OXFORD, Miss. — Malik Dia achieved an impressive 19 points, while Jaemyn Brakefield contributed 16, leading the No. 23 Mississippi Rebels to a victory over LSU with a score of 77-65 on Saturday night.

The Rebels, now boasting a record of 14-2 and 3-0 in the Southeastern Conference, have started their league campaign with three consecutive wins for the first time in six years.

Dia, who stands at 6-foot-9 and is a transfer from Belmont, showcased his skills by sinking 2 of 4 three-point attempts and securing seven rebounds along with two blocks. This performance followed a standout game against Arkansas, where he tallied 21 points and eight rebounds in their 73-66 win on Wednesday.

For LSU, Cam Carter was the top scorer with 16 points, while Daimon Collins and Jordan Sears contributed 14 and 10 points, respectively.

The first half saw a tightly contested battle, with the Rebels leading 28-26 at the break. LSU managed to seize control momentarily with a 15-0 scoring run, but it was Ole Miss that regained the advantage late in the half with Brakefield’s layup with 46.1 seconds remaining. The Rebels came out strong in the second half, executing a 22-8 run to extend their lead.

Key Takeaways:

For LSU, turnovers proved costly as they committed 17, allowing Ole Miss to capitalize with 23 points off those mistakes. Conversely, Ole Miss leveraged their inside game effectively, building a significant 17-point lead midway through the second half, outscoring the Tigers 22-18 in the paint in that period.

A pivotal moment in the game came when Dia’s three-pointer extended the lead to 48-32, energizing the home crowd and shifting momentum firmly in favor of the Rebels.

Despite being second in the nation for the fewest turnovers per game at 9.0, Ole Miss struggled with ball security, recording nine turnovers in the first half and ending with a total of 13.

Looking ahead, both teams will be back in action on Tuesday night. LSU is set to host Arkansas, while Ole Miss will travel to Alabama.