2011 SEC Men's Tournament
Opening Round
Game 2 -- (W3) Ole Miss 66, (E6) South Carolina 55
Final Stats
Game Photos
Ole Miss Quotes
South Carolina Quotes
Game Highlights
Atlanta, Ga. -- Ole Miss got 20 points from Chris Warren and beat South Carolina 66-55 to advance to Friday's second round of the Southeastern Conference Tournament.
The Rebels, who got their 20th win of the season, will play Kentucky at 3:30 p.m. ET on Friday. Andy Kennedy became the first coach in Ole Miss history to lead his team to four 20-win campaigns, doing so within his first five seasons at the helm.
The final run was the decisive one for the Rebels (20-12), who came into Atlanta knowing their only shot at the NCAAs was probably to win four games in four days. After South Carolina (14-16) closed to 50-45 with 9 1/2 minutes to go, Ole Miss put it away with an 11-1 run.
South Carolina's season ended with a 20-of-65 performance (31 percent) from the field. Ramon Galloway led the Gamecocks with 19 points, but only one teammate, Sam Muldrow with 10 points, reached double figures.
Warren, on the other hand, had plenty of help. Terrance Henry chipped in with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Dundrecous Nelson and Reginald Buckner had 10 points apiece.
Right off the tip, South Carolina jumped to a quick 5-0 lead, but Ole Miss ripped off 17 straight points with a barrage of 3-pointers. Warren got it started with a trey, and Nelson hit two in a row from beyond the arc.
Bruce Ellington finally stopped the run, hitting a 3 for the Gamecocks, but Nelson came right back with his third 3-pointer of the half. Two straight dunks gave the Rebels their biggest lead of the opening period, 24-10.
Back came South Carolina, which turned things around with a 10-0 stretch of its own. The Gamecocks trailed 30-26 at the half.
After the break, more of the same. Ellington hit a free throw to start the half, then Ole Miss stretched it out again with 11 straight points. Warren connected again from 3-point range, Henry converted a three-point play after being fouled on a dunk, and Warren swished another beyond the arc to make it 41-27.
Galloway hit two straight 3s in South Carolina's last gasp, making it 62-55 with 1:23 left.
The Gamecocks didn't score again.
Ole Miss had lost its opening game in the SEC tournament three years in a row. Now, the Rebels have a chance to win two straight for the first time since 2001.
2011 SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament
Atlanta, Georgia
Game #2 Tournament Notes
Ole Miss 66 South Carolina 55
First session attendance: 12,144
Series Notes including this game:
All-Time Series: Series tied, 14-14
SEC Tournament: Ole Miss leads, 4-3
Season Series: On Feb. 22, South Carolina won 79-73 in Columbia
Ole Miss Notes:
Ole Miss is now 20-12; fourth time in five years under Andy Kennedy they have won 20 games
and the 11th time in school history they have won 20 or more.
Chris Warren led the Rebels with 20 points, his 15th 20-point game of the season
Terrance Henry had a double-double, his second of the year, with 14 points and 11 rebounds
Zach Graham set the school record for games played at 133, old mark by Jason Harrison (1999-02)
After trailing 5-0, the Rebels went on a 17-0 run.
Leading 50-45, Ole Miss enjoyed a 12-1 run to get biggest lead of game at 62-46 Coach Bob Weltlich represented Ole Miss as its SEC Legend.
South Carolina Notes:
USC is now 14-16
Ramon Galloway led the Gamecocks with 17 points, all coming in the second half. He had a career high five 3-point shots
Sam Muldrow had 12 points, nine rebounds and seven blocked shots. The seven blocks were the most ever by a Gamecock in the SEC Tournament.
South Carolina’s Legend is BJ McKie, a guard who played from 1996-99.