Ole Miss narrowly misses comeback in 71-68 loss at Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt edged Ole Miss 71-68 Saturday night in Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville, Tenn. The Rebels trailed by as many as 13 points in the first half but rallied in the second, closing the gap to two in the final minute.

Vanderbilt (19-3, 6-3 SEC) led 31-23 at halftime after an 18-10 first-half run. Ole Miss (11-10, 3-5 SEC) started the second half strong, with Travis Perry hitting a three to bring the Rebels within five. Vanderbilt responded to push their lead back to 11, but Ole Miss kept fighting.

Ilias Kamardine scored a baseline drive, drawing a foul and hitting a free throw to trim Vanderbilt’s lead to 61-57. Over the next few minutes, the lead fluctuated, with Ole Miss closing the gap to two on a three-pointer from AJ Storr with under a minute remaining. Storr then hit a three to put the Rebels within two, 70-68, with 15 seconds left.

In the final seconds, Vanderbilt’s AK Okereke made his first free throw and missed the second, giving Ole Miss a chance to tie. Storr’s three-point attempt missed, and Vanderbilt’s Dia dribbled out the clock, securing the win for the Commodores.

Ole Miss will face Tennessee on Feb. 3 in Knoxville. The Rebels are scheduled to play at Texas on Feb. 7 and host Alabama on Feb. 11, according to the team’s upcoming schedule. The game was notable for Ole Miss’s strong defensive effort, holding Vanderbilt to 71 points despite the Commodores’ NCAA-leading offense.

AJ Storr scored 16 points for Ole Miss, marking his seventh consecutive game in double figures. Ilias Kamardine added 14 points, and Malik Dia led the Rebels with 16 rebounds.

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