TAMPA, Fla. -- Frank Martins uneasiness about how No. 16 South Carolina might respond to its first loss of the season was unfounded.PJ Dozier and Duane Notice assured that, stepping up in the absence of leading scorer Sindarius Thornwell to help the Gamecocks (9-1) shrug off cold shooting and pull away to a 77-66 victory over South Florida on Saturday.Dozier scored 11 of his 23 points in the closing minutes and Notice gave South Carolina a spark by contributing 14 of his 15 points after halftime to help the Gamecocks bounce back from last Mondays 67-64 loss to Seton Hall.It was my concern for this basketball team coming into this game, coming off our first loss, being so young, that some guys wouldnt handle it (well). Losing is an epidemic, and losing is not good. And young people dont know how to handle losing, Martin said.It was our first experience as a team to go through it. I think we kind of came out and played the first half like somebody took our dog. We didnt have our enthusiasm, the fight that weve played with every single day out, Martin added. But Im equally as pleased, I thought we played well in the second half as a basketball team. Different guys doing things. Obviously PJ continues to grow as a player here and do unbelievable things. But like I told him, its also his challenge.The Gamecocks (9-1) improved to 2-1 without Thornwell, who has been suspended indefinitely for violating athletic department policy.With Sind being out, we had only two seniors out on the floor. So as Coach said, were young. Were a young team and were just looking to grow, Dozier said.We came out first half a little sluggish. We make our offense out of our defense and wasnt doing that the first half, the 6-foot-6 sophomore guard added. We went into the locker room and Coach gave us that word that we needed and came out with the intensity we should have started with.Jahmal McMurray led USF (5-4) with 25 points. Malik Fitts had 12 points and Geno Thorpe finished with 11 points and nine rebounds for the Bulls, who led 37-31 at halftime.South Carolina began the second half with a 17-9 burst to take a 48-41 lead. Dozier and Notice keyed the initial surge and Dozier took over down the stretch, when the Gamecocks led by as many as 13.We got, maybe, a little bit complacent. Didnt come out with the fire that we had in the first half, McMurray said. The second half, we just have to ... come out with the same fire.THE BIG PICTURESouth Carolina, which has its highest ranking since being No. 14 in the final poll of the 1997-98 season, obviously misses Thornwell, who leads them in assists, as well as scoring and rebounding. With Notice missing the first eight shots he attempted, including six from 3-point range, the Gamecocks trailed at halftime for the first time this season.Not surprisingly, South Florida faded down the stretch. Luis Santos made a layup to trim South Carolinas lead to 64-61 with 7 minutes left, however the Bulls didnt score again from the field until Bo Zeiglers basket with 29 seconds left.FIRST BIG TESTSouth Carolina is only Power 5 opponent USF is scheduled to face this season. The Bulls fell to 0-4 against ranked opponents under coach Orlando Antigua and have dropped 20 consecutive games to Top 25 opponents since knocking off No. 15 Louisville on the road on Feb. 29, 2012.POLL IMPLICATIONSThe Gamecocks may lose some ground in the next AP poll, however, rebounding on the road -- albeit against an opponent thats had its share of problems against a weak schedule -- will likely keep the Gamecocks in the Top 25.UNIENDO LOS TOROSUSF designated Saturday as Uniendo Los Toros, which in English translates to Uniting The Bulls. The game featured two of three Hispanic-American head coaches in NCAA Division I in South Carolinas Martin and USFs Antigua. Miamis Jim Larranaga is the third. Early arrivals among the announced crowd of 2,489 at the Sun Dome received white T-shirts commemorating the occasion.UP NEXTSouth Carolina: Returns home to face intrastate rival Clemson on Wednesday.South Florida: Faces Northern Illinois at home on Tuesday.---More AP college basketball: www.collegebasketball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25. Cheap Air Max China . The 27-year-old Scrivens will be joining his third NHL club since signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs as a free agent in 2010. The move also reunites with him with head coach Dallas Eakins from their time together with the American Hockey Leagues Toronto Marlies. Air Max For Sale Cheap . Listen to the game live on TSN Radio 1050 at 7pm et. The Raptors traded Rudy Gay, Quincy Acy and Aaron Gray to the Sacramento Kings on Monday, in exchange for Greivis Vasquez, John Salmons, Patrick Patterson and Chuck Hayes. http://www.airmaxcheapchina.com/ . -- The Portland Timbers and Real Salt Lake played to a 0-0 tie Saturday night that left the top of the Western Conference standings unchanged. Air Max Cheap China .J. -- Marty Brodeur beat the Pittsburgh Penguins yet again. Nike Air Max Shoes Wholesale . By having more great seasons. Manning was the only unanimous choice for the 2013 Associated Press NFL All-Pro team Friday. PHILADELPHIA -- After all the disheartening injuries and trying skids this summer, the New York Mets are right back in the playoffs.With their ace on the mound at Citi Field.New York clinched a postseason spot Saturday, beating the Phillies 5-3 to secure the top National League wild card and set off a bubbly celebration that spilled from the visitors clubhouse onto the field in Philadelphia.The defending NL champions will host San Francisco or St. Louis on Wednesday night, with the winner advancing to face the Chicago Cubs.We never gave up, said third baseman Jose Reyes, back in the playoffs for the first time in 10 years. We never doubted the talent we had in here.The only other time the Mets made the postseason in consecutive years was 1999-2000. New York won the NL East last season and went all the way to the World Series before losing to Kansas City.This season has presented all sorts of new challenges. The banged-up Mets (87-74) overcame a bevy of injuries that depleted their lineup and decimated a terrific young rotation -- with Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom and Steven Matz all sidelined by season-ending ailments.Two games under .500 on Aug. 19, the Mets have gone a major league-best 27-12 during the last six weeks to vault over four teams in the NL wild-card race.This year was much tougher, winning pitcher Bartolo Colon said through a translator. We had a lot of people injured and it was hard to get here to play just this one game were going to play.James Loney hit a two-run homer to back the 43-year-old Colon (15-8), and Jeurys Familia closed for his major league-high 51st save. T.J. Rivera, Jose Reyes and Asdrubal Cabrera each had an RBI single.By clinching with one day to spare in the regular season, manager Terry Collins and the Mets can save All-Star Noah Syndergaard for the wild-card game.When youre in, youre capable of anything, Collins said after getting doused by his players with beer and champagne. Anything can happen. Weve got our ace going on Wednesday. If he can spin one up and you get a couple breaks, you never know.When left fielder Michael Conforto made a sliding catch of Aaron Altherrs soft liner for the final out, the excited Mets streamed out of their dugout and gathered near the mound, bouncing in unison.Back in the clubhouse, they wore goggles while spraying beer and champagne, then went onto the Citizens Bank Park field to celebrate with thousands of Mets fans behind the visitors dugout. Several players sprayed champagne and sparkling cider into the crowd while a few others lit victory cigars.We have a great fan base, Loney said. You can see their excitement and their passion, and we play off that.Collins thinks playing at homme Wednesday could be a huge advantage.dddddddddddd.Say what you want about (Mets fans), he said. Theyre energetic and enthusiastic and they want to win. Theres no second place in New York City.Ryan Howard hit a two-run homer in what was likely his penultimate game with the Phillies.Philadelphias defeat was its sixth straight overall and 91st of the season. It is the clubs second straight season with more than 90 losses.Howard, expected to receive a $10 million buyout from the Phillies after the season, brought fans out of their seats with a tying shot in the fifth inning. He turned on a 1-0 fastball from Colon, driving his 25th homer of the year into the right-field seats.At the urging of fans, Howard stepped to the top of the dugout steps and raised his right hand in appreciation.The curtain call was awesome, he said. It was good to be able to do it and tie the game.The Mets regained the lead in the next inning when Loney drove a 3-1 pitch from reliever David Hernandez into the right-field seats.Loney immediately turned to the Mets dugout and raised both arms in triumph before flipping his bat and rounding the bases. He was mobbed by teammates when he returned to the bench.My emotions just took over, Loney said. I was in the moment. You know how big the game is. This is what you play for.The Phillies drew within one when Darin Ruf hit a pinch-hit homer in the seventh, but Addison Reed and Familia closed it out with scoreless relief.Colon allowed two runs and five hits in five innings.Patrick Schuster (0-1) took the loss.Curtis Granderson had three hits and scored twice for New York. He is 12 for 23 in his last six games.LOOKING AHEADThe Mets went 3-3 against the Cardinals this season, and 4-3 against the Giants.HOME (RUN) ON THE ROADLoneys homer was the Mets 106th on the road this season, eclipsing their previous record of 105 set in 2000.TALE OF TWO BULLPENSNew Yorks bullpen had its scoreless streak snapped at 23 2/3 innings when Fernando Salas allowed Rufs homer. Conversely, the Phillies relievers have given up 62 earned runs in their last 14 games (58 1/3 innings).HOWARDS LEGACYHowards home run was his 382nd for the Phillies and tied him with Jim Rice and Frank Howard for 67th place on baseballs career list.TRAINERS ROOMPhillies shortstop Freddy Galvis, who left Friday nights game in the seventh inning with tightness in his left hamstring, did not play. He was replaced in the lineup by Andres Blanco.UP NEXTThe regular season ends Sunday, with RHP Gabriel Ynoa scheduled to face Phillies RHP Jerad Eickhoff (11-14, 3.72). ' ' '