Ole Miss Breaks Losing Streak with Victory Over Auburn
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — In a much-needed victory, Ole Miss emerged victorious against Auburn with an 85-79 finish on Saturday night, breaking a damaging 10-game losing streak. Patton Pinkins and AJ Storr both delivered standout performances, each contributing 26 points to the win. Pinkins demonstrated exceptional accuracy, hitting 8 of his 10 shots from the field and nailing 4 of 5 attempts from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Storr was also effective, making 9 of 15 shots overall.
The Rebels improved their season record to 12-17, including 4-12 in the Southeastern Conference, while Auburn fell to 15-14, struggling with a 6-10 mark in conference play.
Auburn’s Struggles Continue
This loss is particularly significant for Auburn, marking their seventh defeat in the last eight games, which notably jeopardizes their prospects for the NCAA Tournament. Tahaad Pettiford stood out for Auburn with a commendable 24 points on 10-of-16 shooting, supported by Keyshawn Hall’s 21 points, Elyjah Freeman’s 15 points, and Kevin Overton who contributed 10 points.
“After rallying to gain an eight-point lead early in the second half thanks to back-to-back three-pointers by Freeman and Overton, Auburn went on a lengthy scoring drought, failing to convert a field goal for nearly six minutes.”
During that stretch, Ole Miss capitalized, scoring 27 of 34 points and seizing a commanding 67-55 lead when Storr connected on a three-pointer with just over seven minutes left in the game. Auburn fought back with a 16-4 run to bring the game within two points with 3:20 on the clock. However, Ole Miss was quick to respond; Ilias Kamardine hit a three-pointer, and Pinkins sank all six of his free-throw attempts in the closing moments to secure the win.
Auburn has now lost all 13 games in which they have trailed with five minutes remaining this season. Looking ahead, Auburn will look to bounce back as they prepare to host LSU on Tuesday, while Ole Miss gears up to face No. 25 Vanderbilt in their next matchup.
