Ole Miss men’s basketball narrowly loses to South Carolina in regular-season finale

Ole Miss men’s basketball team lost its final regular-season game Saturday, falling 64-61 to South Carolina at the SJB Pavilion in Oxford. Meechie Johnson hit a three-pointer with 0.7 seconds remaining to lift the Gamecocks past the Rebels, who had led briefly in the second half.

South Carolina (13-18, 4-14 SEC) jumped out to an early 12-3 lead, shooting 5-of-8 from the field to start the game. Ole Miss (12-19, 4-14 SEC) trimmed the deficit to four and forced a timeout with 6:33 remaining in the first half. The teams traded baskets, with Malik Dia and AJ Storr combining for 19 of Ole Miss’s 28 first-half points. The Rebels tied a season high with six first-half steals, but trailed 34-28 at halftime.

Ole Miss opened the second half with a 10-0 run to take a 38-37 lead. South Carolina responded with an 8-0 run over 2 minutes, regaining a 44-40 advantage. The game remained close, with Ole Miss narrowing the gap to two points late in regulation. Dia scored his 20th point with 1:35 remaining, and a tip-in by Dia tied the game at 61 with a minute left.

Following a turnover, South Carolina set up for the final shot. Johnson inbounded the ball full court and made the game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer, sealing the victory for the Gamecocks.

Dia led Ole Miss with 22 points, marking his ninth 20-point game of the season. The Rebels finished with 10 steals and six players scoring in double figures. Ole Miss will await its postseason fate with the SEC tournament starting next Wednesday in Nashville.

Source: Original Article