Ole Miss Opens Home Conference Play Against South Carolina

The Rebels look for their first SEC win as they host the South Carolina Gamecocks.

After taking the Kentucky Wildcats to the wire Tuesday night, the Ole Miss Rebels are ready to jump back into action and erase a 0-1 conference start when they host the South Carolina Gamecocks Saturday.

Tipoff is slated for 4 p.m. and will be carried by FSN.

Ole Miss (9-5, 0-1 SEC) dropped a heartbreaker in Rupp Arena Tuesday evening 89-86 in overtime to the No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats. The Rebels were led in scoring by junior Stefan Moody with 25 points, draining 5 three-pointers from downtown.

As conference play has begun, Ole Miss leads the nation in free throw percentage at 78.9 a game. Moody leads the team as well as the conference and is sixth in the nation with 92.7 precent from the free throw line.

Senior Jarvis Summers is averaging 20.3 points a game in his last three times on the hardwood.

South Carolina (9-4, 0-1 SEC) had trouble with the Florida Gators at home Wednesday night, falling 72-68 to open conference play. The Gamecocks had been on a seven-game win streak prior.

The Gamecocks defense ranks fourth in the league, only allowing opponents 59.2 points per game and is second in the conference in rebounding at +7.4. South Carolina looks to Duane Notice for their scoring production as he is averaging 12.7 ppg.

As a team, they are found third in the conference in rebounds as they bring in 40.1 a game.

Ole Miss and South Carolina will face off for their 33rd meeting, and the Rebels have a slight edge over the Gamecocks at 17-15, and Ole Miss is 11-1 against them in Oxford. Last season, the Rebels won 75-71 over the Gamecocks.

Adam Brown is HottyToddy.com sports editor and can be reached at adam.brown@hottytoddy.com.