Feb. 22, 2011

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – Sam Muldrow had 23 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:02 left, as South Carolina snapped a five-game losing streak with a 79-73 victory over Mississippi on Tuesday night.

Muldrow’s points tied his career high and he added 10 rebounds to help the Gamecocks (14-12, 5-8 Southeastern Conference) build a 69-55 lead with 6 minutes left.

That’s when the Rebels (17-11, 5-8) went on an 18-4 run, tying the game at 73 on Zach Graham’s layup with 1:21 to go.

Muldrow answered back for South Carolina, striking for his third 3-pointer of the game.

Graham missed a tying 3-pointer on Ole Miss’ next trip and the Gamecocks closed out their first home victory since Jan. 19 with three free throws.

Mississippi’s Chris Warren had a career-high 33 points off eight 3-pointers, also the best showing of the senior’s career.

South Carolina shot 20 of 22 foul shots and outrebounded Ole Miss 42-38.

Behind Muldrow’s dominance inside and outside, South Carolina grabbed its first halftime lead in six games. Muldrow hit a 3-pointer and a bucket to put the Gamecocks up 69-55 over the confused Rebels.

With Warren on the court, though, Ole Miss is rarely out of it. The SEC’s No. 2 scorer led the rally with a three-point play and his eighth 3-pointer.

Muldrow, though, was the senior with the final response that Warren couldn’t match. It was Muldrow’s sixth game with double-figure points and rebounds.

This one didn’t start so well for the Gamecocks, either. Warren had four 3-pointers the first 9 minutes as Ole Miss led 21-13.

Then the Rebels went cold and the Gamecocks played like they hadn’t in some time with a 16-2 run to move in front. Muldrow hit a 3-pointer to start the run and Brian Richardson kept it going with another 3. When Ramon Galloway followed a short jumper with three foul shots, the Gamecocks were ahead 29-23.

South Carolina ended the half up 38-34, the first time since a 64-56 win over LSU on Feb. 2 that it held the lead at the break.

Ramon Galloway had 15 points for the Gamecocks while Malik Cooke added 13 and Damontre Harris 11.