Ole Miss ends 10-game losing streak with win at Auburn

Ole Miss ended its 10-game losing streak Saturday with an 85-79 win at Auburn. The Rebels (12-17, 4-12 SEC) shot 53% from the field, led by freshmen Patton Pinkins and AJ Storr, who each scored 26 points. Pinkins shot 8-10 overall and 4-5 from three-point range, marking a career high. Storr also added 26 points.

Auburn (15-14, 6-10 SEC) has lost seven of its last eight games. The Tigers were led by Tahaad Pettiford, who scored 24 points, and Keyshawn Hall with 21. Auburn jumped out to a 9-3 lead, but Pinkins responded with three early three-pointers to put Ole Miss ahead 21-15 with 12:49 remaining in the first half.

The Tigers regrouped, going on a 16-4 run to take a 31-25 lead. Ole Miss closed the half strong, scoring eight straight points to take a 38-37 advantage into halftime. Auburn opened the second half with an 11-2 run, fueled by deep shots from Elyjah Freeman and Kevin Overton.

However, Pinkins sparked a comeback with an 8-0 run at the 15-minute mark, giving Ole Miss a 53-51 lead. The Rebels extended their lead to 12 points, helped by timely three-pointers from Storr and post scoring from James Scott, reaching 67-55 with 7:32 remaining.

Auburn responded, narrowing the gap to two points in the final minutes. A key three by Ilias Kamardine with 2:57 left gave Ole Miss a two-possession lead. The Rebels sealed the game at the free-throw line, with Storr and Pinkins combining to go 9-11 down the stretch. Ole Miss outrebounded Auburn and scored six more points off turnovers. The team also dominated in bench points, outscoring the Tigers’ reserves 28-4.

While the victory provides a morale boost, Ole Miss’s prospects for March Madness remain slim unless they win the SEC tournament. The Rebels will face No. 25 Vanderbilt on Tuesday at 8 p.m. CT, with the game broadcast on SEC Network+ and SuperTalk Mississippi stations.

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