Final Boxscore

OXFORD, Miss. – The Alabama State University men's basketball team dropped a 90-53 decision in its season opener Monday against Ole Miss at Tad Smith Coliseum.

Senior Menji Mundadi scored 13 points to lead the Hornets (0-1), who struggled to find an offensive flow shooting just 28 percent (18-63) from the field for the game. The Rebels (2-0) placed four players in double figures including a game high 19 by Terrico White.

The Hornets, who will play three Southeastern Conference squads this season, slipped to 0-6 all-time versus the Rebels.

Ole Miss broke open a closely contested early first half with an 8-0 run giving the Rebels a 15-8 lead. During the run, Bama State struggled on the offensive end going scoreless for just over five minutes of play.

The Hornets continued to battle before a 19-7 surge by UM over the closing six minutes of the period sent the home squad into the halftime break with a 43-24 advantage. Mundadi accounted for all of ASU's points during the final stretch as the Hornets finished the first half shooting just 25 percent (8-31) from the floor, including an 0-7 performance from the three-point line.

An energized ASU squad made a charge to start the second half. Jeffery Middlebrooks drained back-to-back three-pointers followed by a runner in the lane by Byron Walker. Mundadi then hit two straight treys cutting the deficit to 52-38 with 14:29 remaining on the clock.

The Rebels responded scoring 13 of the next 16 points to regain control of the momentum with six different Ole Miss players tallying points in the run. Alabama State could not get any closer as UM closed the game with a 19-6 run.

ASU was outrebounded by just one board, 46-45, by a much taller Rebels squad. Ivory White paced the Hornets with nine rebounds followed by seven from Bryon Walker. Ole Miss recorded 10 blocked shots in the game getting five by Reginald Buckner and also turned 22 Bama State turnovers into 27 points.

Alabama State continues its season-opening road swing Friday at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. The Hornets regular season home opener is set for Nov. 24 against Columbus State.