COL BKB: Mississippi 89, Florida 87

OXFORD, Miss., Jan. 17 (UPI) -- Trevor Gaskins gave Mississippi a four-point lead with nine seconds left and the Rebels survived a last-second three-point attempt to down Florida 89-87.

No. 15 Mississippi (15-1, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) is off to its best start since 1925.

Dwayne Curtis paced the Rebels with 20 points, Gaskins had 19 and Eniel Polynice 14.

Florida (15-3, 2-1) was led by 16 points each from Nick Calathes and Dan Werner.

Mississippi took a 16-point lead with 12:44 remaining, but Florida went on an 11-0 run and eventually got within three with 12 seconds left.

Gaskins then made one of two free-throw attempts, after which Florida's Jim Lucas hit a jumper with three seconds to go.

Polynice was fouled with a second left and he missed both free throws. A desperation long-range attempt by Calathes was well off the mark at the buzzer.