Why Chris Beard Came Away Impressed by Ole Miss' First Half Showing vs. Kentucky

The Rebels had a strong offensive performance on Tuesday, something that head coach Chris Beard loved to see.

Feb 4, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Chris Beard reacts during the first half against the Kentucky Wildcats at The Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The No. 25 Ole Miss Rebels came out hot in Tuesday's matchup with the No. 14 Kentucky Wildcats. Although they haven't done much of this during SEC play, everything came together, especially in the first half as the Rebels jumped out to a lead that they rode to a 98-84 win over the college basketball blue blood.

After the game, Ole Miss head coach Chris Beard discussed how pleased he was with his team's effort and execution during Tuesday's game outside of a defensive "lull" in the second half.

“Thing I was really proud of in the first half is we separated a little bit, and the lull that you're hoping doesn't come--which we experienced in the second half--the first half, we didn't have that let up," Beard said. "It was good. It was like I didn't want to go to halftime.

"I told the players after the game that I don’t know if I’ve ever enjoyed watching a team play more than I did tonight watching us play, in the first half especially."

The Rebels didn't turn the ball over at all in the first half, which paired with some relentless defense helped give them a big lead entering the break. Ole Miss also shot at an unbelievable clip throughout the first half, something it had struggled with at times throughout conference play.

"It helps to make shots. Just couple of days ago we were sitting here talking about that. The basket got big for us, but I thought we played the right way," Beard said. "We were sharing the ball, most of our baskets were assisted, and as a coach, that's always something you look at."

One of the Rebels' biggest performances came from guard Matthew Murrell who had a season-high 24 points on Tuesday night. After some struggles at times this season with injuries (including a lower-body ailment in recent weeks), this showing felt like a breath of fresh air for the veteran.

"It's like finally getting your head above water," Murrell said, "but we've just got to keep working, keep building from it and take this confidence into the next game.

"You can ask coach. I'm in the training room every day just trying to get as healthy as I can so I'm able to go out there and effect winning the best way I can."

The Rebels get to savor this one for a bit before hitting the road for Baton Rouge for a battle with the LSU, a game that Ole Miss (on paper) should win, but going on the road in the SEC is a challenge for most everyone. Tip-off with the Tigers is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, and the game will be broadcast on SEC Network.

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