Ole Miss and visiting Texas A&M look for a final resume builder in advance of the Southeastern Conference tournament when they square off on Saturday afternoon in the regular-season finale for both at Oxford, Miss.
The Rebels (20-10, 7-10 SEC) head home after a 69-66 loss at Georgia on Tuesday. Jaemyn Brakefield and Jaylen Murray each put up 19 points for Ole Miss.
The Rebels trailed by 11 points with 2:45 remaining before reeling off a 9-0 run capped by a Murray 3-pointer with 49.2 seconds left to draw within two but would get no closer.
Ole Miss has dropped seven of its past nine games and finds itself on the outside looking in for an NCAA Tournament spot. The Rebels need to beat Texas A&M and fashion a deep run in next week’s SEC tournament to have a chance at reaching the 68-team NCAA field.
“For us, it just continues to be a process. Can we play Ole Miss basketball?” Rebels coach Chris Beard said. “It sounds simple, but it’s been one of our biggest obstacles. … We’re going to have to show a level of discipline that we haven’t shown to this point.”
The Aggies (17-13, 8-9) travel to Oxford on the heels of a 75-68 home win over Mississippi State on Tuesday.
Texas A&M never trailed and led by as many as 23 points as Manny Obaseki scored 17 points, Solomon Washington added 15 points and nine rebounds, Tyrece Radford hit for 14 points and Wade Taylor IV scored 13.
The Aggies have won two straight games but may have waited a little too long to build momentum. If Texas A&M can beat Ole Miss and produce at least one victory in the SEC tournament, coach Buzz Williams thinks that may be enough to earn a spot into the NCAAs.
“What we need to do is not get worried about what’s ahead of us – just try to do what’s in front of us,” Williams said. “I do believe we’re still in control. That’s a good position to be in, but I’m wise enough to understand we’re not there, and that we have work to do.”
Ole Miss beat the Aggies 71-68 on the road Jan. 27 in the first meeting this season.
–Field Level Media