It was a must-win game for Andy Kennedy and Ole Miss in order to stay near the NCAA tournament bubble. And sure enough, the Rebels found a way to score a big 87-82 overtime win in Starkville over rival Mississippi State.
This game was certainly a lot closer than the first meeting between these teams, as Ole Miss routed the Bulldogs by 26 in Oxford.
After letting a late lead slip away to force overtime, Kennedy’s team managed to make big shots in the overtime period and walk away with the win.
And once again, it was a different player stepping up for the Rebels. Freshman guard Breein Tyree led Ole Miss with 24 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the field, and Sebastian Saiz was great as usual in adding another double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds.
IJ Ready had 22 points for the Bulldogs.
Blake’s Analysis:
Ole Miss has the talent to make a deep run in the SEC tournament. It’ll probably take a tournament title to get the Rebels in the Big Dance, but this is a team worth watching.
As it proved in this game, Ole Miss has numerous weapons that it can turn to. When it’s not Deandre Burnett, it’s Saiz. When it’s not Saiz, it’s Terence Davis. When it’s not Davis, it’s Tyree.
With any sort of consistency, the Rebels can beat anyone in the league. However, that consistency has to show up in order for that to happen.
On the flip side, Mississippi State still can’t find a way to win close games in the SEC. The Bulldogs have been very competitive at home this season, but have to find that next level in close games in order to take a step forward.
Next year could be a big year for Ben Howland’s team with another year of experience under their belt.