South Carolina @ Mississippi preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 19, 2019 ) Mississippi 64, South Carolina 79

South Carolina rides a three-game winning streak into its SEC game at Ole Miss on Wednesday but will likely be without key performer Justin Minaya. The sophomore forward, who averages 7.8 points and 6.1 rebounds, dislocated his thumb during Saturday's 76-54 victory over Missouri and coach Frank Martin told reporters that Minaya will need surgery at some point.

“Justin is playing with such incredible energy,'' Martin told the media. "When you couple his energy and aggression at the rim with rebounding, blocking shots, his defense - helping and defending on the perimeter ... Because of his efforts, we’ve become a better team.” South Carolina has moved into the first division of the SEC standings and has a favorable schedule down the stretch having already played No. 10 Auburn and No. 16 Kentucky, with first-place No. 18 LSU the only elite team remaining on the slate. The Rebels gave Auburn a scare before losing 83-82 in double overtime on Jan. 28 and then fell at LSU 73-63 on Saturday for their eighth loss in nine games. "Our team is a work in progress,'' Ole Miss coach Kermit Davis told reporters. "We're disappointed, but we're not discouraged. Kind of a reset year and we'll get it fixed.''

TIME: 7 p.m. ET. TV: SEC Network

ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA (13-8, 5-3 SEC): Senior forward Maik Kotsar (9.8 points, team-high 6.6 rebounds) recorded 21 points Saturday for his second career 20-point outing and first of the season and went 7-for-8 from the floor, helping the club shoot 50 percent or better for the third straight game. A.J. Lawson averages a team-most 13.9 points and has scored at least 11 in five straight contests. The club leads the SEC in field-goal percentage defense at 38.4 percent, which was 18th nationally entering Tuesday.

ABOUT OLE MISS (10-11, 1-7): Devontae Shuler (11.5 points) recorded 20 or more points in back-to-back games for the first time in his career with a career-high 28 points against LSU after scoring 26 versus Auburn. Breein Tyree - the active SEC leading scorer with 1,545 points - paces the team with 17.9 points and averages 20.6 in SEC contests, but he has scored only a combined 17 in the last two games. Blake Hinson (10.5 points) scored 16 points against Auburn but was shut out in 24 minutes versus LSU.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Gamecocks have led for the last 117 minutes, 23 seconds.

2. The series is tied 20-20 after the teams split the last four meetings with each club winning at home.

3. The Rebels are 10-4 when they score at least 64 points.

PREDICTION: Ole Miss 64, South Carolina 63