Dillon CaderDespite missing its two leading scorers, the Ole Miss Men’s Basketball team played one of its best offensive games of the year as it defeated the Georgia Bulldogs in Athens 85-68.
The Rebels came into the game undermanned as Jarkel Joiner and Mathew Murrell missed the game with the flu, leaving the team with few players to look to for offensive production. Nysier Brooks and Luis Rodriguez played but were also limited with flu symptoms.
Nonetheless, the Rebels came out of the gates hot and stayed that way. Ole Miss found themselves up seven early in the game after a series of Austin Crowley baskets. UGA kept it close during the first half, matching most Rebel baskets with their own and eventually taking its first lead of the game with six and a half minutes to go in the first half.
The rest of the half was back and forth as the lead changed three times during the final five minutes. A last-second three from Jaemyn Brakefield gave the Rebels a 42-38 lead at the half.
In the second half, the Rebels took control of the game, shooting at an even better rate than the first. Georgia never grabbed a lead in the second half as they just couldn’t keep up with the red hot Rebel offense.
Ole Miss took a 15 point lead just under six minutes to go and went back to back with threes by Brakefield and Rodriguez to extend the lead to 20, shutting the door on the Bulldogs.
Ole Miss had eight different players reach double figures. Tye Fagan scored 20 points in his return to Athens while Brakefield scored 19 and Crowley scored 18, a career-high for both players. Brooks powered through his sickness and put up 10 points and six rebounds.
The Rebels played one of its best offensive games of the season, shooting 56% from the floor and committing only seven turnovers. Austin Crowley stepped in at point guard and played one of the most efficient games one could have asked of him.
Ole Miss snaps a four game losing skid as it moves to 13-14 on the year and 4-10 in conference play. The Rebels will look to pull one of the biggest upsets of the season at No. 2 Auburn on Wednesday, Feb. 23 as they head into the final two weeks of the season. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. CST
