by Jake Adams
The knock on Ole Miss head coach Andy Kennedy has always been that he can't win the big game when it really matters. Not anymore. Ole Miss beat No. 10 Missouri 64-49 in front of a sold out Tad Smith Coliseum Saturday night and in so doing won a crucial game against a quality opponent to improve to 13-2 (2-0 SEC) and improve the ever-so-important NCAA Tournament resume. It may prove to be the most important game the Rebels play all season, and it was never even close.
The Rebels did it with stifling defense and a big night from Murphy Holloway (22 points, 8 rebounds). Missouri's 49 points was their lowest score of the season. Tigers forward Alex Oriakhi scored just 6 points and as a team the Tigers shot 36.8 percent from the field and only 2 of 18 from 3-point range. Ole Miss also forced Missouri into 19 turnovers.
While the Rebels' 64 point-performance wasn't the offensive display Ole Miss has proven itself capable on many nights this season the Rebels found more ways to score that Missouri and that's all that matters. SEC leading scorer Marshall Henderson had a rather quiet night, finishing with 11 points and 2 of 8 on 3-point attempts, but there's no doubt that his presence on the outside opened things up for Holloway down low. Jarvis Summers had 12 points and was an impressive 8-for-8 from the free throw line.
The best part about the win is that it does away with the age-old argument against any team's NCAA worthiness - quality wins. Missouri is a good basketball team, and Ole Miss beat it soundly. There is still a lot of basketball left to play. Sixteen games in fact. The Rebels could cancel out their great work if they don't keep winning, but this is a great start.
For now though Andy Kennedy won the big one, and it looks like he has built a team capable of winning much, much more. Before this season is over Kennedy will be the winningest (not a word, but it should be) basketball coach in Ole Miss history.
NOTES
The Rebels are 2-0 in the SEC for the first time since 05-06. The crowd of 9,173 was the 11th largest in the history of the coliseum many hope will soon be history. Murphy Holloway is 18 of 22 from the free throw line in his last three games.
Ole Miss takes on Vanderbilt in Nashville Tuesday at 8 p.m. (ESPNU).
OLE MISS HEADLINES:
1. Statement Win.
2. Couldn't stop Murph.
3. Up just two spots in RPI (46th).
4. Murph the Leader.
5. Box Score.
