No. 23 Ole Miss Edges BYU in Overtime to Stay Unbeaten
The Rebels gear up to face No. 13 Purdue on Friday.
BYU knocked down a flurry of three-pointers but couldn’t stop Juju Murray, who led Ole Miss to a 96-85 overtime victory with a career-high performance.
The Rebels (6-0) extended their nation-leading non-conference win streak to 19 games. In overtime, teams often rely on key players to seize momentum, and Murray, along with his teammates, did just that to secure the victory.
With the score tied at 77 after regulation, Ole Miss outscored BYU 19-8 in overtime, starting with an early basket and quickly establishing an 83-78 lead. Strong defensive plays and accurate free-throw shooting sealed the win against a BYU squad that stayed competitive by sinking 12 three-pointers.
Murray delivered a career-high 27 points, shooting 10 of 14 from the field and a flawless 4 of 4 from the free-throw line. Dre Davis and Matthew Murrell contributed 18 points each, going a combined 16 of 20 from the charity stripe.
This neutral-site victory could bolster Ole Miss’ tournament resume in March if the season unfolds as expected. BYU is a solid program, brought strong fan support, and exemplifies the enduring college basketball tradition of sharpshooting white players. The Cougars are likely to win 20+ games in the Big XII, making this a valuable win for the Rebels.
Next up, Ole Miss faces No. 13 Purdue in the Rady Children’s Invitational Championship. The game is set for 5 p.m. on Friday.