Ole Miss stuns Arkansas, 70-64

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Posted 8:04AM on Sunday, January 20, 2002

FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS - Arkansas' lack of size had Mississippi coach Rod Barnes licking his chops and rightfully so. The Rebels' 6-foot-8 Derrick Allen, 6-foot-7 Aaron Harper, and 6-foot-3 David Sanders had a total of 33 rebounds - a half-dozen more than the 13 Razorbacks who played - and Mississippi scored 23 second-chance points. Harper also scored eight straight points and undersized Jason Harrison kept his teammates under control as the Rebels won 70-64. ``I think we were able to win because of the way we match up with Arkansas,'' Barnes said. ``Because they are a smaller basketball team, we are able to play our smaller guys. That is the strength of this basketball team.'' Harper's mini-explosion occurred during a 13-2 run that put Mississippi (14-4, 3-2 Southeastern Conference) ahead 47-37 and began seconds after the Razorbacks had taken their only lead of the second half. After Arkansas (10-7, 2-3) began to close the gap, there was a wild sequence that prompted Harrison dribbling with his right hand to put out his left hand and tell his teammates, ``Slow down, slow down.'' ``I needed to come in and play smart because I didn't do that in the Kentucky game,'' said Harrison, a senior from Little Rock. Brandon Dean's 3 closed the gap to 47-45 and Arkansas had a chance to tie but Emmanuel Wade came from behind to block T.J. Cleveland's layup on a fast break and Sanders beat his man to the baseline for a three-point play. After a steal, the 5-foot-5 Harrison got the ball up and over J.J. Sullinger a foot taller for a layup with 8:39 to play. The Razorbacks never got closer than five the rest of the way and lost back-to-back home games for only the second time since Bud Walton Arena opened in 1993-94. Florida and LSU defeated the Razorbacks in the 1999-2000 season. Mississippi has won nine of its last 11 games with Arkansas, including four straight. ``I don't think our kids fear the intimidation of this building as much because we have been successful here,'' Barnes said. Mississippi had a 46-27 rebounding advantage. Allen led the way with 16 rebounds, including seven on the offensive end. ``Our guys down low ... got some hard rebounds and some cheap baskets,'' Harrison said. ``The game in the paint is what killed us,'' said Arkansas coach Nolan Richardson. ``One man (Allen) on their team outrebounded us in the first half (12-11). When a team rebounds it and puts it back in, that is a back breaker.'' Harper and Sanders scored 17 each for the Rebels. Jannero Pargo led Arkansas with 14. The Rebels led by five early in the second half, but Arkansas went in front 35-34 when Sullinger caught Berry Jordan's looping pass, stopped and made a layup. Immediately, Harrison wormed inside, attracted a bunch of Razorbacks and flipped the ball in the corner to Harper for a 3. Harper's floater in the lane made it 39-35. Pargo missed a difficult shot and Harper hit a 3 from in front of the Mississippi bench. Sanders drove the baseline and pitched the ball to Wade for a 3 and the first double-digit lead. Pargo's 3 cut it to 56-50, but on a switch, Alonzo Lane wound up covering Sanders far from the basket and Sanders blew past him for a layup. Charles Tatum's 3 narrowed the lead to 58-53 before Justin Reed added a free throw and Pargo missed on a quick 3. Harper's rebound basket made it 61-53. Pargo threw it right to Harrison, who made two free throws for 63-55 with 3:06 to play and neither team scored for the next 1:41. Teddy Gipson's 3 gave Arkansas its first lead 17-16. Harrison's 3 hushed the fans chanting ``Air ball, Air ball,'' and the lead changed hands until Allen was stripped on the way up, regained control and put it in for 26-25. After the Rebels' 11th offensive rebound of the first half, Sanders' jumper nestled through as the shot clock went off and the Rebels went on to a 32-27 halftime lead.