Ole Miss Basketball has had plenty of iconic moments over the years. From scoring duels to record-breaking point games, many players have written their names in Rebel history. Here is a look back at some of the best player performances over the years.
Johnny Neumann vs. LSU, 1971
Ole Miss legend Johnny Neumann had his career-defining game against LSU in 1971, scoring 63 points — notably, before the introduction of the 3-point line. Neumann led the Rebels to a 113-90 win over the Tigers.
This 1971 performance stands as the most points any Ole Miss player has scored in a single game; it is also the most points any player has ever scored against LSU. Neumann’s 63 points are tied for the tenth most in a single game in NCAA Division I men’s basketball history.
Neumann was 26-of-40 on field goals and shot 11-of-13 from the free throw line. This remains the greatest single-game performance in Ole Miss Men’s Basketball history.
Neumann said that this was the best he has ever shot the basketball in a game. LSU head coach Press Maravich noted how dominant Neumann was in a postgame press conference.
“Neumann destroyed us,” Maravich said. “He hypnotized us and put the ball in the basket.”
Gerald Glass vs. LSU, 1989
Often remembered as one of the greatest college basketball games in history, Ole Miss’ Gerald Glass and LSU’s Chris Jackson’s legendary scoring duel stands above the rest. The two Mississippi natives battled it out on the scoreboard until the very last minute.
This game was the first time in SEC history when two players scored 50 points or more in the same game. Glass put up 53 points for the Rebels, and Jackson scored 55 for the Tigers. Despite Jackson winning the individual scoring battle, Ole Miss won the game in overtime, 113-112.
“Looking back on it, I wish I had a ticket and was looking at it from the stands,” former Ole Miss coach Ed Murphy said in a postgame press conference. “If you don’t appreciate Glass and Jackson from a basketball standpoint, you are legally dead.”
Glass sank a 3-pointer to tie the game at 112, and on LSU’s final possession of the game, Jackson was unable to score. Glass made a free throw in the final moments to give Ole Miss the win.
Armintie Price-Herrington in the NCAA Tournament, 2007
Armintie Price-Herrington stands as one of the top women’s basketball players to ever come through Ole Miss. In 2007, she led the Lady Rebels to an 89-78 upset over No. 2-seed Maryland in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. She led the offense with 28 points and added seven rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Following the second-round win, Maryland head coach Brenda Frese praised Price-Herrington’s performance.
“Armintie Price is an exceptional player. She’s a pro,” Frese said. “She put her team on her back tonight. Her defensive energy really set the tone, and we just didn’t handle the pressure.”
This win led the Rebels to the Sweet 16, where Price-Herrington dropped 31 points against Oklahoma in the Lady Rebels’ 90-82 win. That win led Ole Miss to its first Elite Eight appearance since 1992.
Peggie Gillom vs. Tennessee, 1978
Peggie Gillom left her mark on the Ole Miss Women’s Basketball program. Her 45-point outing against Tennessee is the most points scored in a single game for a women’s basketball player at Ole Miss.
Gillom’s performance ranks as the most points scored against the Lady Volunteers in history. Her impact on Mississippi basketball has never been forgotten.
This game was perhaps the most dominant of her career. In her career with the Lady Rebels, she scored over 2,000 points and totaled over 1,000 rebounds, a feat no other Rebel basketball player has achieved.
