Chris Beard, Jaemyn Brakefield Discuss Key in Ole Miss Basketball's Win Over Georgia

What did Ole Miss coach Chris Beard and forward Jaemyn Brakefield see on the court on Saturday?

Jan 4, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Chris Beard (right) talks with forward Jaemyn Brakefield (4) during the second half against the Georgia Bulldogs at The Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The Ole Miss Rebels took care of business against Georgia on Saturday in their first SEC matchup of the season following a monstrous second half team performance.

The Rebels and Bulldogs both did not play their best basketball through the first 20 minutes, leaving the score at 28-26 in favor of Georgia going into halftime.

However, the Rebs came out firing after the intermission, ultimately surging to a 63-51 victory.

After the game, head coach Chris Beard and forward Jaemyn Brakefield sat down and spoke to the media and discussed what changed at the halfway point.

“I thought we were the tougher team in the second half,” Beard said. “No disrespect to Georgia, but I think we were the tougher team in the last 20 minutes of the game.”

Beard had some praise for veterans like Brakefield and Matthew Murrell after the game, but Jaemyn gave credit to the team as a whole and their work throughout the week following last week's tough loss to Memphis.

"I believe bouncing back from the Memphis game, we really focused as a group and kind of had to refocus," Brakefield said. "We had a couple of days to prepare for Georgia. Obviously, they're a great team, so when it came down to preparation, I believe that we were prepared."

Saturday's win could also serve to instill more toughness and confidence in the Rebels. Last week's loss to Memphis was a tough blow, but Ole Miss was able to fight through adversity and play a clean second half to claim this win over Georgia.

"Obviously, the SEC is games like that for the whole year," Brakefield said. "Getting back and gathering as a group and realizing what the end goal is, that's what the whole week was about, being focused and prepared."

Overall, the Rebels' second half lifted them to a crucial victory to start conference play. They return to the court on Wednesday as they hit the road for the first time in SEC play when they take on Arkansas at 6 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on ESPN2.