Ole Miss defeated Alabama State by a score of 69-59 at The Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss on Monday evening. The Rebels went into the break leading by five points, and then outscored the Hornets 34-29 over the final 20 minutes to secure the win.
Matthew Murrell scored a game-high 16 points to lead the way for Ole Miss. Despite Murrell’s performance, the team collectively struggled shooting the ball. They shot 37% from the field while scoring just 0.97 points per possession. They found an advantage on the fast break though, accumulating 17 points in transition.
Antonio “TJ” Madlock recorded 12 points and eight rebounds, and CJ Hines contributed another 12 points to pace Alabama State. As a team, the Hornets had some offensive struggles, scoring just 0.84 points per possession on 27% shooting from the field. They were heavily challenged on field goal attempts in the paint, scoring just 17% of their total points on those shot attempts near the hoop.
KEY MOMENTS FROM THE GAME
- Ole Miss outscored Alabama State in the paint 30 to 10
- Alabama State scored below 60 points for the first time this season
- The teams combined to hit 16 threes
Each team has its next game on Nov. 10. Ole Miss welcomes Eastern Washington to The Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss, where the Rebels will look to earn another win at home. Meanwhile, Alabama State will get another shot at its first win when they take on Iowa at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.