Jan. 10, 2015

Final Stats | USATSI Photo Gallery

OXFORD, MISS. – The men’s basketball team opened the SEC road slate Saturday with a matchup with Ole Miss. The Rebels would lead throughout the game as the Gamecocks were slowed offensively for a season-low in points, losing 65-49.

The loss moves Carolina to 9-5 overall and 0-2 in the SEC, while the Rebels even their record at 1-1 and 10-5 for the season. Tyrone Johnson’s 13 points led the team in scoring, Sindarius Thornwell and Duane Notice each scored nine.

The game got off to a slow start, as the lights at Tad Smith Coliseum cut out as the teams were heading off for the under-16 minute media timeout. After a 23-minute delay the game resumed. The Gamecocks would trail 33-27 at the break, using an 11-5 run in the final four minutes.

A pair of drives to the bucket for Johnson opened the second half and Carolina would tie the game at 33-all to force a quick timeout. The Rebels would counter with a full-court press that effectively limited the Carolina comeback attempt. After missing most of the first half to foul trouble, Ole Miss’ Stefan Moody erupted for all 16 of his points in the second half as the Rebels pulled away in the middle portion of the final 20 minutes.

The Gamecocks would miss on all 10 of their 3-point attempts in the second half and made just 18-of-49 overall from the field in the game. After tying the game up at 33, it would be three minutes before another field goal would fall to allow a 10-3 run. The final straw would be the cold streak to end the game. After a layup from Thornwell with 4:56 to play to make it a nine-point game, Carolina would go 0-5 from the floor with three turnovers to see Ole Miss end the game on an 8-1 run.

GAME CHANGER

After Carolina tied the game at 33 out of the gate in the second half, a three-minute scoreless streak allowed the Rebels to reclaim the multi-possession lead.

KEY STAT The Gamecocks went 0-of-10 from 3 in the second half and 4-of-20 for the game.

NOTABLES – Senior guard Tyrone Johnson led the Gamecocks in scoring for the second-straight game, marking the fourth time this season he has led or shared the team lead in scoring.
– Sophomore guard Duane Notice matched his season high with five assists vs. the Rebels. He is now averaging 3.0 assists per game this season.
– The Gamecocks fall to 1-12 all-time in games played in Oxford vs. the Rebels.

QUOTABLE

Frank Martin’s opening statement
“We have had a bad week. Don’t discredit Ole Miss, they are a very good basketball team. Andy [Kennedy] has got his guys playing at a high, high level. They are real good. We have had a bad week. We have got to search and figure out who we want to be. Do we want to be the guys who are excited about playing and sacrificing for one another, that made us a halfway decent basketball team, or do we want to be the guys that are lifeless, unenthused, excuse making, which is what we’ve been all week. We obviously didn’t handle success very well, so we’re back to square one. It’s my job to fix problems and I’ve got to figure it out.”

UP NEXT

The team returns home for a late-night contest against Alabama on Tuesday. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU at 9 p.m. Last season the Gamecocks shocked the Crimson Tide with 47 points in the second half to erase a nine-point halftime deficit, winning 67-66 at Colonial Life Arena.

TWEETS OF THE GAME