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Ole Miss keeps building chemistry with a convincing win over Central Arkansas

Ole Miss men's basketball improved to 2-0 on the season Friday night, after a 92-60 victory over Central Arkansas inside the Sandy and John Black Pavilion.
ByJake Perkins
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Ole Miss Rebels guard Patton Pinkins speaks to the media. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
Ole Miss Rebels guard Patton Pinkins speaks to the media. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Ole Miss continues to work on its ability to play together on both ends of the floor, combining efficient shooting, aggressive defense, and unselfish ball movement to claim their second win of the season. This time around, the Rebels recorded a dominant win was posted over Central Arkansas.

The Rebels wasted no time trying to find their groove. Corey Stephenson opened up the scoring with a fadeaway jumper off a smooth assist from senior Adam "Budd" Clark, and Roman Siulepa followed with a hard-fought layup to give Ole Miss an early lead.

Patton Pinkins quickly became a standout player for the Rebels, knocking down shots from beyond the arc and creating opportunities on the defensive end. His first-half performance helped Ole Miss build a 47-24 halftime lead. Pinkins finished the night with a team-high 19 points, four 3-pointers and three steals. For the Rebels to have a tournament year, Pinkins must continue to build on his game each night.

Patton Pinkins found his groove in the Ole Miss throttling of Central Arkansas

Ole Miss also profited from the ball movement it found against the Bears, turning errors into points, as Central Arkansas had 18 turnovers, which the Rebels converted into 20 points. Clark continued to direct the offense with 13 points and a team-high six assists.

The Rebels wasted no time carrying their aggression into the second half, with Pinkins opening the period with a steal and a strong and-one finish at the rim. Stephenson added an offensive rebound for the Rebels and a putback before Ben Henshall converted a three-point play to extend the advantage.

Beyond the 32-point blowout, the Rebels showed encouraging signs of a team growing more comfortable playing together, which is exactly what this team needs in a stacked SEC conference. Four players reached double figures, all available players saw action, and Ole Miss continued to generate opportunities through unselfish play on both ends of the floor.

Clark also reached a career milestone, surpassing 500 career assists while continuing to serve as a potential centerpiece of the Rebel offense.

Ole Miss has gotten off to a 2-0 start to begin each of Chris Beard's four seasons as head coach. Ole Miss will try to build chemistry and momentum when it hosts Southeastern Louisiana on Tuesday night at the Pavilion. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. CT.

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