Georgia gave up a 24-0 run midway through the second half in an 83-66 loss to South Carolina Saturday in Columbia, S.C.
The Bulldogs (5-14 overall, 0-6 in the SEC) built a six-point lead in the first half, 42-36, but managed just 24 points after intermission and suffered their eighth straight loss and 11th straight loss in its series with the Gamecocks.
Braelen Bridges paced Georgia with 20 points, hitting 8 of 11 from the floor. Noah Baumann hit just 3 of 12 shots from behind the arc and finished with 14 points and Christian Wright hit 10 of 12 from the free-throw line to add 10 points.
Next game: Georgia returns home to host Alabama Tuesday.
Keyshawn Bryant scored 12 of his 19 points during the surge for the Gamecocks, who halted a three-game losing streak.
Christian Wright hit two free throws with 10:39 left to put Georgia up, 60-53, but Bryant answered with a free throw and a three-point play to kick-start the 24-0 run. He added a second three-point play, a 3-pointer and a jumper, putting the Gamecocks well in front, 77-60.
South Carolina’s Jermaine Couisnard, who has missed time with an ankle injury, found his rhythm, scoring 10 of his 15 points in the second half and giving the Gamecocks their first lead since early in the first half with back-to-back transition layups to go up 61-60. He added a 3-pointer off a feed from Bryant for a 67-60 advantage.
Erik Stevenson led South Carolina (11-7, 2-4) with 20 points, hitting 3 of 7 from beyond the arc and 5 of 6 from the line.
