LAIE, Hawaii (Ticker) -- Aaron Harper and David Sanders each scored 15 points as 25th-ranked Mississippi held off Southern Illinois, 70-66, in the first round of the Yahoo! Sports Invitational.

Mississippi is off to its best start in 64 years. It can match the 1936-37 team, which started the season with 11 wins, with a victory in the semifinals.

Mississippi (10-0) will face 13-ranked Southern California in Friday's semifinals of this tournament, formerly known as the Pearl Harbor Classic. The Trojans defeated BYU-Hawaii, 86-74, in their first round game.

The Rebels held on as Southern Illinois' Brandon Mells missed a tying 3-pointer with two seconds to play. Sanders made one free throw for the final margin.

Ole Miss took command with a 7-2 run, opening a 62-55 lead with 2:18 remaining. The game was tight throughout as neither team managed a double-digit lead. The Rebels had a 29-27 halftime edge.

Rahim Lockhart grabbed nine rebounds for Mississippi, which shot 43 percent (22-of-51) from the field.

Rebels starters Harper, Sanders and Jason Flanigan combined to make 13-of-20 shots. Flanigan was 3-of-4 from 3-point range and is 14-of-29 from beyond the arc this season.

Joshua Cross scored 21 points on 8-of-8 shooting for Southern Illinois (4-4), which shot 51 percent (23-of-45). Jermaine Dearman added 12 points, but the Salukis committed 23 turnovers as Cross and Mells combined for 11.

Abel Schrader grabbed seven rebounds before fouling out for Southern Illinois.

Both teams made 17-of-28 free throws.