Ole Miss Edges Texas 72-69 in Thrilling SEC Showdown

OXFORD, Miss. — The No. 23 Ole Miss Rebels snapped their three-game losing streak with a hard-fought 72-69 victory over the Texas Longhorns on Wednesday night at The Pavilion. In a game featuring 10 ties and 12 lead changes, the Rebels capitalized on critical free throws and defensive stops to secure the win.

Texas (14-7, 3-5 SEC) entered the contest riding a two-game winning streak and appeared poised to extend it, building an early 13-point lead. However, Ole Miss (16-5, 5-3 SEC) clawed back behind a balanced scoring effort and clutch performances from senior guard Sean Pedulla and forward Jaemyn Brakefield. Pedulla led the Rebels with 19 points, including four three-pointers, while Brakefield added 18 points and five rebounds.

Freshman guard Tre Johnson starred for Texas, scoring a game-high 22 points, but struggled with efficiency, shooting 6-of-16 from the field. The Longhorns shot just 5-of-22 from beyond the arc, with junior guard Jordan Pope finishing 3-of-14 for eight points. Despite outrebounding Ole Miss 42-33 and holding a 28-24 edge in points in the paint, Texas committed 11 turnovers, which the Rebels converted into a 13-4 advantage in points off turnovers.

“We preach staying under 10 turnovers to put ourselves in a position to win,” Texas head coach Rodney Terry said. “Tonight, those extra possessions made the difference.”

The game remained tight throughout the second half, with neither team leading by more than five points. With 26 seconds remaining and Ole Miss up 70-69, Rebels guard Davon Barnes calmly sank two free throws to extend the lead to three. Johnson had a chance to tie the game with a corner three-pointer in the final seconds, but his shot rimmed out, sealing the victory for Ole Miss.

Ole Miss also benefited from a 19-of-25 performance at the free-throw line, compared to Texas’ 12-of-18. The Rebels’ ability to draw fouls and convert at the stripe proved crucial in a game decided by slim margins.

Texas now turns its attention to a must-win game against LSU on Saturday as it seeks to bolster its NCAA Tournament resume. Ole Miss, meanwhile, will look to build momentum as it continues its push in the competitive SEC.