South Carolina men’s basketball defeated George Washington 74-65 at home Sunday to end a two-game skid. Head coach Frank Martin’s team is now 5-1 on the season at home.
The Gamecocks opened the game on with a 17-2 run. Maik Kotsar led the way with 17 points and finished one rebound short of a double-double. AJ Lawson added 14 points and Jair Bolden and Jermaine Couisnard each had 12.
"[Kotsar's] playing with a confidence right now," Martin said.
South Carolina held the Colonials to 33.3% from the field and 22.2% from 3-point territory. Meanwhile, South Carolina shot 52.6% from the field and topped 70 points for the sixth time this season.
“We practiced really well yesterday, and it’s not that the X’s and O’s and the shot making was there; the attitude and the demeanor that we brought in yesterday was really good,” Martin said.
The Gamecocks held a 46 to 32 advantage in team rebounds.
George Washington made a late push, trimming the lead from 15 to 9 with two and a half minutes left in the game, but the Gamecocks settled and executed through the late-game full court press George Washington put on.
South Carolina’s next game is Wednesday, Dec. 4 at the University of Massachusetts at 7 p.m.