‘Didn’t have a defense tonight’: Ole Miss basketball matches season’s longest losing streak
Last Ole Miss basketball was in the state of Alabama the Rebels left with their first-ever road win over a Top 5 opponent.
A lot’s changed with these Rebels in a little over a month’s time.
Ole Miss after its win over then-No. 4 Alabama was one of just two teams in the SEC undefeated after four games in conference play. The other, top-ranked Auburn, has only continued rolling towards the NCAA Tournament.
Ole Miss is going the other way. The Rebels are essentially a lock to make their first tournament appearance since 2018-19. However, they’ve matched their longest losing streak of the season (3) following a 106-76 loss at Auburn on Wednesday.
“Auburn is as good as advertised,” second-year Ole Miss head coach Chris Beard said. “A team that’s definitely, in my opinion, in the handful of favorites to win six games in three weekends (in March).”
The Rebels fell to 19-9 overall and 8-7 in SEC games.
Auburn has won eight straight over Ole Miss and improved to 26-2 (14-1). Ole Miss has three games remaining in the regular season. Next is Oklahoma (17-10, 4-10 SEC)in Oxford Saturday at 1 p.m. CT on ESPN2.
“When they make shots like they were, they won’t lose,” Beard said. “The defense from Ole Miss was non-existent, but that had a lot to do with Auburn. We just didn’t have a defense tonight.”
Auburn scored 1.49 points per possession Wednesday night, its highest in any game this century and tied for the third-highest in any SEC game in the last 15 seasons.
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GAME SUMMARY
Auburn made eight of its first 10 shots, including four 3-pointers, and led by as much as 22 (36-14) in the first half. The Rebels, however, responded and got as close as six. They made six of their final eight shots and trailed 50-40 at halftime. Sean Pedulla and Matthew Murrell combined for 21 points in the frame.
The Rebels cut the deficit to eight but Auburn extended out and dominated the rest of the way. Ole Miss hard five players score double-digit points. Pedulla had a team-high 14 to go along with four assists. His four rebounds tied Dre Davis for the most of all Rebels. Pedulla has topped them in points 10 times this season.
Johni Broome, the preseason SEC Player of the Year, scored 24. The Tigers shot nearly 60 percent (59.6) from the floor. Ole Miss made 23 of 31 free throws.
“Got great poise and great patience,” Beard said of Broome, Auburn’s “steady rock.” Beard added Broome plays at a “pro’s pace. Doesn’t seem to get too high or too low.”
