Rebels Defend Home Court Against Georgia

By Adam Brown
Sports Editor
adam.brown@hottytoddy.com

Breein Tyree scored 17 points in the win over Georgia. Photo by Joshua McCoy / Ole Miss Athletics

The Ole Miss Rebels pulled out a 72-71 victory over the Georgia Bulldogs inside the Pavilion on Saturday afternoon.

Prior to the start of the game, eight Ole Miss players decided to kneel during the National Anthem in response to the Confederate rally that was taking place at the same time on the University of Mississippi campus.

“I think our players made an emotional decision to show these people aren’t welcome on our campus, and we respect our players’ freedom and ability to choose that,” Ole Miss coach Kermit Davis said.

The Rebels (19-8, 9-5) overcame a scrappy Georgia squad that hung close to the Rebels throughout the contest.

“(Georgia) played great, they have only won one game in conference but stick with a team on the road,” Davis said. “They have played LSU, Mississippi State and us. Could be 3-0 in those games. It is just a good SEC win for us.”

Ole Miss was led in scoring by junior guard Breein Tyree with 17 points. Tyree only had 3 points in the first half and scored 14 in the second.

A total of three players reached double-figure scoring in sophomore Devontae Shuler who tailed 16 and senior Terence Davis added 13.

Coach Davis’ squad had two defining runs a 13-0 run in the first half and then in the final 20 minutes of action a 15-2 run.

The Bulldogs railed from a 39-29 deficit at halftime as the second half started Georgia got back in the game on a 14-2 run.

“We didn’t come out with a lot of pop in the second half,” he said

Georgia was led by Rayshaun Hammonds with 16 points.

Ole Miss shot 42.9 percent from behind the arc and held the Bulldogs to 31.3 percent from the three-point line. In the paint, the Bulldogs shot 52.1 percent where the Rebels hit at 43.1 percent.

The Rebels out rebounded the Bulldogs by a five-point difference at 34-29. Ole Miss forced Georgia to turn the ball over 19 times in the game.

Ole Miss returns to action on Wednesday as they play host to the Tennessee Volunteers. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. on SEC Network.