Photo by Thomas Graning | The Daily Mississippian
Ole Miss (7-2) snapped a two-game losing streak, as it grabbed a 72-63 win over Middle Tennessee State (7-3) Saturday at Tad Smith Coliseum.
“I think that’s our best win of the year. That’s how much respect I have for Kermit (Davis) and Middle (Tennessee),” head coach Andy Kennedy said. “Down the stretch, we probably played our best three or four minutes.”
Ole Miss trailed by four with 6:30 remaining in the game, but the Rebels finished the game on a 16-3 run to pick up the victory.
Jarvis Summers led all scorers with 25 points. He was 7 of 11 from the field and 3 of 5 on threes. It was Summers’ second 20-point game of the season.
“Jarvis Summers continues to be our MVP making big plays throughout the course of the game,” Kennedy said.
Summers has become the number two option for Ole Miss this season – something that Kennedy was searching for before the season. He has been on a tear this season, shooting 53.4 percent from the field and a scorching 54.5 percent on threes.
The number one option, Marshall Henderson, scored 15 points on 4 of 11 shooting, 4 of 9 on threes. Henderson added a team-high five assists.
Middle Tennessee gave Ole Miss major problems inside. It was the best frontcourt Ole Miss has faced all season, as the Blue Raiders grabbed 48 rebounds, 21 on offense, which was more than Ole Miss had on defense, 20.
“They beat us for 21 on the (offensive) glass,” Kennedy said. “That’s embarrassing.”
Starting big men, Shawn Jones and Neiko Hunter, each had 18 points to lead Middle Tennessee. Jones grabbed 15 rebounds for a double-double and was 9 of 11 from the field. Hunter added seven boards, six of which were offensive.
But Ole Miss won the game with pressure defense and creating turnovers.
“I thought it was the key to the game,” Kennedy said. “In the first half, when we were running that halfcourt pressure, I think it really bothered them.”
Ole Miss forced 14 turnovers and turned those into 25 points, an absurd 1.79 points per possession. Middle Tennessee turned eight Ole Miss turnovers into just three points. Seven different Rebels registered a steal.
LaDarius White and Aaron Jones each reached double figures with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Kennedy mixed up the starting lineup by giving Marshall Henderson his first start of the season; White also got a start, his second of the year.
They replaced Martavious Newby and Derrick Millinghaus who maybe on the bad end of a rotation squeeze. Newby played just 10 minutes, and Millinghaus – the team’s third-leading scorer – played 13. Millinghaus did have three assists in his short time on the court, but he was just 1 of 5 from the floor for two points.
Next up for Ole Miss will be Louisiana-Monroe on Wednesday at the Tad Smith Coliseum at 6:00 p.m.
For continuing coverage of Ole Miss men’s basketball, follow @Tyler_RSR and @thedm_sports on Twitter.
— Tyler Bischoff
tfbischo@go.olemiss.edu
