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The South Carolina Gamecocks (15-10, 6-7) nailed a half-court buzzer-beater to take down the Ole Miss Rebels (12-14, 3-10) Tuesday night, winning 77-74.
Late Game Heroics Wins it for South Carolina
South Carolina and Ole Miss throughout the game went back-and-forth with the lead. Neither one could truly separate themselves from the other. By the end of the first half Ole Miss found themselves leading by one after a three-pointer dropped with nine seconds left.
In the second half, Ole Miss would lead by six with around four minutes left in the game. Fortunately for South Carolina it would grind its way back into the game to take a two point lead with under a minute left.
STONES.
🎯 @ej_stevenson5 🎯
📺 » ESPNU
💻 » https://t.co/Q8NAS1hmHB
📊 » https://t.co/7PnMCe5dqF#Gamecocks // #ForeverToThee pic.twitter.com/wQZIb0cLAI— Gamecock Men's Basketball (@GamecockMBB) February 16, 2022
It had a chance to seal the game needing one defensive stop against the Rebels. However, Ole Miss senior guard Jarkel Joiner had different plans. Joiner knifed his way into the paint and floated in a last-second layup to send it to overtime.
Jarkel Joiner (@JarkelJoiner) gets the Game Tying layup with 1 second left to send Ole Miss to OT with South Carolina 68-68 (Video via @MrMatthewCFB) https://t.co/VwUBr5AJtn
— NCAA Buzzer Beaters & Game Winners (@NCAABuzzerBters) February 16, 2022
This is where everything changed for the Gamecocks and senior guard James Reese V. Leading up to this moment in the game Reese V may not have lit up the box score. He may not have been the stand-out player on his team, but none of that mattered when his number was called.
With two seconds left in the game Reese V got himself into enough space to catch the ball, turn and get a last second half-court heave that he would bank in to win 77-74 giving Ole Miss a heartbreaking loss.
https://twitter.com/GamecockMBB/status/1493784397035757569
Reese V finished the night with nine points, two assists, one rebound and one steal. Yet, he made the most important basket of the game, which might as well have made the player of the game for South Carolina.
Offensive Output for Both
For South Carolina, it shot 46.9% from the field. On the other hand, it only shot 30% from behind the arc and 61.1% from the charity stripe. The Gamecocks were led by trio Keyshawn Bryant, Erik Stevenson and Devin Carter. Bryant ended the game with 16 points and seven rebounds. Stevenson finished with a team-high 17 points. Lastly, freshman Devin Carter finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Ole Miss finished the night shooting 41.9% from field and shot 29.2% from three. The one bright spot for this team was free throws. It was 78.9% from the line, hitting 15 of its 19 attempts. The Rebels were led by their own trio of players. Rebel guards Matthew Murrell and Jarkel Joiner both scored 18 points. Additionally, Nysier Brooks tallied 18 points and five rebounds.
The bank stays 𝑶𝑷𝑬𝑵 late in Oxford. 🤪#Gamecocks // #ForeverToThee pic.twitter.com/DNp5Nf3Zwu
— Gamecock Men's Basketball (@GamecockMBB) February 16, 2022
Upcoming Schedules For Both
South Carolina will be looking to further its win streak when it hosts LSU on Saturday for its next game. It then will turn its attention to Mississippi State Wednesday as it welcomes them to South Carolina.
For Ole Miss, it will be traveling for the next two games. It will be making its way to Athens to take on Georgia on Saturday. Then the Rebels will shift focus to No. 2 Auburn Wednesday.
