Kershaws Corner: Ole Miss

South Carolina vs. Ole Miss

* Ole Miss leads the overall series 16-15.

* The Rebels defeated the Gamecocks 75-74 on January 18, 2014 in Columbia.

* The last two games have been decided by one point. The 75-74 Rebel win in Columbia two weeks ago and the 2013 game where the Gamecocks defeated the Rebels 63-62 in Columbia.

* Ole Miss leads the overall series 10-1 in Oxford. Carolina's only win in Oxford was an 80-77 win on February 2, 2008.

* The last four games in Oxford between the Gamecocks and Rebels have been decided by nine points or less.

Recap of the First South Carolina-Ole Miss Game This Season

* Ole Miss defeated the Gamecocks 75-74.

* Seven of the last 11 have been decided by six points or less and the last three have been decided by four points or less.

* Sindarius Thornwell had 24 points and 11 rebounds. It was his first career double-double.

* Michael Carrera had six rebounds which were the most for him in a game since he pulled down seven against Akron on December 28, 2013.

* The 22 minutes for Carrera were the most minutes played in a game since he played 22 against Marshall on December 30, 2013. He played 20 minutes or less in the four games between Marshall and Ole Miss.

* Laimonas Chatkevicius scored 12 points tying his season high of 12 against Saint Mary's on December 22, 2013.

* Brenton Williams scored all nine of his points from the free throw line.

* Jaylen Shaw scored nine points. That is the most points scored by Shaw in a game since he totaled 13 at Oklahoma State on December 6, 2013.

* The starting five for the Gamecocks were Chatkevicius, Ringer, Thornwell, Williams, and Notice. It was the first start of the season for Chatkevicius and Ringer.

* In the 2013 game against Ole Miss, the Gamecocks hit three of their eight free throws. In the first meeting of 2014, USC hit 24 of their 36 free throw attempts. Carolina went 14 of 24 in the second half.

* USC had 40 rebounds in both the 2013 and 2014 meetings with Ole Miss. Carolina had 15 offensive rebounds in 2013 and 18 in 2014.

* Comparing the Points in the Paint - USC 32-28 in 2013 and USC 30-28 in 2014

* Comparing 2nd Chance Points - USC 14-9 in 2013 and USC 11-10 in 2014

* Gamecocks led by as many as 12 in the game.

* USC's last made field goal in the game came with 4:26 remaining in the second half.

* The Rebels shot 52.2% in the second half after shooting 34.6% in the first half.

Starting Five

* Coach Martin has used the starting five of Carrera, Henry, Notice, Thornwell, and Williams in the last three games.

* Thornwell is the only Gamecock to start in all 20 games this season.

Getting to the Free Throw Line

* The Gamecocks have shot at least 30 free throws in four of their last six games.

* Carolina has attempted 30 or more free throws in seven games this season.

* During the 2012-13 season, the Gamecocks attempted at least 30 free throws in three games. Carolina won all three of those games.

Shooting 50%

* Carolina shot 52.2% from the floor against Texas A&M on Wednesday.

* The Gamecocks have shot 50% or better in five games this season. Carolina shot 50% or better in six games during the 2012-13 season.

Points In the Paint

* Carolina has won the battle in the paint in four of their last six SEC games.

* The Gamecocks won the battle in the paint in six of their 19 games against SEC opponents last season.

40 In the First Half

* USC scored 41 points in the first half on Wednesday night against Texas A&M. It was the second time this season scoring over 40 points in the first half. The Gamecocks scored 44 in the first half against SC State. The last time, USC scored 40 or more points in the first half against an SEC opponent was on January 26, 2013 vs. Arkansas in Columbia.

Scoring 80

* The Gamecocks are averaging 71.2 points per game this season. Last season, they averaged 66.1 points per game.

* USC has scored at least 80 points in five games this season. The Gamecocks reached 80 in six games last season and went to overtime in one of those six.

* Carolina shot 50% or better in four of the five games where they scored at least 80 this season.

A Few Gamecock Player Notes

Brenton Williams

* In the last meeting against Ole Miss, Williams went 0 for 10 from the field. Since then, he has hit 19 of his 38 shots. That includes 15 of 29 from three point range.

* He is averaging 22.7 points over his last three games.

* Played at least 33 minutes in the last six games.

* He has six steals in the last two games. (3 vs. Mizzou and 3 vs. A&M)

Michael Carrera

* Started the last three games.

* In the last two games - he posted 16 points and grabbed 11 boards against Mizzou and scored nine points and seven boards against A&M. He combined for 25 points and 18 rebounds in those two games. Hit 10 of his 14 free throw attempts over the last two games.

Laimonas Chatkevicius

* Scored 12 points against A&M on Wednesday night. That tied his career high.

* In the last meeting against Ole Miss, he went six of seven from the field scoring 12 points.

* Has 22 rebounds over the last five games.

Demetrius Henry

* Started 19 of 20 games this season.

* Has four blocks over the last three games.

* Has at least one steal in four of the last five games.

* Has 10 rebounds over the last three games. Six of the 10 boards on the offensive side of the glass.

Justin McKie

* Played a career high 15 minutes against A&M on Wednesday night.

* Tied his career high against A&M with four rebounds.

Duane Notice

* Started the last 13 games.

* Scored in double figures in three of the last five games.

* Had four points, four assists, and three rebounds in the last game against Ole Miss.

Sindarius Thornwell

* Started every game this season.

* Scored in double figures in six of the last seven games.

* Scored 24 points and pulled down 11 rebounds in the last game against Ole Miss.

* Has at least four rebounds in four straight games.

* Hit 26 of his 33 free throw attempts over the last four games.

Scouting Ole Miss

* 14-6 overall and 5-2 in SEC play.

* Since playing Carolina on January 18 in Columbia, the Rebels defeated Vanderbilt 63-52 in Nashville and beat Mississippi State 82-63 in Oxford. The Rebels lost their last game in Knoxville to Tennessee 86-70.

* Summers, Henderson, Saiz, White and Jones have started the last four games for the Rebels. The game against USC in Columbia was the first of those four.

* The Rebels had 20 turnovers in their meeting with the Gamecocks in Columbia two weeks ago. In the last three games, the Rebels are averaging nine turnovers a game.

* The Rebels blocked 10 Gamecock shots in the meeting in Columbia. That tied their season high of 10 against Georgia Tech on November 29, 2013.

* USC shot 36 free throws against the Rebels. The last three opponents for the Rebels have combined to shoot 48.

* The Rebels forced 21 Gamecock turnovers and that is the most by any SEC opponent against the Rebels this season.

Last Time Out for Carolina - Recap with A&M

* Carolina defeated the Aggies 80-52. It was their first SEC win on the season.

* It was the first meeting ever between the Gamecocks and Aggies in Columbia. The other two meetings were in College Station.

* Gamecocks won the points off turnovers 24-17. The first meeting between the two, A&M won the battle 18-10.

* Texas A&M shot 35.6% from the floor on Wednesday night. In the first meeting, the Aggies shot 55.0% from the floor including 62.5% in the second half.

* The Aggies had 18 turnovers on Wednesday night compared to 11 that they had in the first meeting.

* The Gamecocks won the rebounding battle in both of their games this season with A&M 33-25.

* Carolina went 18 of 31 on their two point field goal shots in both games against the Aggies this season.

* USC had seven blocked shots and 11 steals. That is the most for the Gamecocks in a SEC game this season.