Field Level Media
Jan 13, 2018
Ole Miss got 22 points from forward Bruce Stevens and overcame an 8-point deficit early in the second half in rallying for a 78-72 victory over Florida on Saturday afternoon at The Pavilion in Oxford, Miss.
After missing the previous game because of illness, guard Deandre Burnett added 20 points -- 15 in the second half -- and guard Markel Crawford added 17 for the Rebels (10-7, 3-2 Southeastern Conference).
Sophomore forward Keith Stone scored a career-high 23 for the Gators (12-5, 4-1 SEC), who managed only one field goal over the last seven minutes and saw their winning streak snapped at six games.
The Rebels were down 52-44 early in the second half before pulling even on an 8-0 run. The game was tied for the 13th time at 64-64 when Stevens hit a go-ahead layup with under six minutes left to give Ole Miss the lead for good.
Forward Egor Koulechov and guard Jalen Hudson scored 11 points each for the Gators. Hudson, the team's leading scorer with a 16.6 average entering the game, fouled out with 40 seconds left after a replay review overturned what would have been his fifth foul with 1:46 remaining.
The two teams were deadlocked at 31-31 at the half when Florida guard KeVaughn Allen drilled a 3-pointer from the wing at the buzzer.
The Gators led by as many as seven points, 17-10, after going on an 8-0 run midway through the first half and were still up by four, 22-20, on Koulechov's 3-pointer before the Rebels rallied.
Two free throws by Marcanvis Hymon at the 3:30 mark put the Rebels up 27-25, and Crawford's jumper with under a minute left in the period had Ole Miss up 31-28, but Burnett forced a layup with 24 seconds remaining to give Florida its late opportunity.
The Gators shot well early in the period but cooled off and ended up shooting only 35.5 percent (11-of-31) for the half. The Rebels slogged their way to a 30.3 percent first half (10-of-33).
--Field Level Media