All-SEC guard Chris Warren scored 20 points and hit a pair of 3-point bombs in an 11-0 run early in the second half to pace Ole Miss to a 66-55 win over South Carolina in the first round of the SEC tournament at the Georgia Dome.

Warren, a 5-foot-10 senior, made 7 of 16 from the field and connected on three 3-pointers as Ole Miss (20-12) won its first conference tournament game since 2007. Also scoring in double figures for the Rebels were Terrance Henry with 14 and Reginald Buckner and Dundrecous Nelson with 10 points apiece. Buckner added nine rebounds.

South Carolina (14-16) got as close as 50-45 in the second half, only to have Warren strike for another 3-pointer and Buckner score on a slam to put Ole Miss in control for good.

South Carolina was led by Ramon Galloway with 19 points, including five 3-pointers, and Sam Muldrow with 10 points and nine rebounds. Bruce Ellington, the team's standout freshman, was limited to seven points, six below his season average, and was only 2 of 9 from the floor.

Ole Miss advances to play Kentucky in the second round at 3:30 p.m., Friday.