VANDERBILT 102, MISSISSIPPI 76: Jeffery Taylor scored 23 of his 28 points in the first half, sparking the visiting Commodores to a blowout victory.

Vanderbilt (18-8, 7-4 SEC) shot a blistering 70.8 percent in the first half, and nobody was hotter than Taylor. The senior forward hit his first eight shots from the field, including five 3-pointers, as the Commodores built a 53-28 halftime lead.

Ahead 22-21 eight minutes into the first half, Vanderbilt took control with a 13-0 run. Taylor, second in the SEC in scoring at 17.6 points coming in, scored seven points during the surge. His two free throws with 5:33 left in the half gave the Commodores a 35-21 advantage.

Vanderbilt blew the game wide open from there, outscoring the Rebels (15-10, 5-6 SEC) 18-7 the rest of the half. The Commodores shot a season-best 62.5 percent from the field.

Taylor finished 10 for 15 from the field and 5 for 6 from 3-point range. He also added nine rebounds.

John Jenkins, the SEC’s leading scorer, shot 12 for 15 from the free-throw line to finish with 26 points for Vanderbilt. The victory moves the Commodores within one game of second-place Florida in the SEC.

Jarvis Summers led Mississippi with 14 points.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Vanderbilt scored 100 points against a SEC opponent for the first time since posting 101 points against Georgia on March 1, 2000. … After Taylor’s fifth 3-pointer gave the Commodores a 51-27 lead with 1:38 left in the first half, a frustrated Mississippi fan chunked a full cup of ice onto the court, briefly delaying the game. … The Rebels have lost four of their past six, dropping into a four-way tie for sixth in the SEC. … Vanderbilt’s Festus Ezeli scored 13 points and blocked four shots. … The Commodores’ previous season high in points was 99 against Longwood on Dec. 19.