OXFORD, Miss. — Sean Pedulla and Matthew Murrrell both contributed 19 points in a strong showing as Mississippi triumphed over Oral Roberts with a score of 100-68 on Thursday night, maintaining their perfect record.
The victory saw five Ole Miss players reach double figures, with Jaemyn Brakefield and Davon Barnes each adding 13 points, while Mikeal Brown-Jones chipped in with 12 points.
For Oral Roberts, they had Darius Robinson Jr. leading the scoreboard with 19 points, followed by Sam Alajiki with 14 points and Issac McBride scoring 13.
In terms of statistics, Oral Roberts had been projected to finish fifth in the Summit League but struggled last season with a 12-19 record.
On the other hand, Ole Miss has continued its winning streak from last season, going an impressive 13-0 in non-conference games, now achieving 18 consecutive victories in non-conference play, the longest such streak in the country. Notable previous victories include games against North Carolina State and Memphis. However, Ole Miss has yet to meet any high major teams this season.
A pivotal moment in the game occurred when Ole Miss struggled initially with three-point shooting, missing their first nine attempts. However, they rebounded to sink their last four three-pointers, overcoming Oral Roberts’ 52% shooting efficiency to lead 50-40 at halftime.
The Rebels extended their lead to 20 points at one stage, with the score at 71-51, following a left-handed layup by Brown-Jones after finding an angle around his defender, indicating a turning point in what became a dominant performance.
A key takeaway from the game was the Rebels converting 37 points off 21 turnovers committed by Oral Roberts, which emphasized their offensive efficiency. Ole Miss dominated in the paint, outscoring the Eagles 44-16, and managed to keep their own turnovers to just eight while achieving 13 steals, with five attributed to Pedulla alone.
Looking ahead, Ole Miss is set to face 4-0 Brigham Young in San Diego on Thanksgiving, with North Carolina State and Purdue also participating in the neutral-site event.