South Carolina basketball: Gamecocks host Ole Miss in search of a win
By Jacob Elsey
South Carolina basketball will take on Ole Miss this weekend in hopes of getting back in the win column.
The Gamecocks will play their third straight home game this weekend when the battle SEC rival Ole Miss in Colonial Life Arena Saturday night. Frank Martin’s team dropped the previous two, losing 75-59 to Mississippi State and 81-78 to No. 11 Alabama.
South Carolina is desperate for a win, having dropped three of their last four, and the Rebels will certainly present a tall task.
Ole Miss enters the matchup at 11-8, including a 6-6 mark in conference play. The Gamecocks sit at just 5-8, having won just three of nine tries in SEC action.
The Gamecocks nearly pulled the upset over Alabama last Tuesday, but late game blunders led to a three point loss. It would’ve been the second win over a ranked foe in the last two weeks, but instead, resulted in a squandered opportunity to build a resume strong enough to make the postseason.
The Rebels come in as winners of their last three contests, which include victories over Tennessee, Auburn, and Missouri. They’re led by Columbia, SC native Devontae Shuler, who’s scoring at a clip of 15.5 points per game. He’s also adding 3.5 assists per outing, and is connecting on more than 41% of his attempts.
Jarkel Joiner and Romello White are also pitching in double figures, while Luis Rodriguez in leading the team in boards.
For the Gamecocks, they’ve been getting most of their scoring from Keyshawn Bryant and AJ Lawson, both of whom have averaged more than 17 points a game in SEC play. Justin Minaya pitches in eight points and seven rebounds a contest, and point guard Seventh Woods has seen an uptick in scoring, notching double figures in each of his last four contests.
KEY MATCHUP
The matchup to watch will be shooting guards AJ Lawson versus Devontae Shuler. Both players lead their respective squads in scoring, and have been lights out in conference action. Shuler has notched double figures in his last nine SEC games, while Lawson has six 20-point performances in his nine SEC showdowns.
KEY TO THE GAME
The game will likely come down to who can protect the ball best. Both teams play an aggressive style of defense, that forces opponents into mistakes. Those mistakes turn into fast break opportunities for the offense.
Ole Miss turns its opponents over on nearly a quarter of their possessions, a mark that ranks 10th in the nation. The Gamecocks force eight steals a contest, and rank 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 advantage in the first 41 meetings. The teams have split their last 10 matchups, with Ole Miss ending a two-game skid to South Carolina last season.
PREDICTION
Ole Miss presents a tough matchup for the Gamecocks, who may still be reeling following that close loss to Alabama. We’re expecting Frank Martin to whip the group into shape, though, and end this homestand with a win. The Gamecocks have to keep Shuler from driving to the basket, and force the Rebels to take shots from the outside, where they’ve struggled. Ole Miss shoots just 28.5% from beyond the arc, the worst mark in the conference.