Ole Miss hammers Florida Gulf Coast

Published 5:52 pm Saturday, December 29, 2018

OXFORD (AP) — Ole Miss coach Kermit Davis spoke quietly in the postgame press conference. His Rebels spoke loud and clear on the court Saturday in an 87-57 win over Florida Gulf Coast.

“We finished undefeated in December and that’s hard to do. I don’t care who you are,” Davis said. “We’ve played six of 11 games away from home and we’re 10-2 and undefeated in December. We’ve still got progress to make, but I like where we are right now.”

Terence Davis scored 20 points as Ole Miss placed five players in double figures. The Rebels raced to a 7-0 lead in the opening four minutes and were never seriously threatened.

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Breein Tyree scored 14 points, while Devontae Shuler, Bruce Stevens and Blake Hinson added 11 apiece for the Rebels (10-2), who won their seventh game in a row. Davis had a team-high six rebounds and added two assists.

“Our energy level was really good early,” Davis said. “Florida Gulf Coast is talented offensively and we were able to take them out of a lot of things they do well. Getting 31 baskets on 22 assists means we’re moving the ball.”

RaySean Scott Jr. scored 18 points with nine rebounds and Dinero Mercurius added 12 points for the Eagles (5-10). Scott was 8-of-10 from the field, but the Eagles finished 21-of-52 shooting (40 percent), including 6-of-16 (37 percent) from 3-point range.

Ole Miss added to the early 7-0 run with a 22-6 spurt that spanned seven minutes of the first and second halves to take control. The Rebels led 44-26 at halftime and by as many as 37 points, 85-48, on a Zach Naylor dunk with 3:08 left.

The Rebels shot 31 of 60 (52 percent) from the field, including 12-of-25 (48 percent) from the 3-point line with Davis and Tyree sinking three apiece.