No. 19 Ole Miss secured a hard-fought 72-68 road victory over South Carolina, thanks to a clutch performance from Malik Dia in the closing minutes. The Rebels (19-4, 6-4 SEC) faced a tough challenge from the Gamecocks (18-5, 6-4 SEC) but managed to hold on late to secure the win.
Dia, who finished with 14 points and seven rebounds, delivered in the clutch with a crucial putback and two free throws in the final minute, ensuring Ole Miss maintained its lead. His energy on both ends of the court helped the Rebels overcome a late surge from South Carolina, who had trimmed a nine-point deficit to just two with under a minute left.
Matthew Murrell led Ole Miss with 18 points, while Allen Flanigan contributed 16, providing steady scoring throughout the contest. The Rebels shot 45% from the field and made key defensive stops when it mattered most.
South Carolina’s Meechie Johnson had a strong performance, scoring 20 points, but the Gamecocks struggled with turnovers late in the game. B.J. Mack added 15 points and eight rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to complete the comeback.
With the victory, Ole Miss bounced back from a recent loss and improved its NCAA Tournament resume. Head coach Chris Beard praised his team’s resilience, highlighting Dia’s impact off the bench.
The Rebels will return home for a pivotal matchup against Tennessee, while South Carolina looks to rebound as they face Florida in their next SEC test.