Ole Miss travelled to Norman, Okla., on Jan. 3 to kick off conference play against the Oklahoma Sooners. The Rebels fell 86-70.
The first half was a back-and-forth battle between the Rebels and Sooners. The Sooners scored a majority of their points in the paint. The Rebels failed to put up points in the paint, and only had five offensive rebounds.
Three point shooting kept the Rebels in the game in the first half. They drained nine threes in the first half – the most this season.
At halftime, the Rebels trailed close 43-41. The second half shooting percentages were much lower than the first. The Rebels shot 48% overall, compared to the second half’s 39%. The Rebels got cold and allowed the Sooners to break away and take control of the game.
Even in a loss, freshman Patton Pinkins was a bright spot, and a look of positivity for the future. Pinkins came in off the bench in the first half, and his presence immediately changed the game.
Hailey Austin/Ole Miss Athletics
Pinkins led all scorers with 25 points, 12 of which came from beyond the arc. Pinkins shot well all over the court. He made all free throws and was 9-of-11 for field goals.
Dia scored 17 points, but was inconsistent throughout the game. He was 3-of-8 from the three point line. Dia was not guarded heavily on the perimeter, which gave him lots of shots, but most were unsuccessful. He was 6-of-17 for field goals.
The Rebels are struggling to mesh as a team and play complete basketball. Pinkins and Dia did the vast majority of scoring. Different players have varying levels of success at different times, but it will be crucial for the Rebels to find a way to distribute the ball and score more consistently.
Ole Miss will need to find a way to get hot and stay consistent throughout the whole game before they get too deep into conference play. The Rebels currently sit at 8-6 (0-1), and will need to make some changes in order to secure a postseason appearance.
What’s next?
The Rebels welcome the Arkansas Razorbacks to the Sandy and John Black Pavilion on Wednesday, Jan. 7 at 8 p.m. CT. SEC Network+ will broadcast the game.
