Ole Miss ended Alabama’s four-game winning streak Tuesday night at The Pavilion with a decisive 78-66 victory. Alabama point guard Collin Sexton, projected as a top 10 NBA draft pick, and his star backup, John Petty, failed to ignite their offense as Ole Miss picked up its fourth SEC victory and 11th win of the regular season.
The game marked the Rebels’ sixth home win this season, while three difficult matchups against Texas, Auburn and Tennessee remain on the horizon. It was an important win for the Rebels, as they would have dropped to .500 with a loss tonight. Gaining back some lost momentum was essential, as they are about to head out on the road, where they have struggled mightily as of late.
Point man Deandre Burnett led the way for the Rebels, scoring from all over the court en route to 24 points on the night. Guards Terence Davis and Markel Crawford each contributed 15 points of his own.
Avery Johnson, the former NBA guard and current head coach at Alabama, was critical of his team following its loss but was quick to credit Ole Miss as an underrated force in SEC basketball.
“I want to congratulate Andy Kennedy and his team,” Johnson said. “Give them credit. They’ve been a hot team at home during SEC play. You have to play more than a 14- or 16-minute stretch to have success in any building on the road in the SEC. Tonight wasn’t just about our lack of production. Tonight was about a hungry team in Ole Miss coming out ready to play and trying to impose their will on us.”
As noted by Ole Miss head coach Andy Kennedy, the Rebels dominated from the tip-off. However, maintaining similar dominance in previous games has certainly not come easily. Tuesday night was an exception as the team was able to come out strong and maintain a high energy level despite briefly faltering early in the first half.
“I thought our approach right out of the gate was awesome,” Kennedy said. “You saw how big they are. They are really, really big. We knew that we had to move them, drive them and make good decisions. And that’s exactly what we did.”
The Rebels’ elusive interior athleticism and skill, led by junior college transfer forward Bruce Stevens, emerged from the woodwork and locked down Alabama’s post players. As for the size and skill of the Alabama defense, hot perimeter shooting and consistency from the line spread out the defense and allowed Ole Miss to showcase an effective offensive display.
Moving forward, this inconsistent Ole Miss team can rest easy knowing it is capable of defeating high-calibre teams with firepower to spare. With that said, Kennedy’s group will need to maintain this level of play if they hope to avoid the all-too-familiar, late-season exit from the NCAA Tournament picture.
