Ole Miss Rebels vs South Carolina Gamecocks: did the paint points outweigh the late perimeter looks?

The Ole Miss Rebels entered 18-12 while the South Carolina Gamecocks came in 12-18, and South Carolina left Oxford with a 64-61 result at 1:00 PM EDT. The Rebels scored 28 in the first half and 33 in the second half, while the Gamecocks posted 34 before halftime and 30 after the break. The Ole Miss Rebels vs South Carolina Gamecocks recap hinged on Ole Miss scoring 34 points in the paint while South Carolina hit 9 three-pointers.

First half

The Rebels opened by leaning on 22 made two-point field goals across the game, and that interior focus showed with 28 first-half points. Ole Miss generated 10 steals on the day, and that pressure helped produce 16 points off turnovers. South Carolina answered with 34 first-half points behind 41 field goal percent and 31 three-point percent. The Gamecocks also collected 21 bench points, which supported their early edge as their biggest lead reached 11.

Second half

Ole Miss scored 33 after halftime and got to 82 free throw percent while finishing with 14 made free throws. The Rebels’ defensive activity stayed on the stat sheet with 10 steals and 4 blocks, and their assist total finished at 14 while their turnovers finished at 10. Malik Dia’s 22 points from the previous game framed him as a proven scoring option, and AJ Storr’s 13 points in the previous game reflected additional shot creation in the backcourt. South Carolina countered with 30 second-half points and finished with 14 assists while limiting turnovers to 12.

Late game

Ole Miss hit 1 three-pointer on 14 attempts for 7 three-point percent, and that contrasted with South Carolina going 9-for-29 from deep. The Rebels stayed attached through interior finishing, including 79 at the rim percent, and they added 8 fast break points while the Gamecocks had 3. South Carolina’s 34 total rebounds edged Ole Miss at 31, and the Gamecocks added 11 second-chance points while Ole Miss had 10. The Ole Miss Rebels vs South Carolina Gamecocks review also pointed to the Rebels drawing 16 fouls and the Gamecocks drawing 14 in a game with 2 ties and 2 lead changes.

Postgame notes

The Rebels played in front of an attendance of 7543 at The Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss, and the broadcast carried on SEC Network. Ole Miss Rebels post-game interviews followed a box score that included 42 field goal percent, 54 two-point percent, and 49 true shooting percent for the Rebels. Ole Miss Rebels coach post-game reaction came after a team line that included 18 bench points, 14 assists, and 15 personal fouls.

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