NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP) – Jarkel Joiner scored 18 points, Romello White had 17, seven rebounds and three blocks, and Mississippi beat South Carolina 76-59 on Thursday night in the second round of the SEC Tournament.
The rebels with the sixth classification (16-10) play with the classification No. 3 LSU in the quarterfinals on Friday. The Tigers defeated Ole Miss 75-61 on January 9 and had a game that was originally scheduled for February 28 at LSU canceled due to issues related to the coronavirus pandemic.
Jalyn McCreary scored 15 points, Wildens Leveque added 14 and AJ Lawson scored 12 for South Carolina’s 11th place finish (6-15). Keyshawn Bryant and Jermaine Couisnard did not play for undisclosed reasons. The pair combined an average of more than 24 points this season, including 14.4 for Bryant.
Luis Rodriguez hit a 3-point basket to trigger a 14-2 run to close the first half and give the rebels a 15-point lead. After Rodriguez hit 1 of 2 free throws, Joiner sandwiched a tray and a jump around two free kicks to make the 37-24. TJ Moss hit two free throws – South Carolina’s first points in almost four minutes – before Joiner hit 4 of 4 on the foul line in the final 47 seconds to make it 41-26 at the break.
Devontae Shuler had 15 points and five assists and KJ Buffen added eight points and nine rebounds for the rebels. Shuler is a native of Irmo, South Carolina, 10 miles from the Gamecocks campus.
The Gamecocks scored eight of the first 10 points of the second half to reduce their deficit to nine points, but White responded with a tray and Ole Miss led by double digits the rest of the way.