Ole Miss was prepared, but preparation didn’t translate when Saturday’s game against Mississippi State turned physical and the Rebels lost 90-78.
Afterwards, Ole Miss coach Chris Beard pointed to physical and mental toughness as the defining difference, saying the Rebels failed to win 50-50 balls, set hard screens, and demand contact against a Mississippi State team built to play that way.
Here’s everything Beard said after Saturday night’s game.
On whether the Rebels need to fight more:
Yes. Both physically and mentally. I asked Malik and the guys who spoke earlier, and they all said the preparation has been there. This team is one of the most prepared teams we’ve had going into games. But preparation has to show up in the game, and tonight it didn’t.
This was a game that required a lot of physical toughness. That’s Mississippi State’s identity. They’ve got one of the most dynamic scorers in college basketball, and they surround him with physically tough guys. I didn’t think we matched that. We didn’t get many 50-50 balls. We probably fouled less than we have all year, and that wasn’t the game plan.
We didn’t make enough physical plays — rebounding, 50-50 balls, driving the ball and demanding contact, setting hard screens and knowing you’re going to get hit. They were topping our down screens, and we had a clear plan for that, but it required physical toughness, and we didn’t execute it.
There’s also a mental toughness component. Our guys wanted to win. They understood what was at stake in a rivalry game. But when things didn’t go our way early, we didn’t hang in there the way we needed to. This needed to be a game where you’re down eight, nine, ten points at halftime and still very much in it. I thought the first half was where the game was really lost.
Early on, we actually got some good shots. We didn’t turn the ball over. The right guys were taking the right shots. But when things didn’t go our way, it affected our defensive intensity. There’s a price to win. It’s not free. It requires physicality and mental toughness, especially against an opponent like this.
Dia and A.J. had good games statistically, but that’s not enough. We needed a third or fourth guy, and we didn’t get that tonight. Mississippi State did. Hubbard did what he does, but they also had other guys step up and make plays.
On morale after a seven-game losing streak:
I don’t know if they’re devastated — that’s a question for the players. That’s why you guys have access to them. What I know is you keep chipping away. Life isn’t fair. You’re going to face adversity as a man, father, husband, teammate, coach, player — that’s just life.
I think our guys have continued to fight, but tonight we weren’t physically tough enough early to keep the game within reach when shots weren’t going down. There’s a mental toughness element to this. Some guys know how to win, some guys are learning, and we’re doing everything we can to teach that.
The second half offensively was better — we scored 50 points — but you have to play complimentary basketball. You have to get stops while you’re scoring. Credit Mississippi State. They kept pressure on us, and when they shoot the three like that, it’s tough.
But this shouldn’t have been the kind of loss it was. This should’ve been a one- or two-possession game at home with a chance to feed off our crowd, which was great tonight. I apologize to everyone who came out.
We’re not going to point fingers. This isn’t on the players alone. It’s on all of us, including me. Hats off to Coach Jans and his team.
On Mississippi State’s physicality and execution:
They were tougher than us for most of the game — 50-50 balls, rebounding, hard screens, getting back on defense. Those are the things we needed to do consistently, and we didn’t.
We showed some fight early in the second half. We won the first couple of four-minute segments, but we couldn’t separate. They made timely shots, including some from guys who don’t typically make those shots. When you’re at home and playing for what was at stake, you’ve got to mentally fight through those moments better.
I think our guys hang their heads too quickly, and that’s something we’ll continue to address. That’ll be one of the main lessons from this game when we get back to work Monday.
On defending Josh Hubbard:
We were trying different things. We trapped him early and got the ball out of his hands, but he played with a lot of poise. He’s a really good player, especially when you let him go downhill to his right. That was absolutely on the scouting report and in every timeout and dead ball. We just didn’t get it done.
That’s a fair question for the players, honestly. Were we trying to take away his right hand? Yes. Why didn’t it work? That’s something we’ll evaluate.
I still have a lot of belief in this team. That’s not coach speak. We’re going to play this all the way out. We’ll get back to work Monday, and the next game is the next opportunity. We’re not quitting.
On leadership and mental toughness:
This game isn’t easy. There are good moments where you can’t get too high, and tough moments where you have to dig in. We needed a captain performance tonight, and we didn’t get it. Dia and A.J. had good individual games, but neither had a captain game.
Ilias was as quiet as I’ve ever seen him, and that’s one of the first things I’ll look into Monday. We need more from our point guard.
On Matthew Murrell attending the game:
It was awesome to see Matt. I saw him before the game along with his mom, Gladys. His family’s great people. Matt’s started his pro career the right way, and I’m always appreciative of him.
I told him before the game that if we got the win, I wanted him to come into the locker room afterward. It’s disappointing when former players come back and it doesn’t go the way you want. But it was great to see him, and I just wish it had been under better circumstances.
