Ole Miss Basketball Outlasts Texas in Nail-Biter, Wins 72-69

Ole Miss basketball secured a crucial conference win over Texas on Wednesday night.
The No. 23 Rebels (16-4, 5-3 SEC) snapped a three-game losing streak with the win and are back on track ahead of a showdown with No. 1 Auburn this coming Saturday.
Despite a slow start, seeing the Rebels trail by as much as 13 in the first half, Ole Miss clawed its way back to a four-point deficit entering the intermission. The Rebels would trade leads with the Longhorns all throughout the second half in a wire-to-wire finish, but Ole Miss would ultimately prevail 72-69.
As a team, Ole Miss shot 39.7% from the floor, 33.3% from three-point range, and 76% from the free-throw line. Sean Pedulla led the Rebels in scoring with 19 points, followed by Dre Davis with 17, and Jaemyn Brakefield with 16.
As a team, Texas shot 40.6% from the floor, 22.7% from three-point range, and 85.7% from the free-throw line. Tre Johnson led the Longhorns in scoring with 22 points, followed by Arthur Kaluma with 12, and Kadin Shedrick with nine.
The value of this win cannot be overstated. In what felt like a must-win situation, the Rebels fought for 40 minutes to secure a critical victory. Despite falling behind by as much as 13 and opening the game with an 11-2 deficit, the Rebels continued to fight. One of the most important aspects of establishing a successful team is instilling a winning culture, and in head coach Chris Beard's second season, that culture was on full display.
A concerted effort to score in the paint, combined with a physical approach to both ends of the floor proved to be a major factor in the Rebels win. Ole Miss now sits at 5-3 in SEC play, tied with Texas A&M for fourth place. The win also moves the Rebels to 5-5 in Quad 1 play, a big resume booster come Selection Sunday. The Rebels now have winning momentum on their side as they prepare to enter the toughest part of their schedule.
Tip-off for Saturday's game against Auburn is set for 1 p.m. CT and will be televised on ESPN.