In an exciting basketball showdown in Oxford, Mississippi emerged victorious over Oklahoma with a narrow 87-84 win. Sean Pedulla was instrumental in the win, scoring 26 points and sinking a decisive 3-pointer with just 18.3 seconds remaining on the clock. This go-ahead basket was pivotal in securing the win for Ole Miss.
Oklahoma’s standout freshman, Dayton Forsythe, managed to put up an impressive performance, scoring a career-high of 25 points, with 23 of those coming in the second half. In a crucial moment after Pedulla’s decisive shot, Forsythe drove along the baseline but unfortunately threw the ball over the backboard, resulting in a turnover with only 6.1 seconds left in the game.
In the subsequent play, Jeremiah Fears fouled Matthew Murrell with a flagrant-one foul. Murrell capitalized on this opportunity, scoring two free throws and extending the lead to 87-84 with just 3.9 seconds remaining. Despite a steal by Oklahoma’s Mohamed Wague during the inbounds pass, the final effort by Duke Miles was off the mark from 70 feet away.
Pedulla’s remarkable performance included five successful 3-pointers, with 16 of his points coming in the second half. Supporting Ole Miss, Jaemyn Brakefield contributed 16 points, Dre Davis added 13, while Matthew Murrell and Malik Dia each scored 10 points. This win marked a significant turnaround for Ole Miss, ending a three-game losing streak as their record advanced to 20-9 overall and 9-7 in the SEC.
Oklahoma struggled through this stretch, having lost seven of their last eight games. These losses mainly came at the hands of ranked opponents. On the stats sheet for Oklahoma, Miles contributed 15 points, Fears scored 13, and Sam Godwin added 12, though Jalon Moore, their leading scorer, managed only two points.
The second half witnessed a closely contested battle with neither team able to pull away by double digits. Oklahoma managed a late nine-point run to take a slim one-point lead as the game neared its conclusion. Ole Miss had earlier established an 11-point advantage in the first half but held just a 39-38 edge at halftime.
Looking ahead, Oklahoma concludes its regular season with a home game against No. 14 Missouri on Wednesday followed by an away game at Texas next Saturday. Meanwhile, Ole Miss is set to host No. 5 Tennessee on Wednesday and will travel to play No. 3 Florida next Saturday.
