The top-ranked Kentucky Wildcats survived their toughest challenge of the season Tuesday night, surviving the Ole Miss Rebels 89-86 in overtime. Aaron Harrison led the way for the Wildcats by scoring 26 points, including 2 big free throws with 1:29 left in OT to help hold off the Rebels. Harrison was 9-of-10 from the free throw line and made 5 three-pointers.
The SEC-opening win runs Kentucky to a perfect 14-0, despite the tough challenge from an Ole Miss team they were overwhelming favorites over. The Wildcats had defeated the Rebels 102 times in the previous 115 games between the 2 schools.
Missed free throws in OT is what cost the Rebels a chance to complete the upset, including 2 big misses at the line from Trey Lyles with 15.4 seconds left. The conference-opening loss drops the Rebels to 9-5 on the season.
Devin Booker had 13 points, Andrew Harrison added 12, and Karl-Anthony Towns scored 11 to help the Wildcats survive at home. Willie Cauley-Stein grabbed 12 rebound and had 3 blocks in 39 minutes of play.
Stefan Moody had 25 points and Jarvis Summers 23 in a losing effort for Ole Miss, despite outscoring the Rebels the Wildcats 30-26 in the paint. The Rebels fell behind 12-0 and 18-5, but runs of 10-0 and 7-0 helped them make it a tough challenge for the No. 1 team in the country.
Mississippi also outshot Kentucky 49 percent to 42 percent, but the Wildcats made 6 more free throws than the Rebels.
Kentucky will look to improve in their next conference game on Saturday at Texas A&M, while Ole Miss will host South Carolina that same day.
The SEC-opening win runs Kentucky to a perfect 14-0, despite the tough challenge from an Ole Miss team they were overwhelming favorites over. The Wildcats had defeated the Rebels 102 times in the previous 115 games between the 2 schools.
Missed free throws in OT is what cost the Rebels a chance to complete the upset, including 2 big misses at the line from Trey Lyles with 15.4 seconds left. The conference-opening loss drops the Rebels to 9-5 on the season.
Devin Booker had 13 points, Andrew Harrison added 12, and Karl-Anthony Towns scored 11 to help the Wildcats survive at home. Willie Cauley-Stein grabbed 12 rebound and had 3 blocks in 39 minutes of play.
Stefan Moody had 25 points and Jarvis Summers 23 in a losing effort for Ole Miss, despite outscoring the Rebels the Wildcats 30-26 in the paint. The Rebels fell behind 12-0 and 18-5, but runs of 10-0 and 7-0 helped them make it a tough challenge for the No. 1 team in the country.
Mississippi also outshot Kentucky 49 percent to 42 percent, but the Wildcats made 6 more free throws than the Rebels.
Kentucky will look to improve in their next conference game on Saturday at Texas A&M, while Ole Miss will host South Carolina that same day.
