NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Jeff Roberson led the Commodores with a career-high 21 points, including three 3-pointers, but it was not enough as Vanderbilt fell to Ole Miss by a score of 81-74 on Saturday.
Deandre Burnett and Terence Davis both scored 17 points and Mississippi made four straight 3-pointers during a late stretch to put the Rebels over the top.
Justas Furmanavicius and Breein Tyree both added 11 points for the Rebels (14-9, 5-5 SEC), who have won six of their last seven against the Commodores (11-12, 4-6).
The Rebels’ Sebastian Saiz recorded his Southeastern Conference-leading 16th double-double with 16 rebounds and 10 points.
Vanderbilt had 14 3-pointers to nine for Ole Miss.
”I think we had a chance in the first half to kind of put them away early and get some momentum, and we didn’t do that,” said Roberson, a 6-6 forward from Houston. ”In the second half, they came out and got some momentum, and kind of just kept building on that. And once they got rolling, it was hard to stop them.”
Luke Kornet, who became the NCAA’s all-time top 3-point-shooting 7-footer on Tuesday, pulled the Commodores within 77-74 with his fourth 3-pointer with 24.7 seconds left. With at least two NBA scouts at the game, the 7-foot-1 senior scored 18 points and raised his career 3-pointer total to 136.
Matthew Fisher-Davis added 13 points for the Commodores, who had won three of their previous four.
Ole Miss built an 11-point lead late in the game, but Vanderbilt rallied and pulled to within 68-65 on consecutive 3-pointers by Nolan Cressler and Joe Toye with 2:25 left.
After Vanderbilt got within one, the Rebels made four straight 3-pointers during a 12-2 run to give Ole Miss a 60-49 lead with 7:17 left.
BIG PICTURE
Ole Miss: The Rebels kept their NCAA Tournament chances alive with an important road win.
Vanderbilt: The Commodores’ postseason chances slipped after a first-half lead evaporated at home.
TURNING POINT
Vanderbilt led 42-36 with 13:54 left, but Ole Miss made a 12-0 run to take the lead and never trailed again.
”I think they really started attacking us,” Vanderbilt coach Bryce Drew said. ”They really attacked the rim and we didn’t have an answer for their speed, getting to the rim on us and pretty much getting whatever they wanted on offense. We had a couple of turnovers in there, too, which hurt.”
UP NEXT
Ole Miss: Visits Tennessee in a battle of two teams in the middle of the SEC standings on Wednesday.
Vanderbilt: Visits Arkansas, which began the day with the SEC’s No. 2 scoring offense (81.3 ppg), on Tuesday.
