Playing in front of a crowd of over 12,000, senior guard . . .
Wilder also registered four assists with zero turnovers and grabbed six steals. In what was his 100th career game, he eclipsed the 20-point mark for the 29th time, while scoring in double figures for the 69th time.
Junior Bryce Moore reached double figures with 10 points, while sophomore Reggie Jones poured in seven points with four assists, two blocks and a steal. It’s the second straight game, WMU has had at least three players score in double figures.
TURNOVER ADVANTAGE
Defensively, the Broncos forced the Gamecocks to commit 14 turnovers to WMU’s 11 and scored 13 points off those turnovers. The Broncos protected the rim against South Carolina, blocking six shots compared to USC’s three.
It was just a nine-point game at halftime as the Broncos shot 37 percent from the field and forced South Carolina to commit seven turnovers. Early in the opening stanz, Bryce Moore knocked down a three in the corner to give WMU its first lead of the game at 8-5. South Carolina responded quickly with a 7-0 run in just under two minutes to regain the lead at the first media timeout.
GAMECOCK BREAKAWAY
Both teams went back and forth throughout the first half as WMU and USC were knotted up at 23-23 with seven minutes to play in the period. After a media timeout, South Carolina embarked on a 12-0 run.
The Broncos continued to battle back and closed the gap to single digits right before half as Wilder went coast-to-coast for the fast break lay-up to cut the USC lead to 38-29.
After trading baskets through the first five minutes of the second half, the Broncos once again cut the lead to single digits as WMU made three straight field goals. South Carolina increased its lead midway through the half after going on a 9-0 run to go up by as many as 17.
The Broncos went on a 6-0 run late in the game to cut the USC advantage to 11, but the Gamecocks answered back with a 10-2 run and held the Broncos scoreless over the final three minutes to secure the victory.
South Carolina outrebounded the Broncos, 46-32 and scored 24 points off the bench. The Gamecocks had four players reach double figures with guard Hassani Gravett leading the way with 15.
WMU will have a few days of rest before beginning play in the 11th annual Puerto Rico Tip-Off in Myrtle Beach, S.C. on Thursday, Nov. 16 versus Tulsa at 8:00 p.m. The winner will play either Iowa State or Appalachian State the following night.
(Courtesy of WMU Athletics)