Mississippi State pulls away from Ole Miss in second half
STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) Will McNair Jr. scored a season-high 13 points, Tolu Smith added 12 and Mississippi State warmed up in the second half to beat Mississippi 64-54 on Saturday.
After neither team reached 32% in the first half, the Bulldogs (12-3, 1-2 SEC) shot 50% in the second, outscoring the Rebels (8-7, 0-3) 28-8 over an 11-minute stretch to go up by 13. Mississippi State had its largest lead of the game at 59-46 after an Eric Reed Jr. dunk with 1:22 remaining.
Both McNair, averaging under four points per game, and Smith were 5-of-7 shooting in helping to give Chris Jans his first SEC coaching victory. The Bulldogs snapped a three-game losing streak after opening with 11 straight wins.
Reed had nine points and eight rebounds and D.J. Jeffries also had eight rebounds to lead MSU to a 42-34 edge on the boards, including a plus-6 advantage on the offensive glass while outscoring Ole Miss by 10 in the paint.
The Bulldogs, ranked fourth in scoring defense at just under 57 points per game, had 12 steals among 15 Ole Miss turnovers.
The Rebels' leading scorer, Matthew Murrell, didn't get his first bucket until a layup at the buzzer in the first half got the Rebels within three. He shot 6 of 9 in the second and finished with 19 points, though he was only 1 of 7 from 3-point range. Jaemyn Brakefield added 10 points and Myles Burns grabbed 10 rebounds. The Rebels lost their fourth straight.
The Bulldogs led for most of the first half and were up 26-23 at the break. Ole Miss shot just 28% in the first half and went 11 1/2 minutes between field goals in one stretch. Nonetheless, when TJ Caldwell snapped the drought with a 3-pointer, the Rebels trailed by only three.
Ole Miss is host to Auburn on Tuesday. Mississippi State is at Georgia on Wednesday.
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| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20:00 |  | Â | Theo Akwuba vs. Tolu Smith (Rebels gains possession) | Â |
| 19:37 |  | Â | Myles Burns misses two point jump shot | Â |
| 19:35 | | Â | Tolu Smith defensive rebound | Â |
| 19:12 | | Â | Tolu Smith turnover (lost ball) (Theo Akwuba steals) | Â |
| 19:06 | | +2 | Myles Burns makes two point driving layup | 2-0 |
| 19:06 | | Â | D.J. Jeffries shooting foul (Myles Burns draws the foul) | Â |
| 19:06 | | +1 | Myles Burns makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 3-0 |
| 18:52 | | Â | Dashawn Davis misses two point layup | Â |
| 18:50 | | Â | Tolu Smith offensive rebound | Â |
| 18:46 | | Â | Theo Akwuba blocks Tolu Smith's two point layup | Â |
| 18:44 | | Â | Myles Burns defensive rebound | Â |
| 18:34 | | Â | Matthew Murrell misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 18:32 | | Â | Cameron Matthews defensive rebound | Â |
| 18:03 | | +2 | Tolu Smith makes two point driving finger roll layup (Dashawn Davis assists) | 3-2 |
| 17:46 | | Â | TJ Caldwell misses two point driving hook shot | Â |
| 17:44 | | Â | D.J. Jeffries defensive rebound | Â |
| 17:37 | | Â | D.J. Jeffries misses two point jump shot | Â |
| 17:35 | | Â | Myles Burns defensive rebound | Â |
| 17:32 | | +2 | Jaemyn Brakefield makes two point jump shot (Myles Burns assists) | 5-2 |
| 17:10 | | +2 | Cameron Matthews makes two point cutting dunk (Tolu Smith assists) | 5-4 |
| 17:10 | | Â | Official timeout | Â |
| 16:44 | | Â | Myles Burns misses two point layup | Â |
| 16:42 | | Â | TJ Caldwell offensive rebound | Â |
| 16:43 | | Â | Tolu Smith shooting foul (TJ Caldwell draws the foul) | Â |
| 16:43 | | +1 | TJ Caldwell makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 6-4 |
| 16:43 | | +1 | TJ Caldwell makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 7-4 |
| 16:25 | | Â | Cameron Matthews misses two point layup | Â |
| 16:23 | | Â | Cameron Matthews offensive rebound | Â |
| 16:19 | | Â | Cameron Matthews misses two point layup | Â |
| 16:17 | | Â | Tolu Smith offensive rebound | Â |
| 16:14 | | +2 | Tolu Smith makes two point layup | 7-6 |
| 15:59 | | Â | Matthew Murrell misses two point layup | Â |
| 15:57 | | Â | Myles Burns offensive rebound | Â |
| 15:48 | | Â | TJ Caldwell misses two point layup | Â |
| 15:46 | | Â | Jaemyn Brakefield offensive rebound | Â |
| 15:45 | | Â | Eric Reed Jr. shooting foul (Jaemyn Brakefield draws the foul) | Â |
| 15:45 | | Â | TV timeout | Â |
| 15:45 | | Â | Jaemyn Brakefield misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | Â |
| 15:45 | | +1 | Jaemyn Brakefield makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 8-6 |
| 15:23 | | +3 | D.J. Jeffries makes three point bank jump shot (Shakeel Moore assists) | 8-9 |
| 15:00 | | Â | Daeshun Ruffin misses two point floating jump shot | Â |
| 14:58 | | Â | D.J. Jeffries defensive rebound | Â |
| 14:54 | | Â | Matthew Murrell shooting foul (Shakeel Moore draws the foul) | Â |
| 14:54 | | +1 | Shakeel Moore makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 8-10 |
| 14:54 | | +1 | Shakeel Moore makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 8-11 |
| 14:34 | | Â | Daeshun Ruffin misses two point floating jump shot | Â |
| 14:32 | | Â | D.J. Jeffries defensive rebound | Â |
| 14:24 | | Â | D.J. Jeffries misses two point driving layup | Â |
| 14:22 | | Â | Jaemyn Brakefield defensive rebound | Â |
| 14:16 | | Â | Jaemyn Brakefield turnover (traveling) | Â |
| 13:59 | | Â | Shakeel Moore turnover (lost ball) | Â |
| 13:47 | | Â | Matthew Murrell misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 13:45 | | Â | Tyler Stevenson defensive rebound | Â |
| 13:32 | | +2 | Will McNair Jr. makes two point hook shot (Tyler Stevenson assists) | 8-13 |
| 13:07 | | Â | Jaemyn Brakefield misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 13:05 | | Â | D.J. Jeffries defensive rebound | Â |
| 12:53 | | Â | Tyler Stevenson misses two point jump shot | Â |
| 12:51 | | Â | Jayveous McKinnis defensive rebound | Â |
| 12:39 | | Â | Daeshun Ruffin turnover (lost ball) (Dashawn Davis steals) | Â |
| 12:29 | | +2 | D.J. Jeffries makes two point driving finger roll layup | 8-15 |
| 12:29 | | Â | Rebels 30 second timeout | Â |
| 12:29 | | Â | TV timeout | Â |
| 12:14 | | Â | Tyler Stevenson personal foul (Jayveous McKinnis draws the foul) | Â |
| 12:10 | | Â | Jayveous McKinnis misses two point turnaround hook shot | Â |
| 12:08 | | Â | Rebels offensive rebound | Â |
| 11:48 | | Â | Official timeout | Â |
| 11:48 | | Â | Rebels turnover (shot clock violation) | Â |
| 11:28 | | Â | Will McNair Jr. misses two point hook shot | Â |
| 11:26 | | Â | Robert Allen defensive rebound | Â |
| 11:09 | | Â | Dashawn Davis shooting foul (Robert Allen draws the foul) | Â |
| 11:09 | | +1 | Robert Allen makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 9-15 |
| 11:09 | | +1 | Robert Allen makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 10-15 |
| 10:56 | | Â | Cameron Matthews turnover (bad pass) | Â |
| 10:43 | | Â | Matthew Murrell turnover (bad pass) (Eric Reed Jr. steals) | Â |
| 10:20 | | Â | Tolu Smith misses two point layup | Â |
| 10:19 | | Â | Tyler Stevenson offensive rebound | Â |
| 10:19 | | Â | Myles Burns shooting foul (Tyler Stevenson draws the foul) | Â |
| 10:19 | | +1 | Tyler Stevenson makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 10-16 |
| 10:19 | | Â | Tyler Stevenson misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | Â |
| 10:19 | | Â | TJ Caldwell defensive rebound | Â |
| 10:00 | | Â | Theo Akwuba turnover (bad pass) (Tyler Stevenson steals) | Â |
| 9:49 | | Â | Tyler Stevenson misses two point jump shot | Â |
| 9:47 | | Â | TJ Caldwell defensive rebound | Â |
| 9:22 | | Â | Matthew Murrell misses two point driving dunk | Â |
| 9:21 | | Â | Bulldogs defensive rebound | Â |
| 9:04 | | Â | Robert Allen personal foul (Cameron Matthews draws the foul) | Â |
| 8:54 | | +2 | Tolu Smith makes two point layup (Eric Reed Jr. assists) | 10-18 |
| 8:40 | | Â | Dashawn Davis personal foul (Theo Akwuba draws the foul) | Â |
| 8:21 | | Â | Theo Akwuba turnover (lost ball) (Tolu Smith steals) | Â |
| 8:13 | | Â | Eric Reed Jr. misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 8:11 | | Â | Jaemyn Brakefield defensive rebound | Â |
| 7:49 | | Â | Matthew Murrell misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 7:47 | | Â | D.J. Jeffries defensive rebound | Â |
| 7:34 | | Â | Tolu Smith turnover (bad pass) | Â |
| 7:47 | | Â | TV timeout | Â |
| 7:23 | | +2 | Jayveous McKinnis makes two point layup (Matthew Murrell assists) | 12-18 |
| 7:23 | | Â | Tolu Smith shooting foul (Jayveous McKinnis draws the foul) | Â |
| 7:23 | | Â | Jayveous McKinnis misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | Â |
| 7:23 | | Â | Will McNair Jr. defensive rebound | Â |
| 6:55 | | Â | Myles Burns personal foul (Cameron Matthews draws the foul) | Â |
| 6:51 | | Â | Eric Reed Jr. misses two point layup | Â |
| 6:49 | | Â | Jayveous McKinnis defensive rebound | Â |
| 6:33 | | Â | Myles Burns misses two point layup | Â |
| 6:31 | | Â | D.J. Jeffries defensive rebound | Â |
| 6:12 | | Â | D.J. Jeffries misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 6:10 | | Â | Eric Reed Jr. offensive rebound | Â |
| 6:05 | | Â | Jayveous McKinnis blocks Eric Reed Jr.'s two point jump shot | Â |
| 6:03 | | Â | Jamel Horton Jr. offensive rebound | Â |
| 5:54 | | Â | Cameron Matthews misses two point layup | Â |
| 5:52 | | Â | Jayveous McKinnis defensive rebound | Â |
| 5:45 | | +3 | TJ Caldwell makes three point jump shot (Daeshun Ruffin assists) | 15-18 |
| 5:45 | | Â | Bulldogs 30 second timeout | Â |
| 5:28 | | Â | Cameron Matthews misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 5:26 | | Â | Eric Reed Jr. offensive rebound | Â |
| 5:13 | | Â | Daeshun Ruffin personal foul | Â |
| 5:07 | | Â | Jaemyn Brakefield blocks Cameron Matthews's two point jump shot | Â |
| 5:05 | | Â | Jaemyn Brakefield defensive rebound | Â |
| 4:56 | | Â | Myles Burns misses two point jump shot | Â |
| 4:54 | | Â | Eric Reed Jr. defensive rebound | Â |
| 4:35 | | Â | Shakeel Moore misses two point jump shot | Â |
| 4:33 | | Â | Cameron Matthews offensive rebound | Â |
| 4:32 | | +2 | Cameron Matthews makes two point putback dunk | 15-20 |
| 4:14 | | Â | Eric Reed Jr. shooting foul (Jayveous McKinnis draws the foul) | Â |
| 4:14 | | Â | Jayveous McKinnis misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | Â |
| 4:14 | | Â | Jayveous McKinnis misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | Â |
| 4:14 | | Â | Will McNair Jr. defensive rebound | Â |
| 3:54 | | Â | Tyler Stevenson misses two point turnaround jump shot | Â |
| 3:52 | | Â | Myles Burns defensive rebound | Â |
| 3:36 | | +2 | Daeshun Ruffin makes two point driving finger roll layup | 17-20 |
| 3:24 | | Â | Jayveous McKinnis personal foul (Will McNair Jr. draws the foul) | Â |
| 3:24 | | Â | TV timeout | Â |
| 3:05 | | Â | Cameron Matthews misses two point jump shot | Â |
| 3:03 | | Â | Robert Allen defensive rebound | Â |
| 2:54 | | Â | Daeshun Ruffin misses two point jump shot | Â |
| 2:52 | | Â | Will McNair Jr. defensive rebound | Â |
| 2:52 | | Â | Theo Akwuba personal foul (Will McNair Jr. draws the foul) | Â |
| 2:52 | | +1 | Will McNair Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 17-21 |
| 2:52 | | +1 | Will McNair Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 17-22 |
| 2:36 | | Â | Robert Allen turnover (bad pass) (Shakeel Moore steals) | Â |
| 2:21 | | Â | Cameron Matthews turnover (bad pass) (Myles Burns steals) | Â |
| 2:18 | | Â | Myles Burns misses two point jump shot | Â |
| 2:16 | | Â | Matthew Murrell offensive rebound | Â |
| 2:16 | | Â | Cameron Matthews shooting foul (Matthew Murrell draws the foul) | Â |
| 2:16 | | +1 | Matthew Murrell makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 18-22 |
| 2:16 | | +1 | Matthew Murrell makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 19-22 |
| 2:06 | | +2 | KeShawn Murphy makes two point hook shot (Shakeel Moore assists) | 19-24 |
| 1:46 | | Â | Matthew Murrell misses two point driving floating jump shot | Â |
| 1:44 | | Â | Cameron Matthews defensive rebound | Â |
| 1:16 | | Â | Shakeel Moore misses two point jump shot | Â |
| 1:14 | | Â | Amaree Abram defensive rebound | Â |
| 0:46 | | +2 | Amaree Abram makes two point layup | 21-24 |
| 0:18 | | Â | D.J. Jeffries misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 0:16 | | Â | Will McNair Jr. offensive rebound | Â |
| 0:15 | | +2 | Will McNair Jr. makes two point jump shot | 21-26 |
| 0:00 | | +2 | Matthew Murrell makes two point driving layup | 23-26 |
| 0:00 | | Â | End of period | Â |