The Grove Report

Ole Miss Basketball Wins Thriller Over Arkansas in Round 2 of the SEC Tournament

The Rebels take down the Razorbacks in Round 2 of the SEC Tournament, stun John Calipari's crew in Nashville.
Henry Stuart|
Mar 13, 2025; Nashville, TN, USA; Mississippi Rebels forward Jaemyn Brakefield (4) drives to the basket as Arkansas Razorbacks forward Trevon Brazile (4) defends during the first half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Mar 13, 2025; Nashville, TN, USA; Mississippi Rebels forward Jaemyn Brakefield (4) drives to the basket as Arkansas Razorbacks forward Trevon Brazile (4) defends during the first half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

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Ole Miss Rebels

Chris Beard and the Ole Miss Rebels took down the Arkansas Razorbacks 83-80 in an instant classic in Round 2 of the SEC Tournament on Thursday afternoon.

The Rebels would largely keep Arkansas at bay in the first half, taking an eight-point lead into the half, but Arkansas would rally back quickly.

John Calipari's Razorbacks would grab the lead in the second half, but the Rebels would then go on a 13-2 run to take a four-point lead down the stretch.

The back and forth battle would see Arkansas grab a three-point lead with 26 seconds remaining before "madness" ensued in Bridgestone Arena.

Dre Davis would tie the game with 20 seconds left, before Malik Dia fouled Arkansas' Trevon Brazzile with 7.4 seconds left.

Brazzlie would miss both shots with Ole Miss guard Sean Pedulla taking the ball down the floor for a pull-up game-winning three-pointer with 1.3 seconds left.

As a team, Ole Miss shot 45.9% from the floor, 30.4% from three-point range, and 73.7% from the free-throw line.

Malik Dia led the Rebels in scoring with 19 points, followed by Jaylen Murray with 17, Matthew Murrell with 12, Davon Barnes with 11, and Sean Pedulla with 10.

As a team, Arkansas shot 46.4% from the floor, 31.8% from three-point range, and 65.6% from the free-throw line. Josh Aidoo led the Razorbacks in scoring with 17 points, followed by Trevon Brazzile with 15, Karter Knox with 14, and Johnell Davids with 10.

Thursday's game was a game all about momentum, with both teams leading by as much as eight points at points throughout the game, but the Rebels were simply able to outlast the Razorbacks.

Arkansas had just seven players available for Thursday's game, with the team in foul trouble for much of the second half.

Ole Miss' Sean Pedulla also found himself in foul trouble, with true freshman Eduardo Klafke playing the majority of the second half.

The Rebels were simply able to stay more energized than Arkansas down the stretch to come out with the thrilling victory.

Ole Miss earns a crucial win with Thursday's game and another victory added to an already stellar NCAA Tournament resumé ahead of Selection Sunday. Thursday's victory also marks the first time Ole Miss has swept the Razorbacks 2012.

The Rebels advance to the quarterfinals take on No. 1 seed Auburn this coming Friday. Tip-off is set for 12:00 P.M. CT, and will be televised on ESPN.

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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