• By RANDY ROSETTA
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Feb 28, 2008 - Page: 1C

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COLUMBIA, S.C. — Things were ugly and getting uglier for the LSU men’s basketball team Wednesday night in a battle of downtrodden Southeastern Conference clubs trying to garner some level of positive feeling before the 2007-08 season winds down.

And the script was oh-so-familiar for the Tigers: Play well enough to get a cozy lead and then watch that advantage slip away.

Not this time.

For a second straight game, LSU didn’t settle into the same unwanted groove that has punched one hole after another in the season.

Instead, LSU roared back with a suddenly hot shooting touch, perfect free-throw shooting and a key defensive adjustment for a 62-55 win over South Carolina at the Colonial Center.

Anthony Randolph led the way with 20 points and 10 rebounds, while suddenly dominant interior companion Chris Johnson supplied 13 points, 10 rebounds and six blocked shots. Those two combined for 21 points and 10 rebounds in the second half as the Tigers (11-16, 4-9 SEC) erased a five-point deficit for their second straight victory.

LSU pieced together back-to-back triumphs for the first time since drilling Nicholls State and Southern in late November and notched consecutive conference wins for the first time since last January over Auburn and Ole Miss.

The Tigers own seven losses by six points or less this season and four other setbacks they led by double digits before fading in the second half. This one was headed to another disappointment to add to the scrap pile when the Gamecocks erased a 38-30 deficit by storming to a 14-2 run and surging in front 49-44 with 7:33 to play on Zam Frederick’s 3-pointer.

“We haven’t won many close games this year,” LSU guard Garrett Temple said. “When we’ve been in these neck-and-neck situations before we haven’t been able to figure out how to win. But we did (Wednesday) and I’m very proud of these young guys and how we’ve responded the last two games.”

On Wednesday the Tigers’ response was basic and effective. After missing a gaggle of shots to cough up the lead, they suddenly caught fire.

Following Frederick’s 3 (Carolina’s last make from outside the arc), Randolph hit two free throws to whittle the difference to 49-46. Over the next five possessions, LSU peppered USC with a 10-4 blitz, with Johnson snagging a loose ball and scoring inside, Randolph hitting a follow shot and a driving bank shot and Temple sticking a fadeaway jump shot on a dribble drive.

Randolph scored 13 second-half points, eight after LSU’s lead evaporated. With him and Johnson doing most of the damage, the Tigers burned Carolina for 21 second-chance points.

“We got some offensive rebounds and Anthony made some big baskets,” Johnson said. “He really took over inside.”