Aggies Unable to Close Out at Ole Miss

(Source: Sam Craft/Texas A&M Athletics)
(Source: Sam Craft/Texas A&M Athletics)

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Breein Tyree scored 22 points as Mississippi placed three players in double figures and erased a nine-point second-half deficit to defeat Texas A&M 75-71 on Wednesday night.

Terence Davis scored 19 points, including six consecutive free throws in the final 30 seconds, as the Rebels (15-7, 5-4) snapped a four-game losing streak. Blake Hinson added 11 points, including a pair of free throws with 2:51 left to give Ole Miss the lead for the final time at 65-64.

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 to preserve the late lead.

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.


Texas A&M Basketball Postgame Notes
Ole Miss 75, Texas A&M 71
The Pavilion at Ole Miss (Oxford, Miss.) 

ABOUT THE GAME

  • The Aggies dropped to 8-13 on the year, 1-8 in SEC play after coming up just short at Ole Miss Wednesday night.
  •  Ole Miss used a 14-2 run to jump out to an early lead, but A&M responded with a 12-2 run of its own later in the period to get back with three and force the Rebels to burn their second timeout of the game.
  • Wendell Mitchell scored seven straight points for the Aggies in the final four minutes and Brandon Mahan capped off the surge with a three with 14 seconds before the break to make it a 37-36 game at halftime in Ole Miss’ favor.
  • A&M put together a 9-0 run to start the second half and eventually go up nine, but the Rebels worked their way back into it to regain the lead with under five to play.
  • Four free throws before the final minute for Ole Miss forced the Aggies to have to foul with under a minute remaining and allowed the Rebels to close it out.

TEAM NOTES

  • The Aggies set a season best, shooting 47.8-percent from beyond the arc. They neared their season high from range as they knocked down 11 in the game.
  • This is the first time A&M has hit double digit threes in back-to-back games this season (Tennessee – 12).
  • A&M saw two players score 20-plus points in the same game for the fourth time this season.
  • The Aggies used the starting lineup of TJ StarksJay Jay ChandlerWendell MitchellSavion Flagg and Christian Mekowulu for the fifth time this season (1-4).

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

  • Junior Wendell Mitchell recorded his third 20-point game in last five outings, leading the Aggies with 23 points.
  • Sophomore Brandon Mahan matched his season high with 20 points, going 6-for-7 from beyond the arc to record his second 20-point game of the year.
  • Junior Josh Nebo made it three straight games scoring in double figures, notching his third double-double of the year after adding 14 points and 10 boards off the bench.
  • Billy Kennedy is now 145-111 in his eight-year tenure at Texas A&M and 356-290 in his 21 seasons as a head coach.

UP NEXT
The Aggies remain on the road to close out the week, traveling to Missouri on Saturday, Feb. 9, looking to avenge the loss at Reed earlier this season. Tip is set for 5 p.m.

Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics

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