How to watch/what to watch for: South Carolina looking to work back into the win column
After two losses last week, the first of its kind for the Gamecocks all season, time off could be just what the team needed.
South Carolina slipped down to No. 20 in the polls but takes on Ole Miss on the road to try and earn back their winning ways.
Tip-off is at 3:30 p.m. on SEC Network.
Here are some things to watch for.
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Rebound from losses
The Gamecocks fell to then-No. 13 Auburn on the road and unranked LSU at home to slow down their hot streak. South Carolina had won its last seven in a row and needs to find a way to avoid three straight losses.
The team should still earn a high seeding in tournament play, especially if they win out. Of its remaining five games, South Carolina currently has two ranked opponents in No. 24 Florida and No. 5 Tennessee after that. Those two games make the other three must-wins, especially considering they’re both at home.
Turn on Ta’Lon
In the games against Auburn and LSU, Ta’Lon Cooper scored just nine points combined. He made just one field goal against Auburn and went 2-for-8 from the field against LSU. Cooper is averaging 9.7 points a game and could play a large role in South Carolina’s success if he can find his touch again.
When the Gamecocks last played Ole Miss, Cooper contributed 12 points and grabbed four rebounds. When Ole Miss traveled to Columbia on Feb. 6, South Carolina won by just three points. Cooper hitting his shots could help his team increase the margin of victory this time around.
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Find depth from the bench
No player that came off the bench scored a field goal against Auburn, a game South Carolina lost by a staggering 40 points. To defeat Ole Miss for a second time in just about a month, the bench needs to bring some points to the board.
The last time the two teams met, South Carolina’s bench contributed 23 points to Ole Miss’s six. The Gamecock bench needs to pick their shots carefully and bring more energy than they did to the Auburn game.
Keep the basketball
To ensure they come out with the win, the Gamecocks need to take care of their possessions. They turned the ball over 13 times against Auburn and nine times against LSU. Of the 13 lost to Aurburn, 10 were steals.
South Carolina needs to handle the ball with concern. If they can keep it in their hands, they should be able to record more than the five assists they had against Auburn.
Feed the Freshman
Collin Murray-Boyles has been on a tear through SEC play. In the losses last week, he had 19 points and seven rebounds against Auburn and 13 points with seven rebounds against LSU.
When he faced the Rebels a few weeks ago, Murray-Boyles had 16 points and nine rebounds. His impact is electric for the Gamecocks and the team has so much more to work with when he’s grabbing boards and driving to the basket.
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Scouting the opponent
Ole Miss is only a couple wins away from South Carolina’s overall record, but have had less succes in SEC matchups. The Rebels played a weaker nonconference schedule than the Gamecocks and are 6-7 in the SEC.
In the past week, Ole Miss fell 83-71 against Mississippi State and scraped by Missouri for a 79-76 win. In both games, the Rebels were led by senior guard Matthew Murrell. He had 26 points in the win against Missouri, and 23 points and eight rebounds in the loss to Mississippi State.
When the Gamecocks and Rebels last played, Murrell had 17 points and nine rebounds. Senior guard Allen Flanigan led Ole Miss with 26 points. The Gamecocks will need to use their signature suffocating defense to wrap up Flanigan and Murrell to slow down the game.
Game details
Who: No. 20 South Carolina (21-5, 9-4 SEC) at Ole Miss (19-7, 6-7 SEC)
When: Saturday, Feb. 24 at 3:30 p.m.
Where: The Sandy and John Black Pavilion (9,500)
How to watch/listen: SEC Network/107.5 FM
ESPN gives South Carolina a 40.1 percent chance to win
