THE BASICS:

• Score:  South Carolina 81, Holy Cross 49
• Location: Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, S.C.
• Date: November 13, 2016
• The Lead: Senior guard Robert Champion totaled 18 points and four rebounds, but the Holy Cross men's basketball team was defeated by South Carolina 81-49 in its season opener at Colonial Life Arena.

MAN OF THE MATCH PRESENTED BY THE UNITED STATES MARINES:

• After the game, senior forward Malachi Alexander was selected as the United States Marines Man of the Match.
• Alexander recorded 15 points, six rebounds and two assists on the night.
• He connected on five of 11 field goal attempts, including three of five shots from three-point range.

 HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Crusaders held an early 4-3 lead in the opening minutes, before the Gamecocks scored six straight points to pull in front.
• South Carolina increased its advantage to 11 (24-13) midway through the half, before Holy Cross went on an 11-5 run to close to within five (29-24).
• The Crusaders were still down by five (31-26) with 4:38 left in the half, when the Gamecocks used a 10-0 spurt to go in front by 15 (41-26).
• South Carolina eventually took a 44-32 advantage into the locker room at halftime.
• The Gamecocks' lead stayed in double figures early in the second half, and stood at 50-37 with 16 minutes left to play.
• A 13-4 South Carolina run then put the game away, and the Gamecocks pulled away in the closing minutes for a 32-point victory.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• South Carolina hit 58.7 percent of its field goal attempts, 50.0 percent of its three-pointers and 93.8 percent of its free throws on the night.
• Holy Cross was only able to connect on 37.8 percent of its shots from the floor, 25.0 percent from beyond the arc and 66.7 percent at the foul line.
• The Gamecocks were led by Sindarius Thornwell with 20 points, five rebounds and two blocked shots.

UP NEXT:

• Holy Cross returns to action on Tuesday, Nov. 15, when it travels to Syracuse for a 7:00 p.m. game.

BE PART OF THE ACTION:

• Season and single-game tickets to see the Crusaders are on sale now. Make sure you don't miss the opportunity to see the best collegiate basketball in Central Massachusetts! Tickets for Holy Cross basketball can be purchased online at GoHolyCross.com/tickets or over the phone by calling 1-844-GOCROSS.

KEEP CONNECTED:

• To stay updated on the Holy Cross men's basketball team, follow the Crusaders on Twitter @HCrossMBB and on Facebook at HolyCrossBasketball.
• You can also subscribe for email alerts for all news and information on the team by clicking here.