#20 Vandy Nips S. Carolina
Dan Langhi kept it simple for a superb ending.
Langhi, the Southeastern Conference's leading scorer, made two free throws with 0.3 seconds left Wednesday night to give No. 20 Vanderbilt a 61-60 victory over South Carolina.
"I didn't feel like I played pretty well, so it makes me feel pretty good to be part of that ending," said Langhi, who said he was thinking about some simple shooting drills with former Vanderbilt teammate Billy McCaffrey as he stood at the foul line with the whole Carolina Coliseum screaming.
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"When Dan gets that look in his eye, he's pretty hard to stop," Vanderbilt coach Kevin Stallings said of Langhi who had 21 points and 11 rebounds.
"I never worried about Dan missing those," said Kevin Jones, who had 12 points. "I always have confidence in Dan."
The Commodores (13-3, 4-2) nearly didn't make it to Langhi's moment. They trailed 33-27 at halftime, committed 15 turnovers in the first half after averaging 14 a game and were down 60-57 with 61 seconds remaining.
Finally, it looked like South Carolina (9-10, 1-5) would close
Oqt a victory over a ranked team.
But just like close losses to Michigan State, Tennessee, Syracuse and Auburn, the Gamecocks found a way to come up with their fifth straight loss.
They gave up an inside layup to Anthony Williams with 23 seconds left to make it 60-59. Then freshman Chuck Eidson, bringing the ball up, threw away a crosscourt pass without much pressure on him.
"It was just a bad play," Eidson said.
Still, Eidson blocked Williams' shot with three seconds left and all Suth Carolina had to do was defend an inbounds play.
Langhi caught it to the left of the hoop and drove toward the basket. He got the whistle and won the game.
The crowd at the Carolina Coliseum, who watched Tennessee and Syracuse barely survive here, threw cups, towels, a lighter and a small whiskey bottle onto the floor as both teams and the referees left.
"You want to foul a 90 percent free throw shooter with a two-shot foul, up one?" South Carolina coach Eddie Fogler answered when asked if he wanted Aaron Lucas to foul Langhi.
Langhi, who is averaging 22 points per game, said he likes those situations, especially when he's trying to amend for a bad game.
"I blocked everything out and told myself to focus," he said. "I just wanted to make them."
A desperation shot by South Carolina was easily tipped away.
The Gamecocks came within three points of winning against Michigan State and Syracuse and led Auburn in the final minute last week before falling 65-61.
Atiba Prater added 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting and had nine rebounds for Vanderbilt.
Tony Kitchings had a career-high 14 points for South Carolina and Herbert Lee Davis added 12.
Things don't get easier for South Carolina, which goes to No. 11 Tennessee and then comes home against No. 10 Florida .
Vanderbilt did not take its first lead until Jones' 3-pointer with 7:07 left. The lead changed hands three times over the next five minutes until the dramatic end.
"We didn't come in here and play the way we're used to playing," Stallings said. "But we were able to pull out a difficult road game like this. That says a lot."
Vanderbilt fell behind 8-2 and never led in the first half. Langhi had 11 points, but was swarmed by two or three Gamecocks each time he touched the ball.
The Commodores got within 28-27 after two baskets by Langhi, but a dunk by Kitchings and a 3-pointer by David Ross gave South Carolina the 33-27 halftime lead.
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