Scotty Hopson and Cameron Tatum combined for 29 points, and Tennessee used stifling defense to win for the fourth time in five games Saturday with a 74-58 road victory over Mississippi.

Hopson scored 16 points and Tatum added 13, and the Volunteers (14-7, 4-2 SEC) held the Rebels – the SEC’s top shooting team – to 26.7 percent shooting. Tied 32-32 at halftime, Tennessee pulled away with a 14-2 run in the second half to move within one-half game of first-place Florida in the SEC East.

Chris Warren’s 3-pointer gave the Rebels (13-8, 1-5 SEC) a 45-44 lead with 13:32 to go. But the Volunteers scored 14 of the next 16 points. Tatum capped the run with a layup with 9:30 left as Tennessee took a 58-47 lead.

The Volunteers led 26-18 on Hopson’s 3-pointer with 5:55 to go in the first half, but the Rebels scored 12 of the next 14 points. Warren’s layup with 2:04 left pushed Mississippi ahead 30-28.

Warren led Mississippi with 16 points. Mississippi stayed in the game from the free-throw line, going 22 of 26, but scored 18 points below its season average.

The Volunteers play Thursday at Auburn. Mississippi plays host to No. 16 Kentucky on Tuesday.