How It Happened: Ilias Kamardine Lifts Ole Miss Basketball Past Memphis Tigers

OXFORD, Miss. – Ilias Kamardine scored a career high 26 points to lead Ole Miss past Memphis in front of a loud SJB Pavilion 83-77 on Tuesday night.

Memphis (1-1) struck first, opening the game with a breakaway layup off the jump ball. Ole Miss (3-0) got things started offensively after Malik Dia hit a three-pointer to respond to the quick score by Memphis at the 19:31 mark.

The first two scoring plays of the game set up how the rest of the first half would go, as the two rivals kept close through the first 10 minutes of action. Neither team seemed to be able to exploit the other until the 10:55 mark, when Patton Pinkins converted an and-one layup to put the Rebels up 17-15.

Pinkins' play sparked the beginning of a 6-0 run for the Rebels to go up 23-17. From then on, the home team didn't look back, as Kamardine exploded for 16 points in the first half to put the Rebels up 42-33 at the midway break.

In the second half, Memphis managed to close the gap and keep the game tight, as the Tigers went 15-of-30 from the field to stay on the heels of the Rebels.

However, Kamardine continued to keep the Rebels afloat as he scored 10 more points, including a fastbreak dunk that helped secure the win for the Rebels in the final thirty seconds of the game.

Ole Miss finished the game 27-of-52, 51.9% from the field and 8-of-13, 61.5% from three.

Three other Rebels finished the game with double digits in points, Kezza Giffa (15), Malik Dia (13) and AJ Storr (10).

Ole Miss returns to action in the Tad Pad this Friday, November 14 in a matchup against Cal State Bakersfield. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. on SEC Network+.

NOTABLES

Ole Miss has won five straight in Oxford against Memphis with the victory tonight.

Ilias Kamardine's first 20-point game of his college career is the second 20-point game by a Rebel this season (Malik Dia, 20 in season opener).

The Rebels committed just seven turnovers tonight, after recording 22 games a year ago with 10 or less.

Ole Miss is 35-5 under Chris Beard when leading at halftime.

Kezza Giffa scored a season high 15 points against Memphis, dishing out five assists with zero turnovers.

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