OXFORD — The University of Mississippi men’s basketball team had No. 18 Mississippi State University right where it wanted it Wednesday night.
This time, the Rebels closed the deal.
Playing perhaps its most complete game of the year, Ole Miss built an early lead and held on for a 75-68 win at the Tad Smith Coliseum.
In each of the past two meetings here, Ole Miss had led at halftime only to lose the game.
“This was a long time coming,” Ole Miss junior forward Reginald Buckner said. “Tonight, we did the things that we are supposed to do. We are back in the (Southeastern Conference) race now at 2-2. What a win. It feels great to finally get this done.”
The Bulldogs had won five straight in the series, including three straight at the “Tad Pad.” One could feel the relief echoing from the student section as the Red and Blue throng stole the MSU moniker by chanting “This is our state” while the final seconds ticked off the clock.
“I thought Reg (Buckner) was realty great tonight,” Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy said. “He kept us afloat for so long. It was his best game of the year, and it came at the perfect time.”
Buckner had a game-high 19 points and grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds, including 10 on the defensive end. It was Buckner’s fourth double-double of the season.
The Rebels still showed some deficiencies — they went 17-for-30 at the free-throw line. However, they showed so much promise. The Rebels shot 50 percent from the field and scored 75 points for only the third time this season, and the first time inside conference play.
Ole Miss has been looking for an identity since leading scorer Dondrecus Nelson was removed from the team during the holidays. A blowout loss to LSU to open conference play didn’t help matters.
On Wednesday, Ole Miss showed enough offensive cohesion to make things work. It turned the ball over five times and showed poise after wilting each of the previous two years when MSU made a game-clinching run inside this arena.
“This team has been needing a lift,” Ole Miss sophomore center Demarco Cox said. “Saturday, we were so close (a 69-68 double overtime loss at Auburn). I think we really learned from that game. That helped us make plays at the right time.”
Cox provided a big lift off the bench with seven points and seven rebounds in 19 minutes. The increased playing time after Murphy Holloway got into early foul trouble.
Ole Miss shot 54.5 percent from the field in the final half, as precise ball movement led to some great touches inside the paint. The Rebels had 36 points in the paint.
“We got into an offensive flow early,” Buckner said. “We really fed off the crowd. Hopefully, we can take this win and build on it. We weren’t able to do that last week.”
The Rebels are 8-0 at Tad Smith Coliseum this season. The challenge now is to get some conference road wins. An ability to go on the road and have this type of offensive production could open the door to postseason play for the Rebels.
“We have to win on the road,” Kennedy said. “Tonight, we showed what we are capable of. It’s a rivalry win. If we don’t turn it into something bigger, it won’t mean that much in the end.”
Nick Williams (17 points), Jarvis Summers (12), and Terrance Henry (12) also scored in double figures. That type of balance will be critical when Ole Miss takes its next stab at a first conference road win Saturday at the University of Georgia.
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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