'The More Physical Team Won The Game': Rebels' Chris Beard Evaluates Loss to Mississippi State
The Ole Miss Rebels men's basketball team split its season series with the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Wednesday night, falling on the road in Starkville 83-71. The loss has subsequently knocked the Rebels out of the Last Four In group, and they will need to play their best basketball in the next five games if they want to keep their dwindling NCAA Tournament hopes alive.
Ole Miss coach Chris Beard addressed the media after his team's loss on Wednesday night, and opened up his presser with some honesty.
"Congratulations to Mississippi State," Beard told reporters. "I thought the more physical team won the game. This game was really important to them, protecting their home court. 40 something points off the bench, their best players produced. [Tolu] Smith had a career type game on both ends. [State] deserved to win the game."
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The Rebels ran into foul trouble on Wednesday night, while the Bulldogs stayed relatively clean, and Beard made it clear that he was not pleased with the officiating.
"It's amazing to me, that Smith and [Jimmy] Bell - the two five men here - have zero fouls in the game," Beard said. "I'm just reading what's on the stat sheet. I won't let my personal opinion be known because it's not how college basketball works. But two physical players in an SEC game in late in February played 40 minutes in their five spot and had zero fouls in a game.
"To me, if this was a North Carolina vs. Duke or Kansas vs. Baylor [matchup], this would get national attention and some basketball people might take a look at the film. On the other end, we had multiple players foul out of the game. In all my years of coaching, I have not been involved in a game like that."
Beard's frustration is understandable, as Ole Miss guards TJ Caldwell and Allen Flanigan both fouled out of the game and the Rebels racked up 18 total personal fouls, while State was called for 11.
The Rebels will now journey back to the friendly confines of the Sandy and John Black Pavilion, where they will host the No. 20 South Carolina Gamecocks on Saturday afternoon. Tip-off is set for 2:30 p.m. CT and the game will be televised on SEC Network.
