MILWAUKEE — With a team rich in senior experience, Mississippi’s roster demonstrated determination and focus to achieve an impressive milestone this season.
The Rebels managed a feat unseen for over twenty years in the program’s history.
Sean Pedulla contributed 20 points, while Jaemyn Brakefield added 19, leading Ole Miss to a 91-78 victory over Iowa State on Sunday night. This triumph secured the Rebels a spot in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament for only the second time in their history.
Ole Miss coach Chris Beard acknowledged the pressure on the team, expressing, “We were kind of a, you know, win-or-bust team. We set the objective really high. We want to go in the tournament, we want to have a good seed. We want to be one of those teams that has a chance to win the tournament. And Ole Miss winning the tournament, probable? No. Possible? Absolutely.”
Mississippi (24-11) stands among seven schools from the Southeastern Conference still in contention, marking the highest number from any conference to advance to the Sweet 16 in a single season. The Rebel fans began an “SEC!” chant with over five minutes remaining in a game that was already decided.
Next, the sixth-seeded Rebels will face off against No. 2 seed Michigan State in a South Region semifinal on Friday in Atlanta.
This event marks Ole Miss’s first regional semifinal advancement since 2001, during their tenth NCAA Tournament appearance. Senior guard Matthew Murrell highlighted the significant influence of Coach Beard, stating, “(You’re) looking at the guy right there. Every day he instills confidence in us. We all trust the work we put in, the process, day in, day out, the consistency of it, never taking each day for granted, trying to maximize our 24 hours. Every day we’re just working, and we let the work show.”
Chris Beard is no stranger to making impressive tournament runs; he previously led Texas Tech to the NCAA Tournament final in 2019. After a stint at Texas ended amidst controversy, which ultimately saw charges dropped, Beard found a new opportunity at Ole Miss, aiming for a potential Final Four journey with a different school.
“This is all about the players,” Beard emphasized. “These guys have bought in, they’ve been an unselfish group since the first day of summer. And to see their hard work pay off is really rewarding.”
Contributions from Malik Dia with 18 points, and Murrell and Jaylen Murray adding 15 and 11 points respectively, were instrumental in the Rebels’ success.
Despite Curtis Jones’ 26-point performance, along with Joshua Jefferson’s 16 points and Nate Heise’s 13, the Cyclones (25-10) fell short. Milan Momcilovic, who had been productive in the first-round victory, managed just five points in this matchup.
Against odds and expectations, Ole Miss outhustled Iowa State throughout most of the game despite being a 5½-point underdog. Following an initial deficit, the Rebels surged ahead with a decisive 20-2 run, shifting momentum in their favor.
Iowa State’s coach, T.J. Otzelberger, remarked on Ole Miss’s resilience, “They’re a team that plays with a lot of toughness. They’re connected defensively, their switching can be disruptive. At times it wears on you mentally, you’re not able to get the ball in the paint and not get the normal plays that you want to make.”
Ole Miss capitalized on Iowa State’s 15 turnovers compared to their own eight, yielding a 20-7 advantage in points off turnovers while maintaining strong shooting performances, hitting 58.2% from the field and 11 of 19 three-pointers.
Looking ahead, Ole Miss aims to push further than before, seeking a first-ever regional final after having previously lost at this stage to Arizona.