Ole Miss is nearing the end of its season. The final regular season game is set to tipoff soon and after that, all that’s left is the SEC Tournament.
The Rebels would need a tournament championship to keep its season alive after a week in Nashville, but that would require winning five games in five days.
That’s no easy feat to accomplish, but the Rebels have an easy chance to improve its seeding for the SEC Tournament.
A win Saturday against South Carolina (last place in the SEC) combined with a Mississippi State loss to Georgia would move the Rebels to the No. 13-seed. That would set up a first round matchup against Oklahoma.
A loss Saturday would lock the Rebels in as the tournament’s No. 14 seed and first round matchup against Auburn.
Considering the regular season results for Ole Miss against Oklahoma and Auburn, a loss may lead to the more favorable matchup. The Sooners won 86-70 against Ole Miss in the SEC opener and Auburn eked out an 85-79 win two weeks ago.
Of course, outcomes of other Saturday games have an impact on those matchups but the Rebels won’t be worried about those games. They’ll be focused on South Carolina.
Here’s everything to know about Saturday’s regular season finale.
The Opponent: South Carolina
South Carolina comes in at 12-18 overall and 3-14 in SEC play, with league wins over LSU, Oklahoma, and Mississippi State mixed in. The Gamecocks have dropped three straight to Kentucky, Georgia, and Tennessee, and they sit at No. 110 in the NET and 98th in KenPom.
Offensively, everything starts with Meechie Johnson. He’s averaging 17.3 points per game and does a ton of his damage at the free‑throw line where he’s third in the SEC and top‑25 nationally in makes. On the glass, Mike Sharavjamts leads the way at 5.4 rebounds per game.
Statistically, South Carolina does a few things well: they shoot free throws at a top‑10 national clip (78.6%), take care of the ball (9.8 turnovers per game), and defend the three at a respectable rate. They also aren’t shy about letting it fly from deep, averaging more than 25 attempts per game.
Lamont Paris is in his fourth season in Columbia and still not far removed from being named SEC Coach of the Year in 2024 after a 26‑win season. Before that, he spent five years at Chattanooga, where he won 27 games and earned SoCon Coach of the Year honors in 2022.
How to Watch: South Carolina at Ole Miss
- Who: South Carolina Gamecocks (Record: 12-18, 3-14 SEC) at Ole Miss Rebels (Record: 12-18, 4-13 SEC)
- When: Noon, Saturday
- Where: SJB Pavilion, Oxford, Miss.
- TV: SEC Network
- Radio: Live Radio
- Stats: Live Stats
- Series History: Ole Miss leads the all-time series 26-24
- Last Meeting: Ole Miss 72, South Carolina 68 (February 12, 2025)
- Last time out, Rebels: lost to No. 22 Vanderbilt, 89-86
- Last time out, Gamecocks: lost to Tennessee, 78-59
Ole Miss Top Performers
- Points: AJ Storr, 15.1 ppg
- Rebounds: Malik Dia, 5.8 rpg
- Assists: Ilias Kamardine, 114 (3.8 avg.)
- Steals: Ilias Kamardine, 36 (1.2 avg.)
- Blocks: James Scott, 33 (1.1 avg.)
South Carolina Top Performers
- Points: Meechie Johnson, 17.3 ppg
- Rebounds: Mike Sharavjamts, 5.4 rpg
- Assists: Meechie Johnson, 129 (4.3 avg.)
- Steals: Meechie Johnson, 40 (1.3 avg.)
- Blocks: Mike Sharavjamts, 27 (0.9 avg.)
Student-Athlete Availability Report
South Carolina
- All available.
Ole Miss
Out
- #3 Koren Johnson
Odds, Spread, Totals
Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook
Spread
- South Carolina: +6.5 (-110)
- Ole Miss: -6.5 (-110)
Moneyline
- South Carolina: +230
- Ole Miss: -285
Total
- Over: 146.5 (-110)
- Under: 146.5 (-110)
