Twice on the right wing and once in the left corner. Off the final of his three touches, Justin Minaya ended South Carolina’s most important possession with a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer.
The 11th-seeded Gamecocks squeaked past No. 14 Ole Miss, 85-84, on Wednesday in the first round of the SEC tournament. Chris Silva, playing his first postseason game since last year’s national semifinal, recorded his ninth double-double of the season with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Frank Booker, once a contributor on a Sweet 16-bound Oklahoma team, also had 21 points.
Minaya’s 16 points and three assists, however, were delivered on his first step to the postseason stage.