OXFORD — Veterans Stefan Moody and Sebastian Saiz knew they were needed.
Moody, a senior, and Saiz, a junior, took it upon themselves to help the Ole Miss men’s basketball team overcome a 40-32 halftime deficit. But 10th-year coach Andy Kennedy said he challenged his entire team at halftime.
“I leaned on everybody,” Kennedy said. “I leaned on the acoustics of this building. We gave it a good test at the half, the lockers held up and the chairs are pretty sturdy.”
Moody and Saiz listened intently and combined for 26 of their 42 points in the second half to help Ole Miss rally for a 74-66 victory against Alabama on Thursday night before a school-record crowd of 9,500 in the first game of the $96.5 million Pavilion at Ole Miss.
Saiz said Kennedy told the Rebels at halftime they needed to help Moody when the Crimson Tide tried to double-team him, but that wasn’t the biggest topic of conversation.
“We just got to be tougher,” Saiz said when asked what was the point of Kennedy’s halftime speech. “That’s what we did in the second half.”
Moody scored 21 points to become the first Ole Miss player since Joe Harvell (1992) to score 20 or more points in nine-straight games.
Moody entered as the SEC’s top scorer (23.7 points per game) and continued his hot play.
“He’s just being aggressive,” Kennedy said. “I always tell him, ‘Even though you’re super athletic, there’s going to be people more athletic that can play higher than you, but you can be the lowest playing guy in the country.’ I want him to play low, low, low. He’s unstoppable when he plays low.”
Moody played low and was 13 of 16 from the free-throw line. He was 9 of 10 in the second half.
“He was the aggressor,” Alabama first-year coach Avery Johnson said. “Moody’s a tough cover. He split four of my guys one time and went in there.”
Saiz added 21 points and 16 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season (seventh of his career).
Kennedy said Saiz who entered the game averaging 11.7 points and 9.8 rebounds, wasn’t bothered by the pressure of playing in the Pavilion for the first time. He said the Madrid, Spain, native stepped up and made hard plays. He said Saiz’s effort was the difference in the game.
Although Saiz had one of his best nights as a Rebel, Moody stole the show. Saiz wasn’t surprised.
“I see that in practice,” Saiz said.
Ole Miss (11-3, 1-1 SEC) capitalized on Alabama’s slow start and opened the second half on a 12-4 run. Moody and Saiz combined for six points to help the Rebels tie the game at 44. The Crimson Tide answered with five-straight points, but the Rebels used a 15-3 run to take the lead for good at 59-52.
Moody made a 3-pointer and four free throws, while Saiz made a layup during the crucial run.
After Alabama cut the lead to 65-63 with 2 minutes, 59 seconds remaining, Moody and Saiz combined for seven points in a 9-3 run to finish the game. Moody hit five free throws and Saiz made a layup. Rasheed Brooks made two free throws to help claim the victory.
Tomasz Gielo, who hit a 3-pointer for the first points in the Pavilion, finished with 12 points for the Rebels.
Trailing 25-15, Alabama used a 25-7 run to take the eight-point halftime lead. Ole Miss only forced seven turnovers in the first half, but forced 12 in the second half for a total of 19.
The Crimson Tide got 23 points from Retin Obasohan led Alabama (9-4, 0-1) with 23 points. Arthur Edwards had 17.
n Charlotte 82, Southern Mississippi 76: At Hattiesburg, Charlotte shot 64 percent from the field in the second half to erase a five-point halftime deficit in ruining the C-USA home opener for Southern Miss at Reed Green Coliseum on Thursday night.
The Golden Eagles dropped to 3-10 on the season and 0-2 in C-USA play, while the 49ers improved to 4-10 and 1-1.
Redshirt senior Kourtlin Jackson led the Golden Eagles with 16 points off the bench, while sophomore Keljin Blevins and redshirt senior Michael O’Donnell each notched career highs with 14 and 13 points, respectively.
Redshirt junior Khari Price (Slidell, La.) added 12 points and a game-high seven assists.
All five Charlotte starters finished in double figures. Jon Davis led the way with a game-high 18 points.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
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