South Carolina Basketball: SEC Tournament opening round preview
By Jacob Elsey
South Carolina basketball takes on Ole Miss tonight in the SECT.
Frank Martin and the South Carolina basketball team start postseason play tonight with an opening round matchup against Ole Miss in the SEC Tournament. The Gamecocks ended the year at 6-14 and are slotted as the No. 11 seed, while the Rebels posted a record of 15-10 to earn the No. 6 seed.
The two teams met back in mid February, an 81-74 win for Ole Miss that saw Columbia, SC native Devontae Shuler score a career high 31 points. It was the only meeting of the season.
Things have changed quite a bit since that contest, as the Gamecocks dropped eight of their last nine games to fall to the bottom of the conference standings. The Rebels, on the other hand, won three of their final four outings to get on the NCAA Tournament bubble.
An Ole Miss win would extend their season and possibly lock them into an at-large bid, while the Gamecocks are trying to shake off a forgetful year and start fresh in the postseason. A South Carolina victory would likely knock the Rebels out of March Madness contention.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
The two to watch in this game will be the two players that had the most impact in the previous matchup.
2
Devontae Shuler G
Shuler was an unstoppable force in the first meeting, and the Gamecock defense had no answer. The guard posted a career high in points, while shooting 62% from the field. The senior also added seven rebounds, two blocks, two steals, and four assists.
Frank Martin will need to have an answer for the sharp shooter, who finished the season ranked 10th in the league in scoring.
00
AJ Lawson G
Shuler’s counterpart scored a team high 22 points in the first meeting, connecting on four three-pointers as he tried to keep the Gamecocks in the game. Lawson has been the team’s leading scorer for three-straight seasons, posting a career high 16.9 points per contest as a junior.
Lawson ranks fourth in the SEC in scoring and will shoulder the load as the Gamecocks attempt to pull the upset.
KEY STATS
Holding strong: The Gamecocks are 6-1 when they hold opponents to less than 75 points, but have lost all 13 matchups in which they allow 75 points or more.
Defensive prowess: Ole Miss is 13-0 when holding foes to less than 41% shooting.
Pace of play: The Gamecocks rank in the top 10 nationally in possessions per game (75.2), while Ole Miss slows the pace, ranking 281st in the country (67).
GAME INFO
Tip is set for 9:30 PM ET, though that start time could be pushed back depending on when the tournament’s first three games finish up.
The matchup will be televised on the SEC Network, with the Rebels entering the game as 7.5 point favorites.