COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina used a late first half rally to surge in front and held off Gardner-Webb for a 74-69 win Friday night in second game of the 2019 Cancun Challenge for both squads.
 
Gardner-Webb (0-5) led for all but 76 seconds in the first half, defending well to make up for a slow shooting start against a much taller team. The Gamecocks (4-1) used a 5-0 spurt to break a late tie and took a 32-29 advantage into the locker room.
 
Nate Johnson scored the first five points of the second half to put Gardner-Webb back in front, but South Carolina started to use its size advantage – and improved perimeter shooting – to get the lead back.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs fell behind by as many as eight points midway through the second half, but Jaheam Cornwall went on a personal 8-2 run to trim the lead to 57-55 with 7:19 to play in the game. Jermaine Cousinard answered with a three-pointer of his own on South Carolina's next possession and the Gamecocks again led by two possessions.
 
The home team's lead would balloon to seven points once again before a short jumper by Eric Jamison, Jr. and two free throws by Jose Perez cut the lead to 64-61 with 4:09 left.
 
A pair of free throws by Jamison cut the lead down to two points moments later and Perez went to the line with 2:32 left for a pair of free throws himself. He made the first to cut the lead to 65-64 and calmly drained the second to tie the game and quiet the crowd.
 
South Carolina got its chance at the line on the ensuing possession, as Cousinard converted a controversial three-point play inside. The Gamecocks' guard was fouled before the shot, but after discussion the basket was ruled good. He made the free throw with 2:10 left for a 68-65 lead.
 
A long rebound off a three-pointer late in the shot clock was corralled by Perez, who hit ahead to Jamison for a 69-68 Gardner-Webb lead to 1:21 to play. Cousinard answered with another three-point play inside, however, and the Gamecocks led 71-69 with 1:01 left.
 
Gardner-Webb had a golden opportunity to tie, when Perez drove inside, but his shot rimmed out with 51 seconds to play and South Carolina grabbed the rebound. The Runnin' Bulldogs locked down on defense again and nearly forced a turnover with 24.9 seconds remaining.
 
The Gamecocks missed at the shot clock buzzer, but ran down the offensive board in traffic. Jair Bolden missed the first free throw with 15.4 seconds left, leaving the door open. Perez got a contested look from three, but his shot was off the mark with 1.5 seconds to play.
 
A.J. Lawson went to the line to put the game away, making both shots for the final margin.
 
Jamison led Gardner-Webb with 19 points, Cornwall added 14, Perez had 12 and Johnson scored 10 as the Runnin' Bulldogs had their highest scoring output of the season despite shooting less than 40 percent from the floor once again (38.9%).
 
GWU did heat up in the second half, shooting 46.2 percent (12-of-26) and made a very effective 19-of-22 at the free throw line for the game (86.4 percent). Finishing inside was often difficult, with the Gamecocks blocking nine shots in the game.
 
Ludovic Dufeal finished his night with eight rebounds and a blocked shots before fouling out. Gardner-Webb trailed just 32-29 in rebounding against a considerably bigger team and allowed just nine second-chance points.
 
Cousinard was the story of the game, scoring 16 of South Carolina's 32 bench points. Lawson added 16 points, as the Gamecocks shot 43.5 percent for the game and put five men in double digits.
 
Both teams will head to Cancun, Mexico, for the final two games of the Cancun Challenge at the Hard Rock Resort. Gardner-Webb will battle UT-Martin on Tuesday at 12:30 pm (FloHoops) and South Carolina will take on Wichita State later that evening.