Henderson, Rebels hand Tigers worst loss in seven years

Photo credit: Associated Press

Marshall Henderson made a pair of free throws with 6.4 seconds left when Ole Miss narrowly edged Auburn on the Plains in late January

There was no need for last-second heroics on Saturday.

Henderson came off the bench for the first time this season and scored 19 of his game-high 28 points in the first half with a school record-tying eight 3-pointers to lead Ole Miss to a blowout 88-55 victory over Auburn, the most lopsided win ever for the Rebels over the Tigers in the 127-game series history, in Tad Smith Coliseum Saturday afternoon. It was the worst loss for Auburn (9-18, 3-11 Southeastern Conference), which has lost five in a row and 11 of 12, since a 78-41 loss at Pittsburgh Dec. 4, 2005.

Tony Barbee’s squad is mired in the worst 12-game stretch for the program since 1988-89 when the Tigers dropped 12 of 13 and 17 of 19 in Sonny Smith’s final season. Barbee left immediately after the game for a recruiting trip, according to an Auburn spokesman, and did not speak with Auburn radio after the game.

Assistant Ryan Miller spoke instead and Barbee was available to a reporter via phone.

Shaquille Johnson scored a career-high 18 points and Allen Payne added nine points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals for the Tigers while Frankie Sullivan had nine points and three assists.

Photo credit: AP

Ole Miss’ lead grew to 84-52 on Henderson’s school record tying eighth trey with 3:35 to go as the Rebels improved to 20-7 and 9-5.

Ole Miss outshot Auburn 54 percent to 39.3 percent from the floor and 13-of-25 (.520) to 3-of-18 (.167) from 3-point range.

Auburn’s last four opponents have shot 42-for-95 (44.21 percent) from 3-point range. As context, Indiana leads the nation in three-point percentage at 42.8.

Henderson’s fifth trey put Ole Miss up 44-25 as he finished with 19 first half points and the Rebels led 44-27 at the half. He hit his first two 3-pointers to spark Ole Miss to a 15-6 lead just over five minutes into the game.

Chris Denson, who led Auburn in scoring for three of the previous four games before Saturday, played only three minutes and was scoreless.

Asauhn Dixon-Tatum made his first career start in place of Rob Chubb, who had started 57 straight games for the Tigers. Dixon-Tatum picked up two quick fouls and finished scoreless with one rebound in just nine minutes while Chubb scored seven points and had four rebounds in 28 minutes.