Mississippi survives wild finish to beat UCF and remain undefeated

ORLANDO, Fla. — Allen Flanigan scored 18 points and blocked a layup with a second remaining to help Mississippi survive a wild final minute and even wilder final two seconds to defeat UCF 70-68 on Sunday.

Ole Miss held a six-point lead with 52 seconds left before UCF's Marchellus Avery hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead in half. After a turnover Shemarri Allen made two from the line to get the Knights within 68-67. The Rebels committed another turnover, but Moussa Cisse blocked back-to-back layup attempts and Flanigan grabbed the rebound. He made two free throws for a 70-67 lead with four seconds left.

With their three-point lead, the Rebels fouled Darius Johnson, who made only one of two free throws. Flanigan’s inbound pass was stolen but he blocked a layup by Sellers. Avery got the rebound but his short bankshot that would have tied the game was ruled to be after time expired.

TJ Caldwell had 14 points off the bench for Mississippi (9-0). Matthew Murrell had 12 points and Jaylen Murray scored 10. Flanigan had seven rebounds and five steals but committed five turnovers.

Cisse, who was playing his third game with the Rebels after getting a waiver from the NCAA for his transfer from Oklahoma State, had eight points and four blocks.

Johnson scored 25 points, Allen 14 and Sellers 11 for the Knights (6-3). Johnson had five steals and Sellers had four.

Neither team led by more than three points in the first 15 minutes of the game, then Murrell made a layup and followed it with a 3-pointer to help the Rebels go ahead 30-23. Flanigan scored six consecutive Ole Miss points and Caldwell's 3-pointer had Mississippi up 37-30 at the break.

Ole Miss hosts California on Saturday. UCF hosts Maine on Dec. 18.

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