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Mississippi head coach Andy Kennedy, left, speaks with SEC Commissioner Mike Slive the after the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against the Florida in the final round of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Sunday, March 17, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. Mississippi won 66-63. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Senior forwards Murphy Holloway and Reggie Buckner joined Henderson on the team, along with Florida forward Erik Murphy and Gators guard Kenny Boynton.
Henderson went into the tournament as the SEC’s scoring leader at 19.7 points a game.
He averaged 23.6 points in three tournament games including 21 points against Florida when he was 3-for-8 from 3-point range and 6-for-6 from the free throw line.
Holloway averaged a double-double in three tournament games and closed with 23 points and 10 rebounds against the Gators.
Buckner averaged 11 points in the tournament and had six blocked shots, half of them against Florida.
Missing Summers
The Rebels played without starting point guard Jarvis Summers for the second-straight game.
Summers sustained a concussion late in the Rebels’ quarterfinal win over Missouri. He spent the next two games on the bench in sweats.
“Can you imagine losing your starting quarterback at this stage of the season and going to a guy who had not gotten many snaps?” Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy asked. “That’s a testament to these guys continue to stay in the moment, continuing to persevere.”
Summers remains listed day to day and will be reevaluated for the Rebels’ NCAA tournament game Friday against Wisconsin in Kansas City.
Player of the Game
Holloway was 11-for-14 from the floor and his critical free throw with 8.3 seconds left limited Florida’s comeback options.
Quotable
“We’re fighters. We didn’t panic in the second half. We performed and played ball.” – Sophomore guard LaDarius White
Parrish Alford