The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
12-13, 4-10SEC
Alabama
15-10, 7-7SEC
Rebels Drop Road Contest At Alabama, 84-69
2/28/2004 | Men's Basketball
Feb 28, 2004
By JOHN ZENOR
AP Sports Writer
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Earnest Shelton scored 25 points and Kennedy Winston had 22 to lead Alabama to an 84-69 victory over Mississippi on Saturday.
The Crimson Tide (15-10, 7-7 Southeastern Conference) continued to strengthen its case for an NCAA tournament bid that once seemed out of reach while the Rebels (12-13, 4-10) dropped their fourth straight.
Alabama has won three games in a row since a five-game losing streak and continued the home team's string of 12 straight wins in the series.
Shelton, who was sidelined with a knee injury in the Tide's loss at Ole Miss earlier this season, made 4-of-8 3-pointers and was perfect in nine free throw attempts.
Antoine Pettway had 14 points and Emmett Thomas added 11 for the Tide, which made 22-of-29 free throws. Alabama's perimeter shooters made the Rebels pay with 12 3-pointers.
Justin Reed led Ole Miss with 29 points and 11 rebounds, making 14 of 19 free throw attempts. Aaron Harper added 19, but the Rebels stars got little help as the team remains winless in SEC road games.
Ole Miss got as close as six points early in the second half, but Alabama responded with a 10-0 run to push it to 70-54 with 11 minutes left and the Rebels never got it back into single digits.
The Rebels' two-man show kept them close in the first half, with Harper and Reed combining for all but seven points as Alabama led 45-38. Ole Miss used an 8-0 run to cut into a 13-point deficit late, then Winston scored off an offensive rebound with 21 seconds left.
Rebels coach Rod Barnes was called for a technical after staying on the court to yell at the officials at the half's end over an earlier call, allowing Alabama to start the second half with Shelton making two free throws.
It was the third technical of the half.
