Ole Miss men’s basketball saw its three-game win streak snapped Tuesday night at home, falling 78-66 to Auburn at the Sandy and John Black Pavilion. The Rebels battled hard in front of a loud and proud home crowd but couldn’t overcome a late surge from the visiting Tigers, who controlled the second half and pulled away for the road victory
This game was a physical, fast-paced affair early, with both teams jockeying for position in the tight SEC standings. Auburn struck first and often, using its size and offensive balance to build a lead that ultimately proved too much for the Rebels to erase.
Despite the final margin, the Rebels were never far from making it a game. Ole Miss hung tough through the first half, matching Auburn’s energy and forcing the Tigers into contested looks. The Rebels’ ball movement and defensive effort kept the deficit manageable heading into the break, and the home crowd provided large bursts of energy as Ole Miss looked to continue on its winning streak.
The difference, however, came in the paint and on the glass. Auburn’s physical presence proved difficult to overcome, as the Tigers scored 38 points in the paint compared to just 14 for Ole Miss. The rebounding battle also tilted heavily in Auburn’s favor, with the Tigers pulling down 42 boards to the Rebels’ 26. Those extra possessions and second-chance opportunities allowed Auburn to maintain control and respond each time Ole Miss threatened to cut into the lead.
“It’s a really disappointing night from our standpoint,” said head coach Chris Beard. “Just a wasted opportunity, I try to tell the guys in life you get a certain amount of opportunities and you got to take advantage of them.”
This night will go down as a missed opportunity for the Rebels to build real momentum as they continue to endure a gauntlet throughout their conference schedule. Their next four games will be a brutal test of the resiliency of this team.
“Just purely from a competitive standpoint, I didn’t see the fight tonight that I’ve seen the last month or so from our team,” remarked Beard.
When the Rebels face off against Kentucky Saturday in Rupp Arena, Coach Beard will hope to see more fire and aggressiveness from his team than what he received tonight. That passion will have to continue if Ole Miss wants to still be playing at the end of March.
Ole Miss will be back in action Saturday at 11 AM against the Wildcats of Kentucky in Lexington. The game will be broadcast on ESPN. As always, stay here for the latest on all things about your Ole Miss Rebels!
