Led by a suffocating defense and outstanding guard play, the Ole Miss men’s basketball team picked up its second straight conference win of the season on Saturday, defeating Texas A&M at the Pavilion, 61-50. The Rebels took the floor debuting their throwback jerseys against Texas A&M after a win against Mississippi State earlier in the week.
“I thought we ended our first half on a good note,” head coach Kermit Davis said in the press conference. “Our 1-3-1 was fantastic and we created good offense with our good defense. Good team win.”
Ole Miss’s aggressive defense totaled four steals in four possessions in the final two minutes of the first half. This allowed the Rebels to regain a 31-28 lead after trailing for much of the first part of the game. The Rebels blew open a close game with an 8-0 run to close out the first half and start the second, and they led by double-digits most of the second half.
Oxford native Jarkel Joiner led Ole Miss with 21 points and seven rebounds, closely followed by senior Devontae Shuler who had a brilliant game with 17 points, four rebounds and four assists. Arizona State transfer Romello White was a big part of the Rebels’ defense and finished with nine points and three rebounds.
Ole Miss’s defense stole the show in the matchup by putting up 24 defensive rebounds, five blocks, 10 steals and forcing 18 Texas A&M turnovers. Ole Miss kept two SEC opponents to 50 points or less in back-to-back games, the first time the team has done so since 1982.
After Saturday’s performance, the Rebels’ defense was ranked 18th in the country, allowing just 61.6 points per game. That figure will improve after their performance against the Aggies.
The Rebels will take on the Arkansas Razorbacks on Jan. 27, looking to extend their winning streak to three games.
