Rebels top scorer dismissed from basketball team

OXFORD – The top scorer for the Ole Miss Rebels’ basketball team has been benched – permanently – for violating team rules when he was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia earlier this month.

Authorities said Dundrecous Nelson, a sophomore at Ole Miss, was arrested on Jan. 4 after police entered his apartment and allegedly found marijuana.

Nelson was transported to the Lafayette County Detention Center where he was later released on bond. He is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 25.

The arresting officer said this was not the first time he’d had an encounter with Nelson at his apartment for the same situation.

At that time, the officer reportedly issued Nelson a “warning” for having marijuana.

The same officer responded to Nelson’s apartment about 1:24 a.m. on Jan. 4, after the smell of marijuana was reported coming from his apartment.

Authorities said Nelson didn’t answer the door when the officer knocked, and the officer left. As the officer was leaving, he met a pizza delivery guy and learned he was going to Nelson’s apartment.

Nelson reportedly came out to get his pizza and attempted to run back inside when he saw the officer. Marijuana was found in the apartment and Nelson was taken into custody.

Also present during Nelson’s arrest was Jamal Jones and two unidentified females. Jones and the females were not charged.

Nelson, a 5’11” guard from Jackson was averaging 11.6 points per game and led the team with 20 steals. The former Murrah standout was the Rebs leading scorer.

Jones, a 6’8″ freshman guard from Searcy, Ark., had played in just five games this season. Jones was also dismissed from the team for allegedly admitting that he was under the influence of drugs.

Ole Miss head coach Andy Kennedy expressed his disappointment in both players.

“It’s a shame, really,” Kennedy said. “It’s a shame. There’s a process that I don’t feel like is needed to get into, but you get to the point of no return. Obviously the most severe thing you can do is dismiss someone from your program and that’s where we are.”