Ole Miss
OXFORD, Miss. (11/05/2026) — Patton Pinkins drained four first-half three-pointers and finished with a game-high 19 points as the Ole Miss Rebels rolled to a commanding 92-60 victory over the Central Arkansas Bears on Thursday night at The Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss.
Result
The Rebels controlled every aspect of play from opening tip to final buzzer, building a 23-point halftime advantage and never relenting. Ole Miss shot 51% from the field and 40% from three-point range while holding Central Arkansas to 38% shooting and forcing 18 turnovers. The 32-point margin reflected how thoroughly the Rebels controlled the contest before 6,392 fans.
How It Happened
Ole Miss wasted no time establishing dominance. Corey Stephenson opened the scoring with a 13-foot jumper, and Pinkins followed with a 26-foot three-pointer off a Roman Siulepa assist to push the lead to 7-1 before the 17-minute mark. Ben Henshall buried a 23-footer from the corner to make it 10-4, setting the tone for a first half that belonged entirely to the Rebels.
Central Arkansas showed brief signs of life — Ty Robinson hit a three to trim the deficit to 7-4, and Tucker Anderson converted a dunk off a Camarion Bead feed to cut it to 25-14 midway through the half. But Ole Miss answered every Bears response. Pinkins connected on back-to-back threes at the 5:57 and 4:55 marks, pushing the lead to 35-17. Henshall added a 32-footer — his second three of the half — assisted by Yohance Connor, to stretch it to 40-19. Pinkins struck again at 2:42, converting a Siulepa-assisted triple to make it 43-19.
Luke Moore's buzzer-beating three made it 47-24 at intermission, the only three-pointer Central Arkansas made in the final five minutes of the half.
The second half brought no relief for the Bears. Pinkins opened with a layup 35 seconds in, and after Marshall answered with a three for Central Arkansas, Ole Miss methodically pulled away. Santiago Trouet converted a dunk, Corey Stephenson hit a three at the 11:48 mark to make it 64-36, and the Rebels unleashed their biggest sequence of the night.
Turning Point
With the game already in control at 66-41, Ole Miss went on a 10-0 run — capped by Stephenson's emphatic 1-foot dunk at the 8:36 mark — to push the lead to 74-41 and effectively close the books on any competitive drama. The Bears managed only two points against that stretch while the Rebels moved the ball with crisp efficiency, punctuating the run with their characteristic ball movement and interior physicality.
Adam Clark added a 25-foot three late in the second half, and Connor buried a three off a Siulepa pass with 5:39 remaining to reach the 78-mark. The Rebels shot efficiently throughout, finishing with 22 assists against just 8 turnovers — a 2.75-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio that underlined Ole Miss's offensive cohesion.
Star of the Game
Patton Pinkins was the story of the first half and the night. The guard finished with 19 points on five three-pointers, repeatedly breaking down the Central Arkansas defense from beyond the arc with a quick release. Pinkins went 4-for-4 from three in the first half alone, dictating tempo and momentum at critical junctures. Adam Clark complemented him with 13 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists — the kind of two-way floor game that keeps an offense humming. Ben Henshall added 13 points and three assists, while Corey Stephenson chipped in 11 points and a team-high 7 rebounds.
For Central Arkansas, Luke Moore led with 11 points on a pair of three-pointers, including the half-closing buzzer-beater. Camarion Bead added 9 points and Rylie Marshall contributed 8, but the Bears lacked the depth and efficiency to challenge Ole Miss's size and shooting advantage.
What It Means
For the Ole Miss Rebels, this performance signals a team with multiple scoring threats, ball-movement instincts, and depth capable of running lineups without drop-off in production. Shooting 40% from three and committing just 8 turnovers in a season opener gives the Rebels a strong foundation to build on heading into SEC play.
For Central Arkansas, the 18-turnover night and 32% shooting from deep represent areas that will need significant improvement before the Bears can compete with upper-tier competition. The Bears face a stiff challenge ahead but gained valuable experience against a high-level opponent in a Power conference venue.
