The Grove Report

Instant Takeaways: Ole Miss Basketball Falls 62-57 to Auburn in the SEC Tournament

Chris Beard's Rebels battle back late, unable to get over the hump down the stretch in Nashville.
Henry Stuart|
Mar 14, 2025; Nashville, TN, USA; Mississippi Rebels guard Dre Davis (14) blocks the shot of Auburn Tigers guard Tahaad Pettiford (0) during the first half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Mar 14, 2025; Nashville, TN, USA; Mississippi Rebels guard Dre Davis (14) blocks the shot of Auburn Tigers guard Tahaad Pettiford (0) during the first half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

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Ole Miss Rebels

The Ole Miss Rebels battled until the buzzer against the top-seeded Auburn Tigers in a challenging 62-57 loss on Friday afternoon in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals.

Both programs battled back-and-forth throughout the showdown in Bridgestone Arena with Bruce Pearl's Tigers ultimately coming out on top to advance.

The Instant Takeaways: SEC Tournament Quarterfinals

Ole Miss Cleaned Up Turnovers in the Second Half

Ole Miss is ranked 3rd in the nation for turnovers per game, averaging just 8.9 a game.

In the first half, the Rebels committed seven, compared to Auburn's four, but the second half was a completely different story.

In the final 20 minutes, Ole Miss committed just three turnovers in total while forcing the Tigers to 11 in the half and 15 for the day.

The Rebels also managed to score 18 points off of Auburn's turnovers with the defense quickly turning into offense.

The ability to stifle Auburn's offense quickly became a takeaway; showcasing the Rebels' ability to hang with the top programs in the country with the NCAA Tournament inching closer.

Competitive Mindset Forces a Tight Contest in Nashville

Ole Miss lost to Auburn by 30 the last time the two teams played with the Rebels unable to hold a lead throughout the 40-minute contest.

On Friday afternoon in Nashville, it was a different story. The Rebels never trailed by more than 10 points, and would rally back into contention every time Auburn would begin to pull away.

Despite having just one player in double figures, the Rebels scored consistently as a team, and didn't need to rely on a singular big performance to keep them in the game.

Friday's game was the definition of a team game with Chris Beard's crew showcasing their ability to spread the ball to all five players on the floor.

Rebounding Battle Tells the Story Late

Ole Miss is ranked as the second-worst rebounding team in the SEC, with Auburn ranked as the 6th.

On paper, it sounds fairly similar, but the Tigers have grabbed nearly 100 more rebounds than Ole Miss on the season.

The Tigers out-rebounded the Rebels 37-28 on Friday in Bridgestone Arena, proving especially key coming down the stretch.

Despite turnovers plaguing Auburn down the stretch, the Tigers pounded the glass, which helped to disrupt multiple Rebel rallies throughout the second half.

Ole Miss will await Selection Sunday to find who and if they will play in the NCAA Tournament.

Follow Henry Stuart on X for the latest news on Ole Miss Rebels Basketball with "March Madness" in full swing for Chris Beard's crew.

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Henry Stuart
HENRY STUART

Henry is a writing intern at Ole Miss OnSI. A native of Charlotte, North Carolina, his previous experience includes serving as a play-by-play commentator for high school athletics. Part-time or full-time: He will be part-time as he pursues his journalism degree at Ole Miss.

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