Ole Miss uses big run to get past Chattanooga 90-70
OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Breein Tyree and Terence Davis scored 20 points apiece and keyed a decisive 28-0 second half run Sunday as Mississippi defeated Chattanooga 90-70.
Bruce Stevens added 15 points for Ole Miss (8-2), which shot 19 of 30 (63 percent) from the field in the second half, finishing 32 of 52 (61 percent). The Rebels finished 9 of 16 (52 percent) from the 3-point line, including three by Tyree.
"It was really fun for me and when we're playing like that, it's hard to stop us," Tyree said. "Chattanooga really ran their sets and shot well. They put pressure on us. In the second half, it made me feel more energetic and that I needed to give us some pop."
David Jean-Baptiste scored 15 points for Chattanooga (5-7), which led 39-37 at halftime and 45-39 early in the second half. Jonathan Scott and Ramon Vila added 14 and 10 points, respectively. Scott had a team-high seven rebounds.
The Rebels needed less than six minutes to make the 28-0 run, capped by a 3-point shot from Tyree, for a 67-45 lead with 10:43 left. Chattanooga missed 11 consecutive shots, including a pair of layups and turned the ball over twice during the Ole Miss outburst.
"When you get a run like that, a lot has to go right," Ole Miss coach Kermit Davis said. "But the biggest thing that has to go right is the defense. That was exciting to see. We were able to speed them up, got some points on turnovers and Breein heated up."
The Mocs shot 27 of 58 (46 percent) from the field, but hit 11 of 21 (52 percent) from the 3-point line, including three by Scott. Donovann Toatley had a game-high 10 assists.
"There were a lot of positives for us. We were down early and came back to take a lead," Chattanooga coach Lamont Paris said. "Then you've got to give them a lot of credit for what they did and no question, they're explosive. But we can build off the positives."
BIG PICTURE
Chattanooga: The Mocs had an impressive 24-6 run that spanned the final four minutes of the first half and opening three minutes of the second half to take a 45-39 lead with 16:52 left. The Mocs hit four consecutive 3-point shots in the surge, including a pair from Jerry Johnson, Jr.
"We played and managed the game well to get in position to win," said Paris. "I know people will look at the final score and think it was a blowout, but really, we're talking about a six-minute period in the second half that finally took us out."
Ole Miss: The game-turning blitz began with four consecutive 3-point shots, including a pair by Tyree, in a two-minute opening salvo. The Rebels, the best free throw shooting team (78.6 percent) in the SEC and sixth in the nation, started 6 of 12 (50 percent) before finishing 17 of 25 (68 percent). Davis had team highs with seven rebounds and five assists.
UP NEXT
Chattanooga: The Mocs complete a three-game road trip with a visit Tennessee Martin on Tuesday.
Ole Miss: The Rebels face Middle Tennessee in a neutral site game in Nashville, Tennessee, at the Bridgestone Arena on Friday.
