Chris Beard, Ole Miss coach credits streakhouse in win vs Georgia Ole Miss basketball coach Chris Beard credited a Nashville steakhouse with helping his team secure a dramatic victory over No. 10 Georgia in the second round of the SEC Tournament. The Rebels, seeded No. 15, edged the Bulldogs 76-72, advancing to the quarterfinals against No. 2 Alabama. Beard’s pre-game promise to reward his players with a steak dinner at Halls Chophouse played a role in motivating his team during a pivotal moment in the game. With 3.9 seconds remaining in the contest, guard Kezza Giffa missed a critical free throw that would have given Ole Miss a three-point lead. Georgia called a timeout to ice Giffa ahead of his second attempt. Beard, known for his calm demeanor, opted to speak directly to Giffa during the timeout. “I said, ‘Kez, look. Big shot here. I really want that shrimp cocktail here in about 45 minutes,’” Beard recalled. Giffa made the free throw, sealing the win and earning praise from Beard, who thanked Halls Chophouse for “helping us get the victory tonight.” The game was far from a straightforward victory. Ole Miss built a 23-point lead in the second half, only for Georgia to mount a furious comeback. The Bulldogs cut the deficit to 60-58 with 6:14 remaining, forcing the Rebels into a high-pressure situation. Despite the tension, Ole Miss remained composed. Guard Travis Perry described the team’s mindset as “calm” during the huddle, noting that the players understood the importance of staying focused. Perry scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds, contributing to the team’s resilience. Ole Miss’s success in the tournament is historic. The team, which entered the SEC Tournament having lost 12 of its past 13 games, became the first No. 15 seed to win two games since the tournament expanded to 16 teams.#ole_miss #chris_beard #halls_chophouse #kezza_giffa #travis_perry
Men's Basketball Hosts South Carolina for Regular Season Finale Ole Miss men’s basketball will conclude its regular season with a home matchup against South Carolina on Saturday, March 7, at noon in the SJB Pavilion. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network, marking the Rebels’ final home contest of the year. The matchup pits Ole Miss (12-18, 4-13 SEC) against South Carolina (12-18, 3-14 SEC), with both teams entering the game with identical overall records but differing conference performances. Head coach Chris Beard, in his third season at Ole Miss, has guided the team to a 56-42 record at the school, while South Carolina’s Lamont Paris, in his fourth season with the Gamecocks, has compiled a 61-67 record. Paris was recently named SEC Coach of the Year in 2024 after leading South Carolina to a 26-win season. The series between Ole Miss and South Carolina dates back to 1960, with the Rebels holding a 26-24 edge in the all-time matchup. The teams last met on February 12, 2025, when Ole Miss won 72-68 at Columbia, S.C., with Malik Dia leading the charge with 18 points and Collin Murray-Boyles tallying 20 points for South Carolina. South Carolina’s season has been marked by inconsistency, with the team posting wins over LSU, Oklahoma, and Mississippi State in SEC play but losing three consecutive games to Kentucky, Georgia, and Tennessee. The Gamecocks rank 110th in the NET and 98th in KenPom, reflecting their struggles in the conference. Key contributors include Meechie Johnson, who averages 17.3 points per game and leads the team in free throws made (163), and Mike Sharavjamts, who averages 5.4 rebounds per game. South Carolina’s defensive strengths include a 31.9 three-point percentage defense and a 9.8 turnover per game average, though they rank 99th in three-point attempts.#south_carolina #ole_miss #sec_network #chris_beard #lamont_paris
