Chris Beard, Ole Miss Basketball Look For 'Fighter Mentality' After Loss to Texas A&M

Ole Miss basketball's Chris Beard broke down a tough loss on Wednesday night.

Dec 7, 2024; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Chris Beard talks with guard Sean Pedulla (3) during the second half against the Lindenwood Lions at The Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Ole Miss basketball dropped it's second-straight game on Wednesday night, losing a heartbreaker to No. 13 Texas A&M 63-62.

The Rebels led the entire game, but surrendered a go-ahead three-pointer with 13 seconds remaining and would not make a shot on the subsequent possession. The loss marks the second-straight loss not only overall, but in SEC play as well.

"It's a long season," head coach Chris Beard said postgame. "There are 18 SEC games this season, and tonight was No. 6. There's lots of lessons each game, whether you win or lose. It's back to work tomorrow.

"We're a fighter program. We're a fighter mentality. We're not going to play the 'victim card.' We have nobody to blame but ourselves for this."

While it may sting, Beard is right. The Rebels are only one-third of the way through SEC play and will have many more opportunities to prove themselves going forward. Major games on the horizon include No. 1 Auburn on Feb. 1 at home, No. 7 Kentucky on Feb. 4 also at home, and No. 14 Mississippi State in the SJB Pavilion on Feb. 15. Being able to move on from the loss Wednesday will be crucial in the team's success going forward.

"We've got to stay the course. We're not going to let the hurt last," Beard said.

Moving on is even more important when you take into account Ole Miss' next matchup. The Rebels will travel to Columbia to take on No. 22 Missouri on Saturday. The Tigers are one of the more surprising teams in the SEC this season and will undoubtedly be looking for a signature win in front of their home crowd.

Saturday's matchup is set for a 5 p.m. tip-off and will be televised on the SEC Network.

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