TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — In an impressive display, Malik Dia led No. 21 Mississippi to a 74-64 victory against No. 4 Alabama on Tuesday night, contributing 23 points, 19 rebounds, and two blocks to the win.
Sean Pedulla and Matthew Murrell also made significant contributions, scoring 12 and 11 points, respectively. Moreover, Ole Miss received a strong performance from Jaylen Murray and Jaemyn Brakefield, who each added 13 points off the bench, helping Ole Miss improve its record to 15-2 and 4-0 in the Southeastern Conference.
For Alabama (14-3, 3-1), Aden Holloway was the leading scorer with 15 points, while Mark Sears added another 11 points.
In the key takeaways from the game, it is evident that Malik Dia is gaining momentum in conference play. During the nonconference schedule, he had only two double-digit scoring games, but he has now achieved 21, 19, and 23 points in his latest three outings.
On the other hand, turnovers have been a recurring issue for Alabama throughout the season. At one point, the team recorded 14 or more turnovers on six occasions within a seven-game span. Although there was a slight improvement in the first three conference matches, Alabama ultimately finished this game with 21 turnovers.
A defining moment of the game occurred when Pedulla sank a pivotal 3-pointer with just over two minutes left, extending the Rebels’ lead back to 12 points after Alabama had narrowed the gap with six consecutive points, pulling it to only five. This was not the first time Pedulla had stepped up to provide crucial points and breathing room for his team.
Looking at the statistics, Ole Miss attempted 70 shots from the field compared to Alabama’s 47, a statistical edge largely attributed to the turnovers committed by the Crimson Tide. While Alabama performed more efficiently, shooting 43% compared to Ole Miss’s 39%, the glaring difference in shot attempts proved too significant for Alabama to overcome.
As the teams prepare for their next challenges, Mississippi will host No. 15 Mississippi State on Saturday, while Alabama is set to visit No. 8 Kentucky on the same day.
