WATCH: A diplomatic Beard got his say about the questionable officiating at Mississippi State
Ole Miss basketball led at halftime Wednesday at Mississippi State.
But 27 (!!!) awarded, and converted, second-half free throws by the Bulldogs proved too much for Ole Miss to overcome in an 83-71 loss. Ole Miss fell to 19-7 (6-7 SEC) on the season.
“So, tonight was an interesting game,” Chris Beard, who’s winding down his first season as Ole Miss head coach, said in his postgame press conference. “First of all, I’ve been coaching for 30 something years. Nobody likes a crybaby, and that’s not me. I don’t really respond to anything. It’s a game. So, first, be really clear here: Congratulations to Mississippi State. I thought the more physical team won the game. Obviously the game was really important to them. Protect their home court. Second round in our series this year. I thought they played well. They deserved to win the game.
“That’s amazing to me that (Tulu) Smith and (Jimmy) Bell, the two five-men (for State), they have zero fouls in the game.”
“I’m just reading what’s on the stat sheet. Won’t let my personal opinion be known, because it’s not how college basketball works, but two physical players in an SEC game late in February, they play 40 minutes in their five-spot (and) have zero fouls in a game. So, you know, to me, if this was a North Carolina-Duke or a Kansas-Baylor, this would get some national attention. Some basketball people might take a look at the film, not just the box score (or) the coaches comments, but actually look at the game.
“Zero fouls on two really physical players on the other end. We have multiple players foul out of the game. Give Mississippi State credit. A lot of these possessions were the most aggressive person won. But in all my years of coaching, I have not been involved in a game like that.”
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Ole Miss senior guard Matthew Murrell scored 20 points or more (23) for the 20th time in his career.
He made at least three three-pointers for the sixth consecutive game, and Murrell’s eight rebounds were second of all Ole Miss Rebels and one off the best single-game total of his career. Murrell moved into 19th in Ole Miss history in career points (1,376). He’s now sixth at Ole Miss in career threes (206).
Jamarion Sharp, the Ole Miss center and tallest player in the nation at 7-foot-5, tied his second-high in rebounds (10). Allen Flanigan and Jaylen Murray each had 12 points. Smith had 24 points and six rebounds to lead Mississippi State.
Ole Miss next hosts No. 20 South Carolina on Saturday in a critical late-season showdown weighted by significant postseason ramifications. Tipoff is 2:30 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
