No. 23 Ole Miss turns narrow halftime lead into rout of Lindenwood

Sean Pedulla scored 19 points and No. 23 Ole Miss used a dominant second half to run away from Lindenwood in an 86-53 victory Saturday night in Oxford, Miss.

Mikeal Brown-Jones scored 14 points, Dre Davis had 12 and Davon Barnes added 11 for the Rebels (8-1), who outscored the Lions 47-20 in the second half.

Ole Miss, which shot a season-best 56.7 percent from the floor in its last game, an 86-63 victory at Louisville in the SEC/ACC Challenge on Tuesday night, shot 57.7 percent in the second half and 51.7 percent for the game Saturday. It had a 38-18 scoring advantage in the paint.

Reggie Bass was the only Lindenwood player to score in double figures, finishing with 10 points. The Lions (3-6) shot 32 percent from the floor in the second half and 35.3 percent for the game. Ole Miss committed just seven turnovers and Lindenwood committed 15.

Jadis Jones made a layup to start the second-half scoring and get the Lions within four points, but the Rebels scored the next five points. Jones' three-point play got Lindenwood within six points, but Ole Miss increased the lead to 10 twice.

Davis then had six points and Pedulla added four during a 12-0 run that pushed the lead to 62-42. Markeith Browning II made a free throw to stop the run, but three Rebels made field goals and Eduardo Klafke added a 3-pointer for a commanding 71-45 lead.

Clayton Jackson made a 3-pointer to give Lindenwood its first lead, 8-7. The lead changed hands six more times before Jordan Wildy made two free throws to give the Lions a three-point lead.

Malik Dia's 3-pointer tied the score before Lindenwood took a four-point lead. Davis, Dia and Barnes made consecutive baskets to give the Rebels a 30-28 lead.

Bass made a 3-pointer that produced the sixth tie of the half before Brown-Jones converted a three-point play and Pedulla made a 3-pointer to give Ole Miss a 39-33 halftime lead.

--Field Level Media