COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Jermaine Couisnard scored 22 points, Keyshawn Bryant added 14 and South Carolina beat Mississippi State 66-56 on Wednesday night for its fourth win in a row.
Couisnard, who was coming off a career-high 33-point performance in a 77-75 win over LSU on Saturday, has scored 20-plus in back-to-back game for the first time in his career. Couisnard, a junior, was 6 of 15 from the field against Mississippi State and he made all eight of his free throws.
South Carolina never trailed and led by double figures the entire second half. Mississippi State pulled within 10 points with 14:24 left after a 7-0 run, but South Carolina scored 11 of the next 13 — with seven points from Couisnard.
James Reese V had nine points for South Carolina (17-10, 8-7 SEC), which has a winning record in conference play for the first time this season.
Tolu Smith scored 21 points and Iverson Molinar added 11 for Mississippi State (16-12, 7-8), which missed all 14 3-point attempts.
Mississippi State was held to 31% shooting in the first half, going 0 of 7 from 3-point range, and trailed 35-23 after Devin Carter dunked it at the buzzer for South Carolina. The Bulldogs were outrebounded 24-13 in the half.
South Carolina plays at No. 24 Alabama on Saturday. Mississippi State hosts Vanderbilt on Saturday.
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