OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss took another step back Tuesday night.
Miami handled the Rebels 75-66 in Oxford, and it came with the same problems that have surfaced all week. Poor shooting. Weak rebounding. Not enough energy.
And a head coach openly frustrated.
Chris Beard did not try to hide anything. His team shot 34.8% from the field. It missed layups. It lost 50-50 balls. It fell behind early and stayed there.
“It is infuriating,” Beard said. “It’s concerning.”
The loss pushed Ole Miss to 5-3. It also pushed the conversation toward something larger.
Is this just a cold stretch? Or is this an early identity issue?
Beard said accountability must improve. But effort was the point he returned to the most.
Miami found clean looks all night. The Hurricanes shot 49.1% and made 44% from three. They spread the floor. They drove.
They kept Ole Miss off balance. Shelton Henderson scored 18 points. Tru Washington added 17. Three more Miami players scored in double figures.
The Rebels could not match that balance. Only Patton Pinkins and Travis Perry hit double digits, each finishing with 11.
Ole Miss also lost the rebounding battle 45–29. That gap changed the game. Miami’s extra possessions kept pressure on a defense that struggled to rotate.
AJ Storr had a rough outing. He went 2-for-9 with three turnovers. His minus-21 rating showed how hard the night was when he was on the floor. The Rebels never found rhythm when they needed it.
Miami entered the game 7-2. The Hurricanes looked like the steadier team from the opening minutes. Ole Miss had chances in the second half, outscoring Miami 40–33.
But the start of the game set the tone. Beard said the improved play came only after the deficit grew.
“We’re not a well-coached team right now,” he said. It was one of his sharpest comments of the season. He also said effort will be fixed, even if that means changes in who plays.
Rebels face quick turnaround to St. John’s next
The rebounding issues stood out most. Miami’s 16-board advantage came at key moments.
Each time Ole Miss closed the margin, a missed box-out or loose ball shifted momentum back to the Hurricanes. Beard said those plays speak to effort as much as technique.
Ilias Kamardine struggled from the field. He went 1-for-11 but did add six assists.
Malik Dia finished with nine points and nine rebounds, though he ended minus-13. Neither performance could lift the Rebels when the game tightened.
Still, Ole Miss found a few positive signs. The team shot 42.3% from three. The defensive communication improved as the game went on.
And the second-half pace looked more like the style Beard wants. But improving only after falling behind is not the formula he expects.
“We can play different players,” Beard said. That message suggested lineup changes may be coming. He said leadership must be stronger. Several possessions ended with confusion or slow decisions. Miami took advantage of nearly all of them.
The Rebels now head to New York for Saturday’s matchup with St. John’s. It will be another tough road test.
It is also a chance to reset before a December schedule that only gets tougher. Beard made it clear the standard must rise fast.
Pinkins said the team heard the message. Players understood the frustration. They knew Miami exposed areas that have shown up before.
The questions now shift to whether Ole Miss can fix them quickly.
The Rebels still have time to correct course. But Tuesday’s loss showed the gap between effort and expectation.
Beard didn’t soften his words. He left the court knowing the next step must be a stronger one.
Key takeaways
- Ole Miss struggled again with effort, rebounding, and shooting in a 75-66 loss to Miami.
- Only two Rebels scored in double figures as key players had off nights.
- Chris Beard warned lineup changes may come if effort and leadership do not improve.
