COLUMBIA, S.C. – Tarence Kinsey scored 17 points and Carlos Powell had 12 in the second half to lead South Carolina to a rare victory over no. 3 Kentucky, 73-61 last night.

It was the first home win for the Gamecocks (14-8, 6-5 Southeastern Conference) over the Wildcats (19-3, 10-1) since 1997, and it was just South Carolina’s sixth victory in 41 meetings against Kentucky, which never looked in synch.

Fans poured onto the court after the victory, arguably South Carolina’s best in coach Dave Odom’s tenure, and Kinsey stood on press row, slapping high fives with celebrating students.

The Wildcats, who had won 19 straight games against SEC opponents, had a season-high 21 turnovers and Chuck Hayes was held to just one point. Kelenna Azubuike led Kentucky with 16 points – five in the second half.

The near capacity crowd finally had something to cheer about after the Gamecocks’ disappointing 74-71 home loss to Auburn on Saturday. South Carolina added a high-profile win as it attempts to build its NCAA tournament resume. The Gamecocks were 0-4 against ranked opponents coming into Tuesday’s matchup, but they still have a game against no. 18 Alabama.

South Carolina built a 58-45 lead with 4:16 left after an 8-0 run and the Wildcats never seriously threatened again. The run featured a three-point play and dunk from Carlos Powell, the Gamecocks’ leading scorer, who had been held to just two points in the first half.

But South Carolina pounded the ball inside to Powell and Kentucky had no answer.

Kentucky couldn’t make any key shots to get a run going in the second half, and could have been hung-over from a sluggish nine-point win against Georgia over the weekend, after which coach Tubby Smith told his team he was ashamed of them.

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UCONN HOLDS OFF PROVIDENCE

Charlie Villanueva had 18 points and nine rebounds after halftime to help no. 18 Connecticut turn back feisty Providence 94-89 in double overtime last night.

Villanueva finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds. He had four points and a key rebound while the Huskies (16-6, 8-3 Big East) scored seven consecutive points to start the second overtime. Rudy Gay had a 3-pointer in the run while Providence (11-14, 1-10) missed two 3-pointers to guarantee itself another close loss.

Providence’s Herb Hill scored in heavy traffic in the lane on a pass from Ryan Gomes to make it 69-69 at the end of regulation. UConn’s Denham Brown made a basket with 24 seconds left in the first overtime to tie it 78-78.

But the Friars, who have managed to lose close games all season, ran out of gas in the second overtime.

Villanueva scored on a putback and then, after Gomes missed a 3-pointer, Gay hit a 3-pointer to make it 83-78. Donnie McGrath missed a 3 for Providence and Villanueva got the rebound; at the other end, he made a hook shot to give the Huskies a seven-point lead.

Gomes, a first-team All-American last season as a junior, scored a career-high 37 points – including all of the Friars’ 11 in the second OT. The Friars had beaten UConn twice in a row and were trying to beat a defending national champion for the second consecutive season.