Ole Miss tops A&M 69-59; moves into tie for 2nd in SEC

Ole Miss hosted a hot A&M team Wednesday night, stopping the Aggies’ seven-game winning streak with a 69-59 win in the Tad Smith Coliseum.

Ole Miss (15-7, 6-3 SEC) forced the Aggies into 16 turnovers and held A&M’s leading scorers, Danuel House and Jalen Jones, to singe-digit scoring each.

House and Jones had not gone under the 10-point mark since A&M (15-6, 6-3 SEC) lost to No. 1 Kentucky in overtime. Jones did not play in that game due to injury.

Though the Rebels started a bit sluggish from 3-point range, going 0-for-12 in the first 16 minutes of the game, they heated up and went on a 4-for-5 streak from behind the arch in the remaining minutes of the half.

Ole Miss began the second half shooting 7-for-11, while the Aggies were stone cold. When junior guard Stefan Moody knocked down a jumper to put the Rebels up 50-38, it seemed as if the game was well in hand.

However, A&M fought back after House hit a 3-pointer to cut the game to single digits. Senior post Kourtney Roberson soon make two quick baskets to pull the Aggies to within 4, 53-49.

MJ Rhett scored all 11 of his points in the second half to help lead the Rebels past A&M. (Photo credit: Kammie Miller)

Ole Miss, however, kept up the pressure on both ends of the court and the Aggies were unable to get inside of five points in the closing minutes of the game. The Rebels hit free throws when needed, finishing 15-of-20 from the line for the game.

Moody led Ole Miss with 19 points, though senior forward M.J. Rhett led the second half for the Rebels with all 11 of his points coming in that period.

The victory places Ole Miss in a three-way-tie for second place in the SEC going into the weekend’s games.

Next up, the Rebels hit the road to play Auburn on Saturday, while the Aggies will face Missouri in Columbia.