Oscar Tshiebwe had his 12th consecutive double-double as No. 7 Kentucky defeated Ole Miss 83-72 on Tuesday night in Lexington, Ky.
Tshiebwe finished with 18 points and 15 rebounds for his 24th double-double of the season. Sahvir Wheeler added 16 points, TyTy Washington Jr. scored 14 and Keion Brooks Jr. had 10 for the Wildcats (24-6, 13-4 Southeastern Conference), who bounced back from a Saturday loss at then-No. 18 Arkansas.
Matthew Murrell scored 25 points and Nysier Brooks added 14 to lead the Rebels (13-17, 4-13), who lost for the seventh time in the past eight games.
Tshiebwe scored six of Kentucky’s first 10 points of the second half as the Wildcats took a 54-42 lead.
Each time the Rebels started to make a run, Kentucky had an answer.
Ole Miss closed within 10 points, but Tshiebwe’s layup soon pushed the lead back to 64-50.
The Rebels got within 66-56 with 7:05 to go before Tshiebwe answered with a jumper and Keion Brooks Jr. added a layup to give the Wildcats a 70-56 lead a minute later.
Ole Miss got within six points, but Wheeler scored on a drive for a 76-68 lead with 2:47 to go.
James White made a jumper to get the Rebels within 76-70 with 2:17 left, but that was their last field goal.
Washington made three free throws and Keion Brooks Jr. sank two foul shots and jumper to seal the victory.
Kellan Grady scored five points during a 10-run that gave the Wildcats a 15-6 lead.
Jaemyn Brakefield’s layup ended the run, but Kentucky twice rebuilt the lead to nine points shortly thereafter.
Murrell scored eight straight Rebels points and added an assist as Ole Miss pulled within 24-21.
The Wildcats scored the next six points, but the Rebels countered with the next six after that, leaving Kentucky with a 30-27 lead.
Washington made a jumper, a 3-pointer and a layup for a 37-27 lead.
Brakefield made a layup, but Wheeler assisted on Tshiebwe’s dunk and Davion Mintz’s 3-poiner, giving Kentucky a 42-29 lead.
Ole Miss closed the half with a 6-2 run, leaving the Wildcats with a 44-35 halftime lead.
–Field Level Media
