South Carolina
One of the most dangerous teams in the SEC is the South Carolina Gamecocks. The Gamecocks are ranked 39 in the RPI. They currently have a record of 11-3 (1-0). Ole Miss doesn’t have to face them until January 14th, however, this will be a big game for the Rebels at home.
South Carolina leading scorer is PJ Dozier with 15.9 ppg. However, he is not the only weapon on this team. Duane Notice is averaging 9.4 ppg, while Chris Silva puts in 9.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.
This team has some good wins over teams like Syracuse and Michigan, but they also have suffered a loss to Memphis. The Rebels defeated Memphis 85-77 on December 3rd.
When the Gamecocks are on their game defensively they can make it difficult for teams to score. However, the Rebels have enough weapons on the inside and outside to bring on the victory.
Tennessee
The Volunteers are a team searching for a good win. With an RPI ranking of 74, they need a good run through the SEC to make post season play. At 8-6 (1-1), Tennessee has a few quality losses. They barely lost to North Carolina and Oregon. They had tough games against Gonzaga and Oregon. However, they have no impressive win.
They are led by Robert Hubbs III with 15.2 ppg. and Grant Williams with 10.8 ppg and 5.9 rpg. These are the games Ole Miss historically found a way to lose. If they want to take the next step, they need to find a way to pull out this victory at home.