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Everything Chris Beard said after Ole Miss basketball’s loss at Vanderbilt

Ben Garrettby:Ben Garrett•about 14 hours•

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NCAA Basketball: Louisiana State at Mississippi
Jan 11, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Chris Beard looks on during the second half against the LSU Tigers at The Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Ole Miss basketball is firmly in the NCAA Tournament.

But the Rebels haven’t played like a postseason contender in about a month. Saturday at Vanderbilt was merely an extension of their weeks-long frustrations. 

Ole Miss suffered its second straight loss, 77-72, to fall to 19-8 (8-6 SEC) on the season. The Rebels went into play Saturday as a projected 6-seed, according to ESPN. However, Vanderbilt (18-9, 6-8), an 11-seed and one of the ‘Last Four In,’ seemingly had more March Madness urgency.

The Commodores built a 19-point lead with 5:46 to go in the first half. Ole Miss missed its first nine 3s. But 23 combined points from Sean Pedulla and Malik Dia in the second half made a game of it. Ole Miss took its first lead at 47-46. The Commodores, though, held the Rebels without a point for the next five minutes. 

The Rebels two weeks ago were on the verge of a 4-seed. They’re now on the 8/9 cut line. 

Here’s everything second-year head coach Chris Beard said after the loss.

OPENING STATEMENT

Beard: Congratulate Vanderbilt on a good home win. Said it a couple times this week in the required press conferences I think (Vanderbilt’s Mark Byington) should be in consideration for National Coach of the Year. First year, eight transfers, one freshman. Literally kind of flipping the field of Vanderbilt basketball. Good team. Only two losses at home, I think Mississippi State and Auburn. Beat some really good teams on their home floor. They added another one today. 

I thought the difference in the game was obviously our poor start. They were aggressive out of the gates and we needed to take that first punch a little bit better than we did. I thought the free throw differential was obvious. They didn’t foul much and they got to the free throw line, so we have to look at that from the film. You give Vanderbilt credit for being aggressive. In terms of the overall free throw discrepancy it’s something we’ll just have to look at. But it was obviously a factor in the game when they make more free throws than we shoot. Two aggressive teams playing.

(Chris Mañon) for them, man, really impressed with him this week in preparation. He’s one of the best players in the SEC that no one’s talking about. Obviously today he just filled up the stat sheet playing about half the game. Congrats to Vanderbilt. Good home win in the SEC. 

We played well at times today, obviously, to get back in the game. But the start of the game and the end of the game is where we didn’t play well enough to win on the road.

ON THE TURNOVERS

Beard: When our starting point guard has five turnovers in a game it’s going to be very difficult for Ole Miss to win. I would give Vanderbilt’s defense credit for that.

ON DIA’S RETURN TO VANDERBILT

Beard: I know Dia started his career here. Was a different coaching staff, different time. I know he has a lot of respect for the people here that talked to him about that kind of during the recruiting process. But from my point of view nothing going on different this week with Dia.

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