Ole Miss Beats Auburn, Wins Fifth Straight

AUBURN, Ala. (AP) – LaDarius White scored 20 points and Stefan Moody had 15 to lead Ole Miss to an 86-79 victory over Auburn on Saturday night.

The Rebels (16-7, 7-3 Southeastern Conference) lost most of a nine-point lead in the second half before regrouping to win a fifth straight league game for the first time since the 2012-13 season.

White made all five shots and scored 12 points in the second half. Jarvis Summers added 13 points while Sebastian Saiz scored 11 and Anthony Perez had 10.

Four starters for Auburn (11-12, 3-7) scored in double digits led by Antoine Mason’s 23 points. KT Harrell made four 3-pointers and had 16 points for the Tigers.

Cinmeon Bowers had 11 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists. Tahj Shamsid-Deen added 13 points and Malcolm Canada 12.

The nation’s top free throw shooting team, Ole Miss went 10 of 12 from the line over the final 1:28 to keep the Tigers at bay. Moody fouled out on Shamsid-Deen’s 3-point attempt with 58 seconds left. The Auburn guard made all three free throw attempts to make it 81-76 but the Rebels kept making their free throws.

Auburn scored seven straight points to cut a nine-point deficit to 64-62 with 6:27 left. White then hit a 3-pointer and Perez made two free throws to stretch the lead, and the Rebels held off a couple more challenges. Auburn had a chance to make it a one-possession game again but Harrell’s 3-point try rimmed out.

The Tigers then scored two quick baskets on drives by Shamsid-Deen and Canada, the latter set up by Harrell’s steal.

Ole Miss had pushed its lead to 60-51 with 9:31 left when Moody hit a pair of free throws when Auburn’s Jordon Granger was called for a technical after shoving Anthony Perez. Granger fouled out on the play.