Ole Miss returned one starter from last year’s Sweet 16 team — and it showed in the team’s regular-season opener versus Southeastern Louisiana. However, the experience of the group rife with upper-class newcomers showed as the team settled midway through the first half, and ran the Lions off the floor in an 88-58 win.

Chris Beard’s Rebels had an inept offensive start, scoring just 13 points in the first nine minutes. Nine of the points had come from the free-throw line. Then, a spark with just over eight minutes left in the first half, found the red and blue coming to life.

A Lion turnover paved the way for the Rebels to take their first lead of the night as Malik Dia hit a layup on a fast break. His score followed the team’s first three-pointer of the year, hit by freshman Patton Pinkin

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