Mississippi forward Anthony Perez (13) shoots the ball during an NCAA basketball game.
(Photo/Ignacio Murillo) I The Daily Mississippian
Coming off its first blowout loss of the season, Ole Miss will host South Carolina on Saturday in hopes of returning to the win column in Southeastern Conference play.
Ole Miss (14-6, 5-2 SEC) is coming off of its worst performance of the season, while South Carolina (8-12, 1-6 SEC) just played its best game and won its first SEC game of the season in a 80-52 victory over Texas A&M on the road.
The last time the Rebels and Gamecocks played was Jan. 18, where Ole Miss escaped with a 75-74 win on the road.
“That was a battle in Columbia in our first (game) where we won by one point,” head coach Andy Kennedy said. “It’s always difficult to beat a team twice, especially in a two or three week period.”
Sophomore forward Anthony Perez had his best career game against South Carolina, as he scored 22 points on 5 of 9 shooting and made 10 of 12 free throws. Ole Miss got 19 points apiece from their leading scorers, senior guard Marshall Henderson and junior guard Jarvis Summers, as well.
Sindarius Thornwell led South Carolina with 24 points on 7 of 16 shooting, but Ole Miss held the Gamecocks to 37 percent shooting from the field and 29 percent shooting from three.
But the most recent results for both teams suggests that South Carolina’s shooting will be improved. In its blowout win over Texas A&M, South Carolina shot 52 percent from the field and 40 percent on threes while the Ole Miss defense got steamrolled by Tennessee, as the Volunteers shot 49 percent and 55 percent on threes.
South Carolina got production from its three starting guards, as Thornwell, Duane Notice and Brenton Williams combined for 56 points on just 27 shots. Notice and Williams combined for 13 points on 2 of 15 shooting when they last played Ole Miss; Williams was 0 for 10 from the field.
South Carolina’s RPI sits at 128, according to WarrenNolan.com. Ole Miss is 11-1 against teams outside the top 100, and the RPI for Ole Miss is at 57. South Carolina is 3-9 against the top 100.
South Carolina and Ole Miss sit atop the SEC in three-point percentage, as both teams knock down 37.2 percent of shots beyond the arc.
In the last matchup, the two teams combined to shoot 73 free throws. South Carolina leads the SEC in opponent free throw attempts, allowing 30.9 per game; Ole Miss allows 23.8.
Ole Miss got pounded on the boards 45-27 at Tennessee, as the Volunteers are second in the SEC in offensive rebounding percentage, grabbing 41.9 percent of their own misses. South Carolina is third in the conference at 37.2 percent.
In the first matchup, South Carolina grabbed 43.9 percent of their own missed shots and out-rebounded Ole Miss 40-31.
The game will tip off at 12:30 p.m. from Tad Smith Coliseum on Saturday and will be broadcasted on SEC TV.
Students looking to go to Saturday’s game as well as men’s basketball games later in the season can now purchase a student ticket for $15 from the Ole Miss ticket office. Students can still get in free for basketball games, but only 1,600 students are allowed for each game. Purchasing a ticket will guarantee students a reserved seat and take away the hassle of waiting in line to get into the game.
For continuing coverage of Ole Miss men’s basketball, follow @Tyler_RSR and @thedm_sports on Twitter.
