Ole Miss men’s basketball got its first SEC win against Missouri on Saturday, but it has a lot of work to do to reach its goals for the season.
In order for Ole Miss to bounce back from a rough non-conference schedule and make the NCAA tournament in March, they’ll need more games like Saturday.
The Rebels will need their best players playing well, but there’ll be times others are needed to step up. On Saturday against the Tigers that was Augusto Cassiá.
“In the first half, (Cassiá) didn’t play. Corey Chest was playing very physical, and that was a coaching decision,” Ole Miss coach Chris Beard said Monday. “With about 11 minutes Chest fouls out. At that point, we had a choice: go small or stay committed to playing two bigs. We called Augusto’s name, and he was ready.
“For those eight or nine minutes, he was probably the best player on the floor. The offensive rebound and putback, the pick-and-roll dunk and-one, his competitiveness on defense — he was outstanding.”
Cassiá played only nine minutes against Missouri, but made 3-of-4 field goals and free throw for seven points and two rebounds. More importantly, Cassiá helped limit the impact of Missouri’s Mark Mitchell in the paint.
“I don’t know how many times I’ve seen a guy not play until the final 11 minutes and then step in and perform like that,” Beard said. “That kind of unselfishness and production is what we’re going to need to flip this season and become the team we want to be.”
The team Ole Miss wants to be is more like the one that went to last year’s Sweet 16. Beating Missouri was a step in the right direction, but the steps aren’t going to get any easier.
Next up for the Rebels will be a road trip to No. 21 Georgia on Wednesday.
“They’re one of the fastest teams in college basketball. They take early shot-clock shots, put a lot of pressure on you in transition, and even in the half court, they attack quickly. They don’t play for late-clock situations,” Beard said. “They’re deserving of their Top 25 ranking. For us, it’s a real challenge and a real opportunity.”
How to Watch: Ole Miss at No. 21 Georgia
- Who: Ole Miss Rebels (9-7, 1-2 SEC) at No. 21 Georgia Bulldogs (14-2, 2-1)
- When: 6 p.m., Wednesday
- Where: Stegeman Coliseum, Athens, Ga.
- TV: SEC Network
- Radio: Live Radio
- Stats: Live Stats
- Series History: Georgia leads the all-time series 78-48
- Last Meeting: Ole Miss 63, Georgia 51 (January 4, 2025)
- Last time out, Rebels: def. Missouri, 76-69
- Last time out, Bulldogs: def. South Carolina, 75-70
Ole Miss Top Performers
- Points: Malik Dia, 15.1 ppg
- Rebounds: Malik Dia, 7.2 rpg
- Assists: Illias Kamardine, 65 (4.1 avg.)
- Steals: Illias Kamardine, 22 (1.4 avg.)
- Blocks: James Scott, 23 (1.4 avg.)
Georgia Top Performers
- Points: Jeremiah Wilkinson, 16.9 ppg
- Rebounds: Somtochukwu Cyril, 6.1 rpg
- Assists: Marcus Millender, 61 (3.8 avg.)
- Steals: Blue Cain, 29 (1.8 avg.)
- Blocks: Somtochukwu Cyril, 44 (2.8 avg.)
