KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Jan. 20 (UPI) -- JaJuan Smith scored 21 points Saturday, pacing the 24th-ranked Tennessee Volunteers to a 64-61 SEC win over the South Carolina Gamecocks.
Tennessee -- a rare case of a ranked team with a four-game losing streak -- led most of the way and held off a late South Carolina run to go to 14-5 overall and 2-2 in the Southeastern Conference. The Gamecocks, losers of five straight, are 10-7 overall and 0-4 in the SEC.
The Volunteers opened a 46-31 lead six minutes into the second half, only to have South Carolina put up a 16-4 spurt. Dwayne Day ended the run with a basket that ran the Tennessee lead to 50-47 with 5:24 to play.
The Volunteers again got some breathing room and kept the Gamecocks out of a one-possession game to hold on and break their losing streak.
Smith's 21 points were a game high while Wayne Chism had 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Tre Kelley led South Carolina with 18 points. Dominique Archie had 12 and Evaldas Baniulis 10.
