Strong scores season-best 22 points, leads South Carolina over Charleston Southern 74-62

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Elijah Strong scored 20 of his season-high 22 points in the second half and South Carolina beat Charleston Southern 74-62 on Friday.

The Gamecocks pulled away when Kobe Knox scored on a one-handed dunk, sparking a 16-4 run for a 57-45 lead with about seven minutes to play. Strong scored seven points during the stretch.

A little more than a minute later, Jesse Hafemeister answered with a 3-pointer and Brycen Blaine made a layup to pull the Buccaneers to 57-50 but they didn't get closer.

Strong, who spent the past two seasons at Boston College, shot 8 of 11 in the second half. Knox finished with 15 points and Nordin Kapic added 11 for South Carolina (5-2), which ended a two-game skid.

Blaine scored 23 points to lead Charleston Southern (5-4). A’lahn Sumler added 14 points and Hafemeister had 10.

Knox scored seven points to help the Gamecocks build a 30-28 halftime advantage. Blaine scored 12 first-half points to pace Charleston Southern. A Blaine 3-pointer gave the Buccaneers their last lead, 40-39, with about 13 minutes left in the second half.

South Carolina hosts Virginia Tech on Tuesday in the ACC/SEC Challenge.

Charleston Southern plays at UT Martin on Tuesday.

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