Tuesday night featured a packed slate of men’s hoops and was highlighted by two top-5 upsets in the SEC with Ole Miss handling No. 4 Alabama and Missouri narrowly escaping No. 4 Alabama. Here’s how it all went down.
Ole Miss upsets No. 4 Alabama, 74-64
No. 21 Ole Miss delivered a statement win Tuesday night, toppling No. 4 Alabama 74-64 on the road to hand the Tide their first SEC loss of the season. Led by center Malik Dia’s 23-point, 19-rebound double-double, the Rebels controlled the game down the stretch.
After a back-and-forth first half, Alabama held a slim 36-32 advantage at the break, but Ole Miss took over in the second half. The Rebels capitalized on Alabama’s poor ball-handling, forcing 21 turnovers and converting them into 19 points. Sean Pedulla added 12 points and four assists, while Matthew Murrell chipped in 11 points, including two key three-pointers during a decisive second-half run.
Alabama’s high-powered offense struggled to find its rhythm, shooting just 25% from beyond the arc. Despite 15 points from Aden Holloway and 11 from Mark Sears, the Crimson Tide couldn’t overcome their turnover troubles. Grant Nelson finished with nine points and eight rebounds but missed crucial free throws down the stretch.
The victory marked a historic milestone for Ole Miss, as it was the Rebels’ first-ever road win over a top-5 opponent. Now 15-2 overall and 4-0 in SEC play, Ole Miss remains unbeaten in conference action and solidifies its status as a legitimate contender.
Missouri stuns No. 5 Florida in thriller
Missouri secured a signature win on Tuesday night, defeating No. 5 Florida 83-82 in Gainesville to hand the Gators their second SEC loss of the season. Caleb Grill led the Tigers with 22 points, including six three-pointers, as Mizzou (14-3, 3-1 SEC) held off multiple Florida comeback attempts in the second half.
The Tigers came out hot, scoring 50 points in the first half while shooting 63.6% from the field to build a 16-point halftime lead. Grill’s early barrage from deep helped Missouri take control, and Mark Mitchell added 15 points and eight rebounds to aid the Tigers’ offense.
Florida (15-2, 2-2 SEC) fought back after halftime, fueled by Walter Clayton Jr.’s game-high 28 points. A stretch of timely three-pointers and second-chance points cut the deficit to as little as three with under four minutes to play. However, Missouri’s Tamar Bates and Trent Pierce made clutch plays down the stretch, with Pierce’s dunk and corner three providing enough separation to hold off the Gators.
Despite being out-rebounded 37-36 and shooting only 62.1% from the free-throw line, Missouri’s defense forced 13 turnovers, including 12 steals, to swing the game in its favor.
The win marks Missouri’s second victory over a top-five opponent this season, after defeating then-No. 1 Kansas. It also gives the Tigers their first 3-1 start in SEC play in school history.
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