Ole Miss Basketball Takes Down BYU in Overtime of Rady Children's Invitational

The Ole Miss Rebels picked up an overtime win over the BYU Cougars on Thanksgiving to open action in the Rady Children's Invitational in San Diego.

Ole Miss guard Jaylen Murray (5) dribbles the ball against BYU during the Rady Children's Invitational in San Diego, Calif. / Ole Miss Athletics

It took overtime, but the No. 23 Ole Miss Rebels remained undefeated on the young season with a 96-85 win over the BYU Cougars on Thanksgiving during the Rady Children's Invitational in San Diego.

Ole Miss (6-0) trailed by as many as 10 points in the first half of play, but it narrowed that gap to a 42-39 score at the intermission on Thursday. A back-and-forth second half saw the Rebels tie the game at 77 with 26 seconds left to play on a layup by guard Jaylen Murray, eventually sending the game to overtime.

It was there that the Rebels outscored the Cougars 19-8 to seal the win. Murray was responsible for nine of those 19 points, and he eventually led the team in scoring on the night with 28 points. He was joined in double digits by Matthew Murrell and Dre Davis with 18 points apiece and Sean Pedulla with 13.

As a team, Ole Miss shot 48 percent from the field, 29 percent from three and 81 percent from the free throw line. Three of Ole Miss' five shots to fall from beyond the arc came from Murray on Thursday.

BYU countered with a 41 percent night from the field and 32 percent from three, and the Cougars matched Ole Miss' percentage of 81 at the charity stripe.

With the win, things don't get any easier for Ole Miss in San Diego on Friday as the Rebels will take on No. 13 Purdue in a continuation of the Rady Children's Invitational. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. CT on FOX.