PALM DESERT, Calif. (Interstat) — In a game defined by contrasting styles and a frantic final sequence, the Utah Utes edged the Mississippi Rebels in a non-conference men’s basketball thriller Wednesday night at Acrisure Arena.

Utah’s Don McHenry delivered a game-high 27 points, including a critical 3-pointer in the final 90 seconds, to propel the Utes to a narrow victory. The Utes improved to 6-2 on the young season, while the Rebels fell to 5-2.

The contest was a tale of two halves and two distinct offensive approaches. Utah built its early advantage from beyond the arc, connecting on 10 of 19 3-point attempts. Mississippi, conversely, dominated the interior, outscoring Utah 40-26 in the paint, but managed only 4 of 14 from long range. That disparity in perimeter shooting proved to be the difference on the scoreboard.

Utah raced out to a 42-34 halftime lead, fueled by hot outside shooting and efficient early play from McHenry. The Utes maintained control for much of the second half, but Mississippi refused to fade. The Rebels, led by the interior presence of Malik Dia, slowly chipped away at the deficit.

Dia was a force for Mississippi, finishing with 17 points and three blocks, consistently challenging Utah at the rim. His efforts, combined with 15 points from Ilias Kamardine and 14 from Patton Pinkins, brought the Rebels all the way back. With under a minute to play, Kamardine hit a hook shot to give Mississippi a 74-72 lead, sending the Rebel contingent into a frenzy.

Utah called a timeout to set up a final play. Out of the break, the ball found its way to McHenry, who calmly sank a 3-pointer to put the Utes back in front by one with 12 seconds remaining. Mississippi had two chances to win it in the final seconds. After a missed 3-pointer, the Rebels retained possession with 4.4 seconds on the clock.

On the ensuing inbounds play, Mississippi’s Kezza Giffa was called for a foul on Utah’s Terrence Brown, sending the Utes’ guard to the free-throw line with a chance to ice the game. Brown, who finished with 14 points and four assists, sank both free throws to extend the lead to three.

The Rebels’ last-gasp heave was off the mark, sealing the dramatic victory for Utah.

Beyond the scoring, the game was a defensive struggle. Both teams were nearly identical in several key categories; Utah had a slight edge in assists (6-5), steals (6-5), and points off turnovers (12-9), while Mississippi held advantages in blocks (6-2) and offensive rebounds (10-9). The Utes committed 11 turnovers to the Rebels’ nine.

Josh Hayes provided a valuable 10 points and two blocks for Utah in a supporting role, while Kendyl Sanders added nine points. For Mississippi, AJ Storr contributed 10 points and James Scott added nine.

The win gives Utah momentum heading into a road game at California on Dec. 2. Mississippi will look to rebound at home against Miami (Fla.) on the same date. The result was an upset according to pregame analytics, as Interstat’s ELO system had projected Mississippi with an 80.90 percent probability to win.