No. 17 Ole Miss sees off challenge from Southern

Jaylen Murray scored 18 points as No. 17 Ole Miss held off Southern 74-61 on Tuesday night in Oxford, Miss.

Jaemyn Brakefield added 15 points and Dre Davis scored 14 for the Rebels (10-1), who earned their fourth consecutive win.

The Jaguars (5-5) used 13 players and 11 of them scored, but only Derrick Tezeno and Michael Jacobs reached double figures, finishing with 11 each. Tezeno grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.

Ole Miss made 20 of 29 free throws and Southern hit 10 of 18.

Jordan Johnson and Tezeno each made a 3-pointer as Southern began the second half with an 8-0 run and pulled within 42-41. Murray ended the run with a 3-pointer, and he made another to help the Rebels open a 10-point lead.

Dionjahe Thomas sank a free throw for the Jaguars, but both teams went cold from the floor. Davis' layup ended Ole Miss' 4 1/2-minute field-goal drought and Tezeno's jumper ended Southern's 6 1/2-minute field-goal drought before Murray's 3-pointer started a 6-0 run that gave the Rebels a 15-point lead midway through the second half.

Andre Nunley made a 3-pointer to end the run, but Davis hit a 3-pointer, Sean Pedulla sank two free throws and Davon Barnes had a layup to help Ole Miss expand the lead to 66-48 with 7:16 to go.

Early on, Brakefield converted a three-point play and Murray made a 3-pointer during an 8-0 run that gave the Rebels a 13-4 lead.

Jacobs made a layup to stop the run and Tidjiane Dioumassi, returning from a two-game absence caused by an injury, made consecutive field goals to help the Jaguars get within 18-17.

Ole Miss went on a 7-0 run, but Southern got within four points on a three-point play by AJ Barnes. Brakefield scored three points during a 5-0 run that left the Rebels with a 42-33 halftime lead.

--Field Level Media