Oxford, Miss. — Ole Miss lost to No. 11 Florida 94-75 Saturday at the SJB Pavilion. The Rebels led early but were unable to maintain their advantage as the Gators pulled away in the second half.
Malik Dia sparked the Rebels early, hitting two mid-range jumpers to give Ole Miss a 6-3 lead. AJ Storr then made a jumper to put the home team ahead 12-10 with under 15 minutes remaining in the first half. Florida responded with a strong run, eventually leading 43-32 at halftime.
In the second half, Florida extended its advantage, maintaining a double-digit lead throughout. Dia led Ole Miss with 24 points, his seventh game with 20 or more. Ilias Kamardine added 14 points, and Patton Pinkins scored 10. The Rebels finished with a 24-19 advantage in rebounds but committed 19 turnovers, tied for their most this season in SEC play, according to the school.
The Gators forced 19 turnovers and shot 57.1% from the field, including 50% beyond the arc. Ole Miss shot 41% overall and 12.5% from three-point range. Florida’s defense also registered seven steals and two blocks by Corey Chest, who added to his season total with multiple blocks.
Ole Miss will host LSU on Wednesday at 8 p.m., with the game televised on the SEC Network. The team remains 11-16 overall and 3-11 in SEC play, while Florida improved to 21-6 and 12-2 in conference.
