KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nate Ament scored 26 of his 28 points in the second half to lead No. 25 Tennessee to its fourth consecutive victory Tuesday night with an 84-66 win over Mississippi.
The Volunteers (16-6, 6-3 Southeastern Conference) led 67-51 with 6:15 left when Rebels guard AJ Storr had the ball stripped from him and was called for a foul. Ole Miss coach Chris Beard was incensed and got ejected after being called for two technicals.
Tennessee hit three free throws and then Ament converted a three-point play to put the game out of reach.
Ja’Kobi Gillespie scored 20 points for Tennessee. J.P. Estrella had 12 and Bishop Boswell added 10.
Ole Miss (11-11, 3-6) lost its fourth straight. Storr and Patton Pinkins had 15 points apiece to lead the Rebels. Ilias Kamardine added 11 and Eduardo Klafke scored 10.
Tennessee returned to the AP Top 25 this week. After being ranked in 90 consecutive polls over five seasons, the Vols dropped out when they lost a 17-point lead and the game against Kentucky on Jan. 17.
Tennessee (33%) and Ole Miss (31%) both struggled from the field in the first half. Gillespie had 10 points at the break to key the Vols’ 26-25 advantage. Pinkins had 11 for the Rebels.
When Tennessee’s Felix Okpara missed last week’s game against Auburn with a left calf injury, it ended his streak of 64 straight starts and 82 consecutive appearances dating to 2023. Without the 6-foot-11 Okpara, Tennessee still dominated the Tigers on the boards, 46-30. Okpara missed Tuesday’s game, as did Vols reserve Amaree Abram (illness).
An ice storm Jan. 23 impacted Oxford enough that Mississippi’s game against Vanderbilt was moved to Nashville. After Saturday’s game at Texas, Ole Miss will have played seven of its first 10 SEC games on the road.
Up next
Mississippi visits Texas on Saturday.
Tennessee plays at Kentucky on Saturday.
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Al Lesar, The Associated Press
