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Ole Miss forward Reginald Buckner (2) dunks and is fouled by Southeastern Louisiana's Roosevet Johnson (10) during an NCAA college basketball game in Oxford, Miss., on Sunday, Jan. 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Oxford Eagle, Bruce Newman)
Well into the second half, it was playing like the underdog.
The Rebels, who trailed by four at halftime, led by a slim, one-point advantage with just over seven minutes to go in the game. But Chris Warren capped an 11-0 run with a 3-pointer and Ole Miss (11-3) went on to a 69-58 victory.
"I thought we came out a little flat offensively," head coach Andy Kennedy said. "As a result, the whole game was played at their pace. We played into their hands, and ended up grinding it out."
Southeastern Louisiana (6-6) pulled within six twice in the second half, including 65-59 with less than a minute left. Zach Graham responded with a layup plus the free throw to seal the win in front of over 4,000 fans.
Warren led four Rebels in double-figure points with 22 on 7-of-15 shooting. He also tallied six assists to just three turnovers.
"One of the coaches, at the beginning of the game, said we looked like we weren't ready to play. I disagreed with him," Warren said. "The coaches were right. We came out sluggish, slow. It ended up being a good game."
Reginald Buckner played his first game since the team's trip to Cancun, Mexico, over the Christmas holidays. The sophomore forward had been battling a sore knee, limiting him in practice.
Buckner finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds over 31 minutes for his second career double-double.
"I thought he was really good," Kennedy said. "His energy was outstanding. He's getting better offensively. He's getting a little more comfortable."
Ole Miss shot 48 percent from the floor for the game, compared to 38 percent for the Lions. The Rebels also held the edge in rebounding, 68-59.
Southeastern Louisiana (6-6) was led by Gary Dixon's 19 points. Trent Hutchin added 16, including two 3-pointers during the Lions' late run.
Ole Miss travels to Dallas on Wednesday to square off with SMU. It's the final non-conference game for Ole Miss before it opens its conference schedule at Florida on Saturday night.