The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Finishes Strong in Win over New Orleans
11/30/2006 | Men's Basketball
OXFORD, Miss. (AP) -- Jermey Parnell and Bam Doyne scored 16 points apiece to lift Ole Miss to an 85-77 win over New Orleans on Thursday. Ole Miss (7-1) is off to its best start since 2000-01, when the Rebels started 11-0 en route to a Southeastern Conference Western Division title.
Parnell was 5-for-5 from the field and 6-of-7 from the free throw stripe in recording a career-high in points and his third straight game with 13 or more.
First-year Rebels Kenny Williams and Eniel Polynice each added 15 points for Ole Miss, which shot a season-best 29-of-54 (.537) from the field. The Rebels were 21-of-27 (.778) from the free throw line, including 13-of-15 in the final three minutes.
Bo McCalebb led New Orleans (2-6) with 26 points, seven assists and six rebounds. James Parlow scored 19 points, Jamie McNeilly had 12 and Shaun Reynolds put 10 on the board for the Privateers. New Orleans led 41-37 at halftime, rallying from an early eight-point deficit. But Ole Miss took the lead for good on a 3-point shot by Polynice with 6:09 left. The 6-foot-5 guard hit all four of his attempts from behind the arc in turning in the best game of his freshman campaign. The Privateers pulled within 70-68 on a McCalebb jumper with 2:50 left, but Ole Miss went on a 9-0 run to seal it.New Orleans managed only 13-of-31 (.419) from the field in the second half.
The Rebels take a week break for finals before returning to action Dec. 9 at nationally-ranked Memphis. Tip off is set for noon CT at the FedEx Forum.