Ole Miss had a terrible start Saturday night at FedExForum, and the Rebels never really recovered.

Memphis, meanwhile, started hot and held on for a 68-57 win, improving to 6-2 on the season.

DeAndre Williams had 17 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks to help Memphis win its fourth game in a row. Alex Lomax and Kendric Davis scored 14 points apiece for the Tigers.

Williams scored inside, Chandler Lawson followed with a layup and Davis hit a 3-pointer to cap a 9-2 opening run with 15:44 left in the first half and the Tigers never trailed.

Matthew Murrell answered with a jumper 17 seconds later for Ole Miss but the Rebels missed their next 11 field-goal attempts over a span of 8-plus minutes. Lomax scored eight points before Lawson converted a three-point play that capped a 21-4 spurt and gave Memphis a 30-8 lead with 7:41 left before halftime.

Murrell led Ole Miss with 13 points. Myles Burns and Theo Akwuba added 10 points apiece.

“We didn’t play vertically at all and we got really intimidated at the rim,” Ole Miss coach Kermit Davis said. “…DeAndre Williams played like a guy that’s going to play in the NBA tonight.”

Memphis shot 39% (27 of 69) overall and made just 1 of 15 (7%) from 3-point range but limited the Rebels to 33% shooting (21 of 63).

“They definitely had the better start,” Akwuba said. “I was proud of our guys. We fought in the second half and got it to eight and had a little turnover that could have cut it to a two-possession game. …We have to get better at the 50-50 balls and at defensive rebounding.”

Memphis out-rebounded Ole Miss, 42-39. Ole Miss had 16 turnovers, five more than Memphis’ 11.

Daeshun Ruffin made his return for Ole Miss, playing 14 minutes for the Rebels.

“It was good to get his feet wet,” Davis said. “He’s got to get his feet back.”

Ole Miss returns to action Saturday in Oxford versus Valparaiso.