South Carolina ends losing streak with win over SC Upstate

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Freshman Gregory Jackson II scored 22 points, Hayden Brown added 15 points, and South Carolina snapped a three-game losing streak with a 68-53 victory over South Carolina Upstate on Friday.

Jackson, averaging 16.5 ppg coming in, bettered his previous high of 20 set in a 32-point loss to Colorado State last week.

Jacobi Wright scored 10 points for South Carolina (3-3) and Brown had a team-high nine rebounds.

There were 11 lead changes in the first half and Upstate led 31-28 at the break. The Gamecocks took the lead for good with a 10-2 run to open the second half. The Spartans were unable to string together consecutive baskets at any point in the second half while the Gamecocks gradually increased their lead. The largest margin was 17 points with about 1 1/2 minutes to go.

Ahmir Langlais had 14 points and seven rebounds off the bench for the Spartans (2-4) and Jordan Gainey added 13 points.

South Carolina committed only eight turnovers.

South Carolina was coming off consecutive losses to Colorado State, Davidson and Furman at the Charleston Classic.

South Carolina will play out of state for the first time this season when the Gamecocks travel to Washington, D.C., to play George Washington on Wednesday.

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