How Chris Beard, Ole Miss Borrowed Strategy From Nick Saban to Avoid 'Letdown Games'

The Ole Miss Rebels are hoping to keep their positive momentum going on Saturday when they face the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

Jan 14, 2025; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Chris Beard watches the game from the bench during the second half against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Coleman Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Will McLelland-Imagn Images / Will McLelland-Imagn Images

No. 21 Ole Miss Rebels men's basketball is coming off one of the biggest wins in program history after toppling the No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa on Tuesday, but there is no rest for the weary (or victorious) in this year's SEC.

Ole Miss has a quick turnaround this week as it is set for another short road trip to Starkville to take on the in-state rival and 15th-ranked Mississippi State Bulldogs on Saturday. In order for the Rebels to win, they can't let Tuesday's win over Bama linger in their minds; the focus has to be on State.

Head coach Chris Beard was a guest on "Wake Up Mintzy" on Thursday where he discussed how his team can avoid a "letdown game" following Tuesday's massive win. In short, Beard isn't worried about how his team will handle the emotions carrying over from the Alabama game, and that is thanks in part to a strategy borrowed from former Tide football coach Nick Saban.

"We'll be fine internally on that. We're prepared for that," Beard said. "Our thing is the next game on the schedule is always the biggest game we've ever coached or played in. There's no other way to feel about it as a competitor.

"We've got a 12-hour rule around here. We stole that from Coach Saban and other football greats, the 24-hour rule in football. In basketball, we play twice a week in conference, so you cut it in half."

That essentially means that the Rebels are allowed as a program to enjoy their win over Alabama for 12 hours before shifting gears to the next game on the schedule, in this case Mississippi State.

While Tuesday's game marked Ole Miss' first-ever road win over an AP Top 5 team, Beard isn't putting a ton of stock in that achievement. In his mind, the Rebels will have to achieve a lot of "firsts" if the program is set to reach new heights.

"The external factors, it's exciting for the fans and supporters when you do something that's never been done before," Beard said, "but let's keep it real: we're going to have to do a lot of things here that have never been done before to build the program the way we've got to build."

That's another reason why Beard isn't worried about an emotional letdown following the Alabama game, but there are some things about the Bulldogs that have caught his eye as he prepares for Saturday.

"I worry about a lot of things: Mississippi State's talent, their team, their homecourt advantage," Beard said, "but I don't really worry much about the letdown effect with us. We've got some veteran players. We understand that game's over, and the next game on the schedule is the next and biggest opportunity."

Tip-off on Saturday between Ole Miss and Mississippi State is scheduled for 5 p.m. CT at Humphrey Coliseum, and the game will be televised on ESPN2.

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