MBB: Silva, Booker lead win over Ole Miss

South Carolina beat Ole Miss 85-84 Wednesday night in St. Louis, Mo. to advance to the SEC Tournament quarterfinals.

The Gamecocks used a 13-2 second half run to take the lead for good, then made just enough free throws in the final minutes to hold on for the win.

Spanning the final 4:35 of the first half and the first 4:39 of the second half, South Carolina went nine minutes without a field goal, and Ole Miss was able to take the lead after trailing most of the first half. The only good news for South Carolina was that it was drawing fouls, specifically Chris Silva. Silva shot 10 free throws in the first four minutes, although he made just five, and got USC into the bonus.

Deandre Burnett made a three with 13:06 left to put Ole Miss up 53-48. Sensing the game was in the balance, Gamecock head coach Frank Martin called a timeout. Frank Booker, who scored 13 of his 21 points in the second half, made a corner three out of the timeout. The teams traded baskets, and Ole Miss led 59-55 after a pair of Bruce Stevens free throws. Then South Carolina got hot.

Hassani Gravett found Justin Minaya in the corner for an open three. Terence Davis answered with a tough layup, but Gravett went back to Minaya, passing him the ball in rhythm for another three to tie the game. After a turnover, Gravett hit Booker in the other corner for the go-ahead three. Silva blocked a shot and drew a foul, making both free throws. After another turnover, Minaya got ahead of the defense for a layup to cap the 13-2 run. During the three-minute run, South Carolina made four field goals. It had made just four field goals in the previous 12 minutes of game time.

Booker made two more threes to give South Carolina its largest led, 74-65, and then Silva brought things home. Silva played a career-high 37 minutes and set career-highs with 13 free throws on 20 attempts. He finished with 21 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, and three blocks. In the last four minutes of the game, Silva had six points, two rebounds, a block, and assist.

South Carolina appeared to have the game wrapped up several times, but it let Ole Miss back in each time. USC gave up 24 second chance points on 18 offensive rebounds, and more critically at the end, shot just 56 percent from the free throw line. For perspective, South Carolina shot 13 more free throws than Ole Miss, but made just four more (19-of-34).

In the final minute, Gravett missed a pair of free throws, and then Maik Kotsar and Booker each split a pair. South Carolina also had a turnover on an inbounds play after a timeout, and twice lost shooters open for threes, including the otherwise meaningless buzzer-beater.

Kotsar had an excellent first half, scoring 13 of his 14 points before halftime, but he took a hard elbow to the face right before halftime and lacked the same energy in the second half. Gravett only scored three points, and was scoreless until the game's last three minutes, but he had seven rebounds and seven assists. Wesley Myers chipped in 10 points off the bench.

Breein Tyree led Ole Miss with 18 points. Stevens added 15 points and 13 rebounds and Burnett had 13.

South Carolina advances to play Arkansas at approximately 9:30 Thursday night.