Aleksas Bieliauskas scored 23 points, Marcus Johnson added 16 and South Carolina beat Gardner-Webb 79-62 on Saturday

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Aleksas Bieliauskas scored 23 points, Marcus Johnson added 16 and South Carolina beat Gardner-Webb 79-62 on Saturday.

Bieliauskas scored South Carolina's opening 12 points of the game and he finished the first half with 14 points. The Gamecocks did not make a field goal in the final five minutes of the half as Gardner-Webb closed on a 10-2 run to get within 35-33.

Bieliauskas also scored his team's first four points of the second half to put the Gamecocks ahead for good. Juan Fernandez had eight points during a 14-2 run that put South Carolina up 67-49.

Gardner-Webb trailed by double figures over the final 9:55 of the second half.

Fernandez finished with 15 points and Kory Mincy scored 11 for South Carolina (4-0).

Jackson Skipper led Gardner-Webb (1-3) with 12 points off the bench. Mikhali Pocknett and Seth Brown each scored 10. The Runnin' Bulldogs picked up their first win of the season on Wednesday, 88-66 over Erskine College.

South Carolina was coming off a 77-41 victory over Saint Peter's on Wednesday — the lowest point total surrendered by the Gamecocks under Lamont Paris.

Gardner-Webb: Returns home to play UNC Greensboro on Wednesday.

South Carolina: Concludes a five-game homestand against Elon on Wednesday.

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