COLUMBIA, S.C. – Freshman Brandon Crawford poured in 28 points in his debut for the Jacksonville State men's basketball team on Friday night, but it wasn't enough as the James Green era got underway with a 89-76 loss at South Carolina.

Crawford, a 6-foot-6-inch forward from Montgomery, Ala., was 11-of-19 from the floor in his collegiate debut, scored 22 points in the second half on 8-of-13 shooting in the final 20 minutes. The former Lee High School standout led all scorers, but his Gamecocks (0-1) couldn't overcome a hot start to each half by their opponent, the only other Gamecocks (1-0) in the NCAA.

“Brandon Crawford came out and had a big game for a freshman against a Southeastern Conference team on their home court,” Green said. “Not just with the baskets that he made for us, but with the energy level he brought to the floor. He played with the level of energy that you have to have at this level.”

South Carolina opened the first half with a 10-0 run and the second with an 11-2 spurt that, coupled with 25 JSU turnovers that led to 30 USC points, proved too much to overcome for Jax State in its first game under new head coach James Green, wo was hired as the program's 10th coach in school history earlier in the year.

“You just can't turn the ball over 25 times and expect to win the ballgame,” Green added. “That's something that we have talked about over and over. It's not just turning it over, but what turnovers do to you.”

Crawford was joined in double figures by fellow freshman Geddes Robinson, who's 10 points and nine rebounds left the Bronx, N.Y., native just a board shy of a double-double in his collegiate debut. Senior Jonathan Toles, also of Montgomery, sophomore Nick Murphy, also from Bronx, and junior Amadou Mbodji each scored eight points for JSU.

USC had six players score in double figures, led by Mike Holmes and Zam Fredrick, who each put in 17. Holmes also had seven boards and four blocks in the winning effort.

Jax State wouldn't quit on the game after trailing by as many as 26 early in the second half. JSU outscored USC 46-42 in the final 20 minutes and used a 26-18 second half advantage on the glass o outrebound USC, 41-37 in the game. Jax State had 13 offensive boards in the second half alone and 18 in the game.

South Carolina outshot the Gamecocks of JSU, knocking down 51 percent of their shots to JSU-s 39 percent. Jax State was 20-of-28 from the charity stripe, a .714 percentage.

JSU will open its home schedule on Tuesday at 7 p.m., when the Gamecocks play host to former Gulf South Conference rival West Alabama at Pete Mathews Coliseum.