No. 23 Ole Miss turns narrow halftime lead into rout of Lindenwood to improve to 8-1

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 (3-6) 47-20 in the second half.

Ole Miss, which shot a season-best 56.7 percent from the floor in their last game, an 86-63 victory at Louisville in the SEC/ACC Challenge on Tuesday night, shot 57 percent in the second half and 52 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 shot 32 percent from the floor in the second half and 35 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, Malik 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 Mikeal 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