By Adam Brown
Sports Editor
adam.brown@hottytoddy.com
Ole Miss dropped a heartbreaker to the LSU Tigers 76-73 in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament on Friday night.
“That was a high-level SEC Tournament game,” head coach Kermit Davis said. “I am so proud of our team. That’s a hugely disappointed locker room.”
Ole Miss (16-11) was led on the court by Jarkel Joiner with 21 points in the second half of his total 26 points. Joiner drained five three-pointers against the Tigers.
“I like to give thanks to God,” Joiner said. “My teammates and coaches had confidence in me. Just the work I put in and it paid off tonight.”
Joiner’s performance against LSU was a new career-high in an Ole Miss uniform.
“The game just honors toughness,” Davis said. “If you are the first guy in the gym … first guy in the meeting room every single time we meet in the hotel this year that is what you deserve. You got to have talent and (Jarkel) got talent. He made a tremendous amount of improvement and we’re so happy for Jarkel.”
Senior Romello White added his fourth double-double with 20 points and 13 rebounds.
Early in the second half, Ole Miss responded from an 11-point deficit to LSU on a 22-6 run sparked by Joiner that gave Ole Miss a 51-46 lead with 11:17 left.
LSU responded on a 17-5 run at the 4:30 mark to take a 65-58 advantage. Devontae Shuler knocked down a three-pointer that pulled the Rebels within one point but could not overcome.
“We came out hard and fought till the end and proved that we are an NCAA Tournament team,” White said.
According to Davis the Rebels will stay in Nashville until selection Sunday in the bubble.
“If we’re selected then we will go straight to Indianapolis,” Davis said.
The NCAA Selection Sunday Show is set for March 14 at 5 p.m. CT on CBS.
