BOX SCORE (PDF)

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Playing its first road game of the 2010-11 campaign, Radford fell to South Carolina, 85-56, in non-conference men's basketball action Friday evening at Colonial Life Arena.

Despite the setback, sophomore Blake Smith (Charlotte, N.C./United Faith Christian Academy) led the Highlanders with 14 points off the bench. Jareal Smith (Savannah, Ga./Johnson), Gorkem Sonmez (Istanbul, Turkey/St. Mary's Ryken) and Johnathan Edwards (Queens, N.Y./Tyler Junior College) just missed the 10-point plateau with nine points each. Edwards also grabbed a team-high seven boards.

POST-GAME COMMENTS: Head coach Brad Greenberg

South Carolina (2-1), which knocked down 11 treys, placed four players in double figures, including Stephen Spinella, who finished with a game-high 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting. Brian Richardson added 11 points, while Bruce Ellington and Lakeem Jackson scored 10 each for the Gamecocks.

Behind a 21-6 run, highlighted by four of their seven first-half 3-pointers, the Gamecocks took a 49-19 lead into the break.

In addition to going 7-for-16 from behind the arc in the opening period, South Carolina turned 16 turnovers into 19 points, while grabbing 14 offensive rebounds, which led to 12 points.

After trailing by as many as 38 in the second half, Radford (2-1) used a 22-8 streak to cut the deficit to 73-49 with 7:03 left, before outscoring the Gamecocks 37-36 in the stanza.

To go along with just four second-half turnovers, the Highlanders knocked down 4-of-8 attempts from long range.

Radford shot just under 34 percent for the contest, while USC finished the third all-time meeting at 42 percent (29-69).

The Gamecocks held a 51-34 advantage on the glass.

Radford will continue its three-game road trip with a 7 p.m. contest at George Mason Wednesday.