On3 Things to Know: Ole Miss trying to snap skid, get on the board in SEC play at South Carolina

Ole Miss basketball will attempt to halt its losing skid at six games — and pick up its first SEC win of the year — Tuesday evening at South Carolina. The Rebels last blew a late-game lead and lost to Georgia.

Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. CT on the SEC Network. The Rebels, who, in all, have lost nine of their last 11, are 8-9 overall and 0-5 in league games. The Gamecocks have dropped three of their last four and sit at 8-9 (1-3 SEC) on the season.

“We got to stay together,” true freshman guard Amaree Abram said this week. “Stay as a team and just work every day and we’ll eventually get a win.”

Let’s take a closer look at the matchup, with game notes provided by Ole Miss Athletics Media Relations.

SERIES HISTORY VS. SOUTH CAROLINA

Ole Miss and South Carolina first met in December of 1960. The Gamecocks defeated the Rebels, 85-79.

The teams began playing regularly after South Carolina joined the SEC in 1991. The Rebels defeated the Gamecocks, 76-61, in February of 1992. They lead the all-time series 23-21, however, the teams have split (5-5) the last 10 games.

Ole Miss has won three of five under fifth-year head coach Kermit Davis.

LAST MEETING: FEBRUARY 15, 2022 (L, 74-77 (OT), OXFORD, MISS., SJB PAVILION)

Ole Miss led by one at halftime, 29-28, but South Carolina forced overtime before ultimately defeating the Rebels by three, 77-74. Three Rebels scored 18 points: Matthew Murrell, Nysier Brooks, and Jarkel Joiner. Luis Rodriguez had a season-high 13 rebounds.

Of those four, only Murrell remains on the roster. Brooks exhausted his eligibility. Joiner (NC State) and Louis Rodriguez (UNLV) transferred out last off-season.

SCOUTING THE GAMECOCKS

South Carolina opened the season with wins over South Carolina State and Clemson before suffering three straight losses. The Gamecocks in SEC games opened with loses to Vanderbilt and Tennessee prio to a 71-68 win over Kentucky earlier this month.

South Carolina lost to Texas A&M, 94-53, in its most-recent action.

Gregory “GG” Jackson II leads USC in scoring, averaging 15.1 points per game and a team-best 6.6 rebounds . Jackson, a true freshman, was one of the top-ranked recruits in the 2022 recruiting class. He’s averaged 8.5 points per game in conference play.

MAKING THE FREE ONES

Ole Miss junior guard Matthew Murrell is shooting 89.7 percent (52-58) from the free throw line this season — the best mark in the SEC and No. 24 nationally. His current percentage, should it stand, would rank as the fourth-best free throw percentage in a single season in school history.

Free Throw Percentage in a Season: Top 5 at Ole Miss

1. Chris Warren, 2011: 92.8%
2. Stefan Moody, 2015: 90.3%
3. David Rhodes, 1972: 90.1%
4. Marshall Henderson, 2013: 88.3%
5. Deandre Burnett, 2017: 88.1%

BLOCK PARTY

Ole Miss defensively is currently allowing opponents 65.7 points per game, on average. The Rebels have given up 70 or more points just three times this year.

A major part of their defensive identity has been enforcing the paint. Ole Miss is No. 25 in all of college basketball and No. 5 in the SEC in blocks per game (5.1). The Rebels are led down low by senior transfers Theo Akwuba (24 total blocks, 1.4 per game) and Jayveous McKinnis (21 total blocks, 1.3 per game).

Akwuba and McKinnis combined for seven blocks at then-No. 7 Alabama earlier this month. Akwuba’s four brought his collegiate career total to 200. He and McKinnis (251 career blocks) are the only two teammates in college basketball with over 200 swats in their careers.

Each rank among the Top 10 in active career leaders.

THROUGH THE FIRE

Ole Miss so far has faced off against some of the best competition college basketball has to offer.

The Rebels’ current strength of schedule currently sits No. 6 in the nation. With a combined opponent record of 182-99 (64.8 percent), Ole Miss has taken on nine opponents with a current NET ranking in the Top 100, including seven in the Top 50 and two in the Top 10.

KERMIT DAVIS ERA TRENDS TO WATCH

1. Ole Miss is 58-24 when leading at the half under Davis
2. The Rebels are 6-0 when scoring 90-plus; 30-4 when scoring 80-plus; 56-23 when scoring 70-plus
3. Ole Miss is 51-21 when winning the rebounding battle
4. The Rebels are 33-5 when shooting 50 percent or better
5. They’re 20-8 when shooting 40 percent or better from three
6. Ole Miss is 39-9 when holding opponents under 40 percent shooting