The Ole Miss Rebels stayed close with the Kentucky Wildcats in a close contest, especially in the second half, but could not pull off the win, falling 72-63 on the road Saturday at Rupp Arena.
With the loss, Ole Miss falls to 11-9 of the season and 3-4 in SEC conference play.
Chris Beard's squad stalls in first half
The Rebels had trouble finding an offensive rhythm in the opening half of the game. They missed several open shots and was unable to generate buckets in the paint, allowing Kentucky to take control early. Despite their struggles, they managed to trail the Wildcats by six points, 29-23, at halftime.
However, Ole Miss showed life in the second half to mount a comeback. AJ Storr lead the Rebels with 20 points, which was a team-high. Storr also averaged 20.0 points per game off the bench during the past six contests. Malik Dia added 16 points, while Corey Chest finished with 10 rebounds to help the Rebels stay competitive in the game and keep it intense.
Kentucky had every answer against Ole Miss throughout the game. Otega Oweh led the Wildcats with 23 points, and 20 coming in the second half. He was a dominant force for Kentucky throughout the game.
With the Rebels still within striking distance in the final minutes, Kentucky made sure to put this game out of reach. Sophomore guard Collin Chandler hit a late three-pointer with 47.7 seconds left to goal in the game to extend the lead to six points.
The Wildcats also hit a couple of free throws to hold on for the win. Chandler was a key factor down the stretch. If it weren't for his late three-pointer, the game could have gone either way or into overtime.
COLLIN CHANDLER IS A BUCKET 🔥 @KentuckyMBB pic.twitter.com/rUAPI4wRO8
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) January 24, 2026
Kentucky shot 18-for-50 from the field (36%) and went 28-for-38 at the free throw line. Ole Miss shot 21-for-65 from the field (32%) and 7-for-21 beyond the arc (33%).
Kentucky head coach Mark Pope made positive comments about his players' growth after the game.
"All of our guys, man, are getting more comfortable with each other," he said. "It's fun to watch. We are staying really, really simple so our guys can go play."
Ole Miss returns home to play the Vanderbilt Commodores Saturday Jan. 31st, at 7:30 p.m. CST. The game will air on SEC Network and ESPN+.