It took 14 tries with plenty of heartbreak along the way, but the Gamecocks are finally winners in conference play.

The Gamecocks (11-16, 1-13), who lost their first 13 Southeastern Conference games, turned in an impressive performance against a team that had just knocked off No. 15 Kentucky in its last outing, building a double-digit lead early and extending it to as many as 22 points in the second half.