Gamecocks put Auburn on Notice, win 98-69

Welcome back, Duane Notice.

South Carolina’s senior guard found his missing shot in a 98-69 pummeling of Auburn on Tuesday, stroking six 3-pointers among his game-high 27 points.

Since scoring 19 points against Texas A&M, Notice’s defense has been a constant. But he scored 22 points combined in those four games.

With No. 23 USC (16-4, 6-1 SEC) needing a boost after two quick fouls removed P.J. Dozier from the first half Tuesday, Notice supplied it. His two 3s in 75 seconds gave USC a 21-12 lead, and opened the gates on a sterling offensive night.

“I wish I could tell you guys a formula, why I make shots and why sometimes I struggle, but I can’t,” Notice said. “All I can say is I continue to prepare the same way, get extra shots up with my teammates, and guys like Sindarius, P.J., the coaching staff always put confidence in my head, to keep shooting the ball, letting it go, and they find me in the best possible places where I can make the shot.”

Notice’s barrage spread to Justin McKie and Sindarius Thornwell, the seniors supplying all of USC’s 10 first-half 3s. USC sunk a season-high 15 for the game, shot 49.2 percent from the floor and scored the third-most points it ever has in an SEC game.

Chris Silva continued his offensive surge with 16 points, exploiting the Tigers’ interior. McKie had 13 and Thornwell 22.

“Those three seniors, and Chris Silva, they were phenomenal the last two days,” USC coach Frank Martin said. “Offensively, we played extremely intelligent and we passed and screened and we got in the open court some.”

Auburn (13-7, 3-5) was quick, athletic and had plenty of razzle-dazzle, but the behind-the-head passes were turnovers half the time. The Gamecocks let a couple of early leads salt away, but a 20-6 run to close the first half, capped by a Notice 3, put them up 21 and USC didn’t sweat in the second half.

“He saw that first one go in the net … for Duane, that’s usually a good sign,” Martin said. “When he saw the first one go in the net, I think it just kind of made him relax a little bit.”

Notice drained 3s on back-to-back possessions in the second and ahead 28 points, USC could relax. It answered the bell after losing its first SEC game of the year last week, against a team and a coach (Bruce Pearl) who represented a perfect trap.

Now to do it again, at Missouri on Saturday. The Tigers are suffering through a terrible season, but beat USC last year.

It’s been discussed. USC lost at Missouri last year after losing at Kentucky and that was one of the glaring defeats on its NCAA Tournament résumé. The Gamecocks won their next game after Kentucky this year, but they’re heading back to Missouri in a similar situation.

“Going into a road game at Missouri, knowing that we lost last year, as seniors, I know that we’re fueled and motivated to get that win,” Notice said. “Part of our farewell tour.”

NOTE: Thornwell rose another spot on USC’s career scoring chart, passing Carlos Powell for seventh place. He needs 37 points to pass Mike Dunleavy for sixth.

This story was originally published January 25, 2017 at 1:19 AM with the headline "Gamecocks put Auburn on Notice, win 98-69."