Central Florida Knights vs Mississippi Rebels Box Score on Dec 14, 2022

C.J. Kelly had 20 points and nine rebounds, and UCF scored the first 21 points of the game in a wire-to-wire 72-61 nonconference victory against Ole Miss on Wednesday night in Oxford, Miss.

Taylor Hendricks, who has been named the American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Week for a record-breaking four consecutive weeks, added 17 points, while Ithiel Horton scored 11 and Darius Johnson had 10 for the Golden Knights (8-2).

Matthew Murrell scored 21 points, Josh Mballa had 18 and Malique Ewin added 10 to lead the Rebels (7-3), who were playing the second game of a five-game homestand that concludes with their Southeastern Conference opener against Tennessee on Dec. 28.

Ole Miss fought back behind its bench, which outscored its counterparts 35-6, but it wasn't enough.

Johnson's 3-pointer started the second-half scoring and gave the Knights a 39-26 lead after Ole Miss had climbed back into contention after the abysmal start.

Mballa scored four points to help the Rebels pull within 39-33.

Kelly answered with a pair of 3-pointers that gave UCF a 49-39 advantage.

Theo Akwuba and Mballa made baskets to get the Rebels within four points before Hendricks scored four points to help UCF take a 60-50 lead.

Hendricks had five points as the Knights increased the lead to 67-52.

Murrell's three-point play and Mballa's layup got Ole Miss within 10 points with 2:51 left.

Kelly answered with a three-point play of his own for a 70-57 lead with 2:03 remaining.

Horton scored seven points and Hendricks and Michael Durr scored four each as UCF opened its 21-0 lead.

Murrell's 3-pointer produced the Rebels' first points after nearly eight minutes, but Johnson answered with five points that gave the Knights a 32-10 lead.

Mballa scored six points during a closing 11-0 run that pulled Ole Miss within 36-26 at halftime, but the initial deficit was too much to overcome.

--Field Level Media