LSU basketball avoided a second straight SEC loss as the Tigers defeated the Ole Miss Rebels in Baton Rouge on Wednesday night, 89-80.

The first half was largely controlled by Ole Miss (15-2, 2-2), but LSU (11-6, 3-1 SEC) kept it close - the Rebels never led by more than six points in the opening 20 minutes. However, the Tigers couldn't break through until the final minutes of the half, when a Jordan Wright layup gave LSU the lead. Although Ole Miss took the lead back for a moment, another Tigers basket gave them the lead and the momentum heading into the locker room.

In the second half, LSU kept up the hot streak, stretching the lead to as many as 16 with under 10 minutes remaining. During that stretch, the Rebels shot just 1-of-12 from the floor, at one point going four minutes of game time without a basket.

Late in the half, Ole Miss made a comeback bid, cutting the deficit to just five points with a 10-0 run. But with just over one minute remaining in regulation, freshman guard Mike Williams buried his second shot of the night to give the Tigers one last dagger.

Both sides struggle with first-half turnovers

After struggling to take care of the ball last Saturday against Auburn, Wednesday night seemed like more of the same for LSU. In the first half, the Tigers turned over nine times. Fortunately, the defense picked up the slack, also forcing nine turnovers, while the offense turned those into eight points.

How to watch: What channel is LSU basketball vs. Ole Miss on? Get tip-off time and TV info here

In the second half, both teams had better control of their possessions, combining for just seven turnovers.

Jordan Wright stays hot

For the 14th straight game, Wright scored in double figures. He had arguably his best all-around game since transferring from Vanderbilt prior to the season.

In addition to a game-high 27 points, the fifth-year senior made more than 50% of his shots and made a career-high seven steals.

Jalen Cook's up-and-down night

Cook had been one of LSU's top players since being cleared to play this season, but against Auburn he had an uncharacteristically poor performance. Wednesday looked like more of the same as the redshirt junior made just one of his six first-half shots. In the second half, he returned to form, scoring 13 points on 3-of-6 shooting while also going a perfect 7-for-7 from the free-throw line.

What's next

The Tigers host Texas A&M on Saturday.

LSU basketball vs. Ole Miss live scores and updates

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This article originally appeared on The Courier: Jordan Wright, Jalen Cook pace LSU basketball to victory over Ole Miss