South Carolina basketball will face Ole Miss this weekend, hoping to return to the winning column.
The Gamecocks will play their third consecutive game at home this weekend, when the SEC’s rival battle, Ole Miss, at Colonial Life Arena on Saturday night. Frank Martin’s team fell in the previous two, losing 75-59 to the State of Mississippi and 81-78 to No. 11 in Alabama.
South Carolina is desperate for a win, having lost three of the last four, and the Rebels will certainly present a difficult task.
Ole Miss enters the clash at 11-8, including a 6-6 mark in a conference game. Gamecocks are only 5-8, having won just three of the SEC’s nine attempts in action.
Matchup
Olé Miss Rebels
11-8
South Carolina Gamecocks
5-8
The Gamecocks almost pulled the corner over Alabama last Tuesday, but mistakes at the end of the game led to a three-point loss. It would have been the second victory over a qualified opponent in the past two weeks, but it instead resulted in a wasted opportunity to build a resume strong enough to make it into the postseason.
The rebels arrive as winners of their last three competitions, which include victories over Tennessee, Auburn and Missouri. They are led by Devontae Shuler, a native of Columbia, SC, who is scoring 15.5 points per game. He is also adding 3.5 assists per exit and is connecting in more than 41% of his attempts.
Jarkel Joiner and Romello White are also launching double digits, while Luis Rodriguez leads the team on the exchanges.
For Gamecocks, they are getting most of their score from Keyshawn Bryant and AJ Lawson, both averaging more than 17 points per game in the SEC. Justin Minaya shoots eight points and seven rebounds per competition, and point guard Seventh Woods saw an increase in the score, marking double digits in each of his last four matches.
KEY MATCHUP
The confrontation to be attended will be between guards AJ Lawson and Devontae Shuler. Both players lead their respective teams in scoring, and were the spotlight in the action of the conference. Shuler scored double digits in his last nine SEC games, while Lawson had six 20-point performances in his nine SEC clashes.
KEY TO THE GAME
The game will probably depend on who can best protect the ball. Both teams play an aggressive defense style, which forces opponents to make mistakes. These mistakes become counterattack opportunities for the attack.
Ole Miss turns his opponents with almost a quarter of their possessions, a brand that ranks 10th in the country. Gamecocks forces eight steals from a contest and ranks in the top half of the league in takeaways.
SERIES HISTORY
This has been a historically tight series, with the rebels holding a slight 21-20 lead in the first 41 meetings. The teams shared their last 10 fights, with Ole Miss ending a two-game skid for South Carolina last season.
PREDICTION
Ole Miss presents a difficult confrontation for the Gamecocks, who may still be recovering after their loss to Alabama. We hope Frank Martin will get the group in shape, however, and end this homestand with a win. Gamecocks must prevent Shuler from going to the basket and force the rebels to shoot from outside, where they fought. Ole Miss hits just 28.5% beyond the bow, the worst mark of the conference.
Olé Miss Rebels
78
South Carolina Gamecocks
79