Rebels pull away late to upend Vanderbilt

OXFORD — Stefan Moody scored 23 points and ignited a decisive 21-5 run midway through the second half Saturday night as Ole Miss defeated Vanderbilt 85-78.

Four players for Ole Miss (15-8, 5-5 SEC) scored in double figures, led by Moody, who added four assists. Tomasz Gielo scored 16 points, Rasheed Brooks added 15 and redshirt freshman Marcanvis Hymon (Whitehaven) had 13 points as the Rebels won for the third time in four starts.

Luke Kornet led Vanderbilt (13-10, 5-5) with 20 points, including nine in the opening four minutes. Wade Baldwin IV and Nolan Cressler added 19 and 14 points for the Commodores, respectively.

Vanderbilt led by as many as 11 points in the first half and 39-37 at halftime. Ole Miss erased a 50-47 deficit with the decisive run and never trailed again. Senior Martavious Newby (Booker T. Washington) and Moody made six consecutive free throws in the final 15 seconds to seal it.

Ole Miss finished 24 of 67 (36 percent) from the field, and Vanderbilt shot 26 of 57 (46 percent). The Rebels had a decisive edge at the free-throw line, hitting 27 of 38 (71 percent); Vanderbilt went 17 of 27 (63 percent).

The loss for the Commodores came in what had been a turnaround stretch. The Commodores had won five of their previous seven games, including a 77-60 win over No. 8 Texas A&M after starting 0-3 in SEC play.

SOle Miss won for the third time in four games, despite being limited by injuries that have sidelined three starters over an eight-game period.

Forward Sebastian Saiz has missed the entire stretch while recovering from eye surgery. Guards Newby (eye injury) and Moody (groin) missed significant playing time in four games, but they played 28 and 39 minutes, respectively against the Commodores.