Breein Tyree scored 22 points as Mississippi placed five players in double figures Wednesday to defeat San Diego 93-86.
Terence Davis scored 20 points, with a game-high 9 assists, for the Rebels (4-2). Blake Hinson and KJ Buffen had 15 points apiece while Devontae Shuler added 13. Buffen had a game-high seven rebounds.
Ole Miss built a 79-63 lead on a Dominik Olejniczak jumper with 4:35 left before a late run by San Diego pulled within 91-86. The Rebels finished 20 of 23 (87 percent) from the free throw line, including 8 of 8 by Tyree, to preserve the win.
"That was Breein's best overall game and I was glad to see he had six rebounds," Ole Miss coach Kermit Davis said. "This was a big game. I told our guys that in March, that's going to be a real good win."
Isaiah Wright scored 22 points with six assists to lead the Toreros (5-2), who had a three-game win streak snapped. Isaiah Pineiro scored 21 points, 17 in the first half, and Olin Carter III added 19 points for San Diego, which trailed 39-37 at halftime.
"Ole Miss played really, really well," first-year San Diego coach Sam Scholl said. "Our guys didn't panic. We showed maturity when we were down. But Ole Miss can get you tired defensively when they shoot well and we paid for that."
The Rebels shot 33 of 54 (61 percent) from the field, including 7 of 16 (44 percent) from 3-point range. San Diego was 31 of 64 (48 percent), 9 of 23 (39 percent) from deep and 15 of 18 (83 percent) from the line.
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BIG PICTURE
San Diego: The Toreros, with four seniors in the starting lineup, could be a dark horse challenger in the WCC. A December non-conference schedule includes Oregon and Washington State, but San Diego is already 1-1 against Pac-12 teams, defeating Colorado and losing at Washington. The trio of Wright, Carter III and Pineiro will lead the offense in a quest for postseason play.
"I made sure I told Pineiro and Carter III that I hope you guys make the (NCAA) Tournament because they've got the kind of team that can win in the tournament," Davis said. "I was really impressed with them."
Ole Miss: The Rebels shot 6 of 8 in a six-minute surge that spanned the first and second half to build what proved to be an insurmountable 52-44 lead. The Rebels did not look fatigued, despite playing four games in less than six days, including two on the road. Ole Miss has hit 36 of 40 (90 percent) from the free throw line over the past two games.
UP NEXT
San Diego: The Toreros host Long Beach State on Saturday.
Ole Miss: The Rebels host Louisiana Monroe on Saturday.
