STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Renardo Sidney scored 22 points, Ravern Johnson added 16 and Mississippi State beat Mississippi 71-58 on Saturday.
Sidney, who scored his season-high of 24 points against the Rebels in a win earlier this season, was 8 of 12 from the field and also grabbed 12 rebounds.
Mississippi State (14-12, 6-6 Southeastern Conference) has won five straight games in the series.
Ole Miss (17-10, 5-7) critically damaged what was left of its slim NCAA Tournament at-large hopes. The Rebels scored the final seven points of the first half to tie the score at 33, but Mississippi State went on a 13-2 run early in the second half and never trailed again.
MSU and Ole Miss came into the game in a three-way tie with Arkansas for second place in the SEC’s Western Division. The first two teams in each division get a first-round bye in the SEC Tournament.