National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
South Carolina 67, Mississippi 56
When: 6:30 PM ET, Saturday, January 14, 2017
Where: Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, South Carolina
Officials: # Olandis Poole, # Doug Sirmons, # K.B. Burdett
Attendance: 15202

Sophomore guard P.J. Dozier scored 16 points as South Carolina continued its hot start to the SEC season with a 67-56 win over depleted Ole Miss on Saturday at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, S.C.

The Gamecocks are off to their first 4-0 SEC start since 1997. They've won four in a row and jumped on Ole Miss late in the first half, closing with a 9-0 run and taking a 34-20 lead into halftime. Dozier had 15 points in the first half.

The Gamecocks poured it on in the second half. A 3-pointer from senior guard Duane Notice pushed the lead to 20.

Notice finished with seven points, and sophomore forward Chris Silva added 16 points, including a one-handed power dunk that got the Gamecocks going early in the second half. Silva also had 11 rebounds.

Ole Miss was without its leading scorer, junior guard Deandre Burnett, who missed the game with a lower-leg injury sustained in a loss to Georgia. Burnett is averaging 18.0 points per game.

Without him, the Rebels shot 30.9 percent from the floor, committed 21 turnovers and dropped their fourth game in the last five outings.

Senior forward Sebastian Saiz scored 11 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, and junior guard Cullen Neal finished with 12 points for the Rebels (10-7, 1-4 SEC).

South Carolina senior star guard Sindarius Thornwell had 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds.

For South Carolina (14-3, 4-0 SEC), the win sets up a showdown with No. 23 Florida on Wednesday in Columbia. The Gators are tied with No. 6 Kentucky atop the SEC at 5-0.

Ole Miss will try to bounce back Tuesday at home against Tennessee.
Top Game Performances
 
Mississippi   South Carolina
Cullen Neal 12 Scoring PJ Dozier 16
Breein Tyree 3 Assists PJ Dozier 3
Sebastian Saiz 15 Rebounds Chris Silva 11
Sebastian Saiz 5 Free Throws Made PJ Dozier 7
Terence Davis 2 Steals Duane Notice 2
Sebastian Saiz 2 Blocks Maik Kotsar 2
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Mississippi 56 30.9 5-17 17-23 8 30 3 9 21
South Carolina 67 36.4 5-20 22-31 12 40 3 10 20