SEC teams since moving to NCAA Division I in 2007. … Richardson has scored in double digits in three of the past four games after doing so only twice in the first eight.

Top Game Performances
 
Presbyterian   South Carolina
Jordan Downing 19 Scoring Brian Richardson 16
Khalid Mutakabbir 4 Assists Eric Smith 5
Joshua Clyburn 7 Rebounds Laimonas Chatkevicius 6
Khalid Mutakabbir 3 Free Throws Made Damien Leonard 3
Joshua Clyburn 2 Steals Brenton Williams 2
William Truss 2 Blocks R.J. Slawson 3
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Presbyterian 60 46.9 4-13 10-13 10 22 4 5 15
South Carolina 76 48.2 7-16 15-24 15 30 4 5 9