A.J. Lawson turned and winced with the whistle. His first big dent in his return game from injury felt like a crucial moment.
South Carolina’s chance to reach the semifinals of the SEC Tournament for the first time in 16 years was on the brink of crunch time when Lawson, USC’s star freshman guard, challenged too hard on a 3-point attempt by Auburn’s Jared Harper. A three-shot foul was awarded to the Tigers as Lawson headed to the bench.
USC spent a good chunk of its conference season short-handed, so it was only fitting that the Gamecocks essentially stayed that way in the postseason.