Gamecocks Drop Another Heartbreaker, 72-68, to No. 19/23 Ole Miss

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Malik Dia hit a 3-pointer with just over two minutes remaining that put Mississippi ahead to stay and finished with 18 points as 19th-ranked Ole Miss beat South Carolina 72-68 on Wednesday night.

The Rebels (19-6, 8-4 Southeastern Conference) squandered a 12-point lead in the second half before Dia led a comeback.

Dia had 12 of his points in the final six minutes, including a three-point play that moved Mississippi back in front after South Carolina led 58-57.

South Carolina had a last chance to move in front in the final minute, but Collin Murray-Boyles fumbled the ball on a drive and Dre Davis picked it up for Ole Miss.

It was the latest heartbreaker for the Gamecocks (10-14, 0-11), who have lost 11 straight games to start SEC play.

Murray-Boyles led South Carolina with 20 points.

Jaeman Brakefield had 14 points and Davis 12 for Ole Miss, which has won three of its last four games.

Dia, playing with four fouls, had a three-point play to put the Rebels back in front, 60-58, with 6:24 to play after South Carolina took the lead.

Ole Miss came in ninth in SEC foul shooting, but made 14 of 17 against South Carolina.

KEY STATS

• The Rebels opened up a 10-point lead at halftime thanks to 65.2% shooting the opening 20 minutes (15-of-23 FGs, 6-of-9 3FGs). Carolina ramped up the defense in the second half, clawing back in the game, as it held Ole Miss to just 31.3% (10-of-32) the final 20 minutes.

NOTABLES

• Sophomore forward Collin Murray-Boyles led the team in points again with a game-high 20. It was his team-leading seventh 20-point game of the season. He added six rebounds, three assists, three blocks and a steal.
• Graduate Nick Pringle had 12 points, his first game in double figures since scoring 12 against No. 2/2 Auburn at home back on Jan. 11.
• Senior transfer Jamarii Thomas was also in double figures for Carolina with 11 points. He had a tough day shooting (3-of-13 FGs) but hit a pair of crucial 3s in the second half to get the Gamecocks back in the game.
• Carolina falls to 1-11 this season when scoring 69 points or less.
• The Gamecocks have lost six SEC games (five of them to top-20 teams) by a combined 20 points, a 3.3 point average margin of defeat in those six league contests.

UP NEXT

Carolina hits the road on Saturday to face its 12th top-25 opponent (fourth top-five) of the season with a trip to Gainesville to face No. 3/3 Florida (21-3, 8-3 SEC). Tip is set for 8:30 p.m. (ET) with Roy Philpott (pxp) and Jon Sundvold (analyst) on the call for the SEC Network broadcast.

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