OXFORD, Miss. (AP) - There was no celebration for Mississippi, but there was a sigh of relief.
Ole Miss snapped a four-game losing streak, wiping out a nine-point deficit in the second half Wednesday night, to defeat Texas A&M 75-71.
“It wasn’t pretty, but we found a way,” Mississippi coach Kermit Davis said. “We showed some toughness and contested shots in the last 10 minutes. We were desperate. We really needed this win.”
Breein Tyree scored 22 points for the Rebels (15-7, 5-4) while Terence Davis added 19 points, including six consecutive free throws in the final 30 seconds to preserve the win. Blake Hinson added 11 points, including a pair of go-ahead free throws for a 65-64 lead with 2:51 left.
Wendell Mitchell led Texas A&M (8-13, 1-8) with 23 points while Brandon Mahan had 20 points, including 6 of 7 from the 3-point line. Josh Nebo added 14 points and a game-high 10 rebounds for the Aggies, who led 57-48 on a Savion Flagg layup with 12:46 left.
Ole Miss finished 24 of 58 (41 percent) from the field, including Tyree’s 7 of 15. The Rebels were 9 of 26 (34 percent) from the 3-point line and 18 of 19 (95 percent) from the free throw line.
Texas A&M was 28 of 62 (45 percent) from the field, but struggled with a 1-of-11 slump in the final five minutes. The Aggies hit 11 of 23 (47 percent) from 3-point range but hit only 2 of 10 during the decisive rally by the Rebels.
BIG PICTURE
Texas A&M: Despite falling behind 19-6 in the opening seven minutes, the Aggies did not fold, but could not close it out in the final 10 minutes. … Mahan was outstanding from 3-point range, hitting 10 consecutive shots over a two-game span against Tennessee and Ole Miss. The streak ended with a miss from 25 feet with 1:45 left and the Aggies trailing 67-64.
“He was open, but it was deep,” Texas A&M coach Billy Kennedy said of the potential game-tying shot. “The timing could have been better. It’s unfortunate.”
Ole Miss: The win was especially important and not just because it stopped a four-game losing streak. The Rebels play three of the next four games on the road and have home dates remaining against No. 1 Tennessee and No. 5 Kentucky.
UP NEXT
Texas A&M: The Aggies visit Missouri on Saturday.
Ole Miss: The Rebels travel to Georgia on Saturday.
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