The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Nearly Upsets SEC West Leading LSU
2/14/2009 | Men's Basketball
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Ole Miss led for much of the game, but a veteran LSU squad overcame the visiting attack, and the Rebels dropped a 73-66 decision at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
David Huertas scored 15 points, Terrico White and Murphy Holloway both dropped in 13, and Malcolm White added 10 in the effort.
Marcus Thornton scored 22 points and LSU rallied from an eight-point deficit in the final nine minutes.
It was the ninth consecutive Southeastern Conference win for the Tigers (21-4, 9-1), who are two games ahead of Kentucky, South Carolina and Tennessee in the overall SEC race.
Ole Miss (13-11, 4-6) led 62-54 after Terrance Henry scored with 9:12 left in the game.
LSU scored nine consecutive points to take its first lead of the second half. Two field goals, one a 3-pointer by Thornton, started the outburst.
Chris Johnson's basket pulled LSU within one point and Tasmin Mitchell gave the Tigers a 63-62 lead on two free throws with 4:08 remaining.
Mitchell added 20 points.
"The thing I was disappointed in is they have two kids on their team who are player of the year candidates in Tasmin Mitchell and Marcus Thornton," Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy said. "... We would prefer that someone else would step up and make the plays. But that's what great players do. I felt they were tremendous."
