OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Tyson Etienne scored a career-high 29 points, making a season-best five 3-pointers, and Wichita State battled past Mississippi 83-79 on Saturday, wresting the lead away with just under two minutes left.
The 29 points was double Etienne’s season average of 15.3 a game. He scored 19 in the second half, making 11 of the Shockers 13 points during one stretch to almost single-handedly keep the game tight while Ole Miss led for most of the final period.
Etienne scored a layup and a 3-pointer to push Wichita State (6-2) over the top, 73-71 with 4:47 remaining. Trey Wade hit, appropriately, a 3 as the Shockers tied 76-76, and Etienne free throws gave them the lead for good, 78-76 with 1:48 remaining.
Alterique Gilbert added 14 points with four assists for Wichita State. Dexter Dennis added 10 points including a free throw with eight seconds remaining to seal the win.
Devontae Shuler led Ole Miss (5-3) with 20 points and KJ Buffen added a season-high 18. Shuler made a career-best six 3-pointers. Romello White, who was 4-for-5 shooting in the first half, scored three points in the second, taking just one shot.
Wichita State was 52% shooting (26 of 50) to the Rebels 42% (28 of 66). Ole Miss picked up 29 points off 15 Wichita State turnovers while committing only nine itself.
The loss ended the Rebels streak of six straight home wins dating to last season, leaving them one shy of the longest winning streak in the history of The Pavilion.
The Shockers interim coach Isaac Brown, who took over when Greg Marshall resigned Nov. 17, is a native of Pascagoula, Miss., and played for Ole Miss coach Kermit Davis at Texas A&M in the 1990-91 season.
With the win, Brown became just the second Wichita State coach in the modern era to win his first three true road contests. The other was Gary Thompson early in the 1964-65 season.
Ole Miss returns to Southeastern Conference play Wednesday, hosting Auburn.
