Curtis Clinches Ole Miss Victory Over Arkansas

Box Score

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) Dwayne Curtis scored 20 points and sank two free throws with 19.9 seconds left Saturday as Ole Miss snapped a three-game losing streak to defeat Arkansas 74-72.

Ole Miss (12-5, 1-2) let a 14-point lead slip away with eight minutes remaining, but rallied from a 72-71 deficit in the final 30 seconds. Curtis converted two free throws as the Rebels reclaimed the lead for good.

Arkansas (12-5, 1-2) had a turnover and misfired on a lob pass for the potential game-tying basket in the final 10 seconds. The Razorbacks have dropped 10 of the last 11 games in Oxford.

Curtis finished 8-of-15 from the field and added a game-high 12 rebounds. Clarence Sanders and Todd Abernethy had 13 points apiece while Bam Doyne added 11 for the Rebels.

Charles Thomas scored 23 points for the Razorbacks, including eight straight points to give Arkansas a 72-71 lead with 30 seconds remaining. Patrick Beverley added 15 points and five assists.

Arkansas shot 28-of-55, 51 percent, from the field, but could not overcome 21 turnovers.

Ole Miss hit 30-of-69 from the field, for 43 percent, and hit 7-of-8 free throws in the second half to take the lead.

Ole Miss led 38-30 at halftime, using a late 16-4 run, as Curtis scored 14 points. Arkansas, despite 10 points from Thomas, had 11 turnovers and were beaten 21-15 in the rebounding battle.

The Rebels built their biggest lead, 63-49 on a three-point shot by Brian Smith with 8:11 left. Arkansas answered with a 16-2 run to pull into a 65-65 tie on a Sonny Weems layup with 4:05 left.

Arkansas gained a 72-71 edge on a three-point shot by Thomas with 31 seconds remaining. That set the stage for Curtis and the two defensive stops that sealed it for the Rebels.

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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