EditorsNote: rewords second graf; adds to next-to-last graf
Senior forward Anfernee McLemore tied a career high with 19 points, including a big 3-pointer before fouling out in the first overtime, and guard Samir Doughty scored all 17 of his points after halftime as Auburn survived Mississippi's upset bid for an 83-82 victory in two overtimes Tuesday night in Oxford, Miss.
The No. 17 Tigers (18-2, 5-2 Southeastern Conference) trailed the unranked Rebels (10-10, 1-6) by double digits for much of the night. Auburn was down by 17 points at halftime, faced a 19-point deficit early in the second half and trailed by 10 in the last six minutes.
They also were down 82-78 in the second overtime before going on a 5-0 run capped by forward Isaac Okoro's driving bank shot and ensuing free with 1:41 remaining that ended the scoring.
Junior guard Devontae Shuler scored a career-high 26 points, and Blake Hinson added 16 for the Rebels, who were without guard Breein Tyree, the SEC's leading scorer at 18.9 points per game, for the extra periods. He fouled out with 5:15 left in regulation after scoring just eight points.
Auburn ended regulation with a 12-3 scoring run but missed a chance for the win when Okoro's 3-point attempt from the wing was off. Doughty also missed a hurried 3-pointer in the closing seconds of the first extra period to send the game to a second overtime at 77-77.
The Tigers got off to a slow start to the game, missing eight consecutive shots over an 8:40 span after taking a 2-0 lead on center Austin Wiley's tip-in just over a minute into the game. Ole Miss scored the next 15 points.
Auburn was able to cut Ole Miss' 37-20 halftime lead to 39-30 in less than four minutes of the second half and was within single digits for much of the final 10 minutes of regulation.
--Field Level Media
