| Mississippi Clarion Ledger
Ole Miss won his fourth game in a row and continued his effort towards the NCAA tournament bubble on Saturday.
The rebels (12-8, 7-6 SEC) defeated South Carolina 81-74 on the road to get back over 0.500 in SEC play, with four more competitions ahead of the SEC tournament. Before the victory, Ole Miss was listed as one of the “next four teams out” of the NCAA Tournament.
“Whenever you get a victory on the road in this league, it is precious,” said Ole Miss coach Kermit Davis. “Especially against a well-trained team. I thought that when we reached 18, our team really showed a lot of posture, very well kept … I am very proud of our team.”
Shipowner Devontae Shuler led all scorers with 31, the best of his career, but Ole Miss won with balance. The rebels scored 22 points in the painting and 34 in the free-throw line. They also scored 19 points on 19 turnovers while recording 11 steals.
Ole Miss led by up to 18 at the end of the second half, but South Carolina (5-9, 3-7) reduced the lead to just five points in the final minute.
Here are three lessons from the rebels’ victory over South Carolina.
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A complete victory
Ole Miss had three players scoring double digits and six players bringing in three or more rebounds. Of course, Shuler scored his seventh game of 20 points of the season. But quality minutes from striker Romello White, KJ Buffen and Robert Allen, as well as striking reserve minutes from point guard Austin Crowley, were just as valuable.
“It is difficult to set up four games in this league,” said Davis.
During Ole Miss’s winning streak, performances have been uneven.
Against Tennessee, the defense was flawless, but the attack barely did enough to win. Against Auburn White and Shuler were dominant forces, but the defense did not have a good enough day to win in regulation. Against Missouri, Ole Miss defeated a top-ranked opponent, despite virtually no production by White or Allen.
This game was not perfect. The starting guards Jarkel Joiner and Luis Rodriguez did not have their best offensive moves, confusion was a problem and letting South Carolina get so close in the end was unforgivable. But Ole Miss won in several stages, and this is the step forward that she needed.
Devontae Shuler’s last homecoming
Shuler was raised in Irmo, South Carolina, a city just 19 kilometers from Columbia. This game marked Shuler’s third trip home in a Rebel uniform and is definitely what he will remember most fondly.
During his second season, Shuler scored six points out of 2 out of 7 shots in a defeat for the Gamecocks. Later that year, he scored 13 points in the NCAA tournament competition for the first round of the rebels against Oklahoma, but it’s hard to call that a positive when the final result was being eliminated from March Madness.
Saturday marked Shuler’s last trip and his best performance so far. In addition to the 31 points, Shuler also led the rebels with four assists and seven rebounds.
“I just locked it,” said Shuler. “I knew this was going to be my last game in Columbia. I just crashed and I wanted to win for my team. I had a lot of family and friends here in the stands. Most of the time, I just tried to do what I could to keep them happy. . “
Sticky fingers
Ole Miss’s success in the turnover battle once again proved to be crucial. Over the course of four consecutive wins, Ole Miss scored 61 points in 63 turnovers.
Many of the twists and turns on Saturday were forced. Rodriguez and Joiner stole three passes each. These steals led to six points in the transition and helped the rebels to reach the free-throw line 44 times, the best of the season.
The previous mark for most free throws made by Ole Miss in a game under Kermit Davis was 29 against Baylor in 2018.
“My main goal now is just to get back to March Madness,” said Shuler. “I’m doing what I can to get back to March Madness.”
What’s next for Ole Miss basketball?
Ole Miss has a break next week. The rebels do not return to play until next Saturday, when they will welcome the State of Mississippi in Oxford. The complaint is scheduled for 5 pm on the SEC Network. Ole Miss defeated the State of Mississippi 64-46 in January.
Contact Nick Suss at 601-408-2674 or [email protected]. Follow @nicksuss on Twitter.