Everything Chris Beard said after No. 23 Ole Miss came up short against top-ranked Auburn

No. 23 Ole Miss had its chances but ultimately suffered its fourth loss in its last five games Saturday against top-ranked Auburn. 

Sean Pedulla scored a season-high 29 points, but the starting Auburn five scored 79 points in a 92-82 win. The Rebels fell to 16-6 (5-4 SEC) on the season. Auburn improved to 20-1 (8-0).

Here’s everything second-year Ole Miss head coach Chris Beard said in his postgame press conference.

OPENING STATEMENT 

Beard: Just another great crowd. We had students camping out last night before the game. Two hours early, they just flooded in and had a great attendance. It’s a really good environment, too. I know everybody comes to the game to see a win, but I think with the exception of the scoreboard, just a lot of good things going on today Oxford-wise with our basketball program. Year 2 to have a crack at the No. 1 team in the country and to have a great crowd and great environment, we’re very appreciative. That’s the first thing that needs to be said. 

From a basketball standpoint I thought we played hard enough to win today. Our guys were physical and prepared. We played really hard. To beat a team like this you’re going to have to have some special performances. I thought Sean had an outstanding game. Offensively just played with courage all night long. Matt Murrell overcoming a lot right now with his body. Just being banged up but he played with a lot of courage. If you’d have told me before the game, ‘Hey, you’re going to get 17 out of Matt today,’ I would have liked our chances. 

“To beat a team like this the playing hard deal just isn’t going to get it done. You’ve got to play well.”

A lot of missed free throws tonight. You’re not going to make them all, but it’s not difficult to see how the game could have been shifted a little bit, maybe more pressure on Auburn down the stretch. I think at the eight-minute timeout we were on the free throw line with a chance to cut the game to two points. 

Again, Auburn’s really good. As good as advertised. I think we’re right there (and) can beat teams like this, but it’s going to take one of our better efforts. Really proud of our players and how hard we fought. We’ve just got to play better in different areas of the game. Give Auburn credit; that’s what good teams do — they find a way to win.

RELATED: Beard has Ole Miss steady in latest ‘Bracketology’ ahead of game with No. 1 Auburn

ON GETTING CLOSE BUT FALLING SHORT

Beard: I thought we played hard enough to win today. I’m not so sure this is not one of the better games Auburn’s played. They get what seemed like five or six guys in double figures. They had special performances. We had Sean and Matt. 

(Jaemyn) Brakefield minus the turnovers was right there in an A-type game. They had three or four guys show up and play their ‘A’ games. How are we in the game? We’re playing hard. We’re playing hard. Had a mistake at the end of the first half, letting Broome shoot the horse 3 when we have fouls to give. We want him to drive with his right hand over there. We came out of the timeout with a clear message, we just didn’t get it done, so at halftime we were a little disappointed. 

We’re down six or seven or whatever and we set it up first four minutes of the (second) half we’ve got to win. I don’t care if we win by one or 10, but we’ve got to be in there. We did that. We accomplished it perfectly. Then we started chipping away and, again, with about eight minutes left, we’re on the free throw line to cut this thing to a one-possession game. 

“Give our guys credit; we didn’t get all the ‘A’ performances.”

If you’d have told me before the game (Jaylon Murray) was going to go over six, you know, I don’t like that. Dre (Davis) gets in foul trouble. I don’t like that. 

But I thought we played really hard. We earned the free throw differential. I thought we were the most aggressive team throughout some, if not the majority, of the game. A little frustrated late because of the inconsistency of it (drawing the late technical foul), but at that point just fighting for our guys.

ON THE DEPTH OF THE SEC

Beard: We just got beat by Auburn, so I’m not really thinking about the league. But I think everything that’s been talked about with the SEC we’re living it. The league’s really good. I think Auburn’s worthy of their current No. 1 ranking. We’ve won this game a few times over the years. We understood what it was going to take. Just some things we could have controlled better that we didn’t get done. What do teams like Auburn do? They make you pay. They make big shots in big moments. Our team has the ability to do that. It’s early-February; I think we can play with teams like this right now. I know we can. We’ll just keep working towards where we can beat teams like this in March.

ON ANOTHER CLOSE LOSS

Beard: It just validates that we’re a Top 25 program. I think this was the second time Auburn and Ole Miss have ever played in all these years since the peach basket that both teams were ranked. We’ll continue to try to do our part. This game means a lot to fans and stuff. Rivalry? I don’t know, but we’re going to continue to try to build our program where we’re in a position like we were today — where we’re more than competitive in the game. We just need to play a little bit better.

“I hope the story is our guys played really hard today.”

I thought we played hard enough to win. We’ve just got to play a little better. Why didn’t we play a little bit better? The opponent. I’ve watched every game they’ve played. If they’re going to go 14 from 28 from the 3-point line I don’t think Auburn will get beat the rest of the year. I don’t think Auburn can be beat if they go 14 for 28 from the 3-point line. 

We didn’t have much fortune in that we needed a couple of those shots to rim out, get the rebound. We were right there today. We’ve just got to keep fighting. I’m extremely proud of our players. I thought we competed against a worthy No. 1 team in the country. 

ON AUBURN STAR JOHNI BROOME

Beard: It’s pick your poison. You want to stay on everybody and watch him do his thing. You want to go double him, and he’s become such a better passer. I think he’s a better passer this year than he was last year, and last year he was an All-American. It’s a chess game and back-and-forth and there’s going to be some times where you look up out there and Ole Miss just gave Auburn a 3. I understand there’s going to be some times and Broome’s got the ball in the paint. It’s the ones in between.

There’s about two or three of them we controlled but didn’t rotate when we were supposed to. It’s just mistakes. But he’s an All-American and potential college basketball Player of the Year. He can do it in different ways. The 3 at the end of the half, that can’t happen. A couple of the offensive rebounds, put-backs, that can’t happen. We’re trying to block him out and I don’t know what’s an over the back and what’s not over the back. We’ll just have to study the film and I’ll have to coach better.

ON AUBURN’S ABILITY TO MOVE THE BALL

Beard: I don’t know if they’ve played a better game this year. We’re a good team. They just moved the ball when we doubled and made us pay when we didn’t. They put us in some tough spots. Low turnover game. We actually turned them over more than they turned us over, but I think a lot of our turnovers immediately resulted in baskets, points on the scoreboard for them. We’ve just got to keep working and getting better. This time of year you’re just trying to put yourself in a position where March you can win games like this. I don’t know, we’ll see what happens, but I’m confident we can. Didn’t surprise our guys that we were in a position to win this game with about eight minutes left. We’ve just got to finish the game a lot better.”