Alex Flanigan scored 26 points, including two decisive free throws with nine seconds remaining, and Ole Miss defeated Temple 77-76 on Wednesday in Philadelphia.
The Rebels (5-0) never trailed until Temple took its only lead with 1:39 remaining. Ole Miss didn’t make a field goal in the final 3:17 and missed four shots while trying to regain the lead before Flanigan was fouled and the Owls missed the final shot.
TJ Caldwell scored 14 points, Matthew Murrell had 12 and Jaylen Murray 11 for the Rebels. Flanigan added eight rebounds and seven assists.
Hysier Miller scored 21 points, Zion Stanford and Matt Picarelli had 14 each, Sam Hofman added 11 and Jordan Riley contributed 10 to lead the Owls (3-2), who went the final 2:51 without a field goal.
Murray made a 3-pointer to start the second-half scoring and push Ole Miss’ lead to 41-33.
Riley made a 3-pointer and added another field goal to help Temple close within two points.
Murrell answered with a 3-pointer and Rashaud Marshall’s field goal pushed the Rebels’ lead to 53-45.
The Owls got within four points on five occasions before Miller made two free throws to get them within 67-65.
Jamarion Sharp and Caldwell made back-to-back 3-pointers to increase the lead to eight points, but Picarelli and Hofman answered with two 3-pointers to get Temple within two again.
Flanigan’s layup gave Ole Miss a four-point lead, but Hofman’s 3-pointer and Miller’s two free throws gave Temple its only lead.
The Rebels opened up va 17-9 lead as Flanigan scored seven points.
Stanford answered with a basket before Murrell’s 3-pointer helped the Rebels open a 22-11 lead.
Miller made a basket for the Owls, but Ole Miss opened a 13-point lead twice.
Then Miller scored five points to help Temple get within 29-21 before the Rebels rebuilt the lead to 12 points twice.
The Owls scored the final five points to trim the lead to 38-33 at halftime.
–Field Level Media