Three Takeaways: Ole Miss Basketball Drops Thriller vs. Mississippi State

The Ole Miss Rebels could not muster a comeback on Saturday night in Starkville.

Jan 18, 2025; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels guard Sean Pedulla (3) drives to the basket as Mississippi State Bulldogs forward Cameron Matthews (4) defends during the first half at Humphrey Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The No. 21 Ole Miss Rebels suffered their first SEC loss of the season on Saturday as they fell in overtime to the No. 15 Mississippi State Bulldogs 84-81 at Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville.

Ole Miss did not lead in this game until the overtime period, but a few key miscues sank the Rebels on the road. Still, Chris Beard's team showed some impressive fight after falling behind early, and it nearly came away with its fifth-straight conference win in the process.

What did we learn from Saturday's result? Let's dive in below.

1. This Ole Miss team has a lot of fight, even in a loss.

The Rebels fell behind 14-2 early on Saturday, and much of the first half seemed to be in Mississippi State's favor. Ole Miss was outrebounded by a wide margin before halftime (and finished the game 51-29 in that category), opening up the door for a lot of second-chance opportunities for the Bulldogs.

Still, Ole Miss fought and clawed its way back into the game, remaining in striking distance throughout the second half until Matthew Murrell tied the game with a clutch three that sent things to overtime. A blocked layup from Murrell in OT proved to be a big difference in the outcome, but the Rebels clearly aren't intimidated by a slow start in any contest and can work their way back into games.

2. Ole Miss' comeback effort was sparked by the three ball.

The Rebels have struggled at times from beyond the arc this season, and although they only shot 37 percent in that category on Saturday, they still hit 13 threes that helped them work their way back into the ballgame against State.

Ole Miss can compete with teams in a variety of ways, and it showed that on Saturday night in a losing effort. Being able to make threes when it counts would be huge for this team moving forward, especially if Malik Dia's post presence can continue to be strong in the games ahead.

3. The rivalry aspect of this loss has to sting for Ole Miss, but the Rebs are still in good shape in the Southeastern Conference.

Sitting with a 4-1 record in SEC play is a good spot for Ole Miss to be in as it returns home this week. Tuesday's win over No. 4 Alabama will loom large on the Rebels' resume throughout the year, and if they can continue to win ballgames (including a rematch against State in February), they could ride that momentum to a strong berth in the NCAA Tournament.

That's still a long way off, but every night in the Southeastern Conference is going to be a fight. The fact that Ole Miss has started so well should count for something moving forward.

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