The Ole Miss Rebels are searching for answers - and a win - after dropping their seventh straight game, this time falling 90-78 to Mississippi State in front of their home crowd at SJB Pavilion. It’s been nearly a month since their last victory, which ironically came against these same Bulldogs on January 17 in Starkville. But Saturday night told a very different story.
From the opening tip, it was all Mississippi State. Ole Miss never led, never found a rhythm, and never really made the Bulldogs uncomfortable.
Mississippi State dictated the tempo early and often, shooting a blistering 62% from the field in the first half and finishing the game at 58%. That kind of offensive efficiency is hard to beat - especially when it’s paired with physicality and control on the boards.
The star of the night? Josh Hubbard.
The junior guard put on a clinic, dropping 32 points on 12-of-16 shooting, including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. Hubbard didn’t just light up the scoreboard - he made history, becoming Mississippi State’s all-time leader in career made threes with 281.
His performance was electric and emblematic of the kind of offensive punch the Bulldogs brought into Oxford.
But Hubbard wasn’t alone. Forward Achor Achor added 18 points on an efficient 6-of-8 shooting, grabbing five boards and setting the tone early with 11 straight points that helped the Bulldogs build a cushion that Ole Miss never really threatened.
To their credit, the Rebels did fight back in the second half, outscoring Mississippi State 50-43. But by then, the hole was too deep.
At one point, Ole Miss trailed by as many as 21, and even during their best stretches, the deficit rarely dipped below double digits. It was a night of playing catch-up - and never catching up.
Head coach Chris Beard didn’t sugarcoat it after the game.
“We weren’t physically tough enough to keep the game within reach early when shots weren’t falling,” Beard said during his postgame radio interview. “There’s a mental toughness that comes with knowing how to win.
Some guys have it, some don’t. We’re doing everything we can to teach that.”
Beard pointed to the second-half offensive surge as a missed opportunity, noting that scoring alone isn’t enough - you have to get stops, too. “When they’re hitting threes like that, it’s tough.
But this game should’ve been closer. One or two possessions, not a blowout.
I apologize to everyone who came out tonight.”
Now sitting at 11-14 overall and 3-9 in SEC play, Ole Miss has hit a rough patch after showing early-season promise. Mississippi State, meanwhile, snapped a three-game skid of their own, improving to 12-13 and 4-8 in the conference.
There were some bright spots for the Rebels, most notably Malik Dia, who poured in a career-high 32 points on 11-of-20 shooting in 30 minutes. But Dia wasn’t celebrating.
“We lost the game, and honestly it was just embarrassing,” he said. “I just try to be an impact, but this isn’t acceptable.”
AJ Storr was the only other Rebel in double figures, coming off the bench to score 21 points on 8-of-16 shooting, while also adding six rebounds and five assists in 32 minutes of action.
Rebounding was a major issue, particularly in the first half. Mississippi State controlled the glass early, building a +9 advantage at halftime.
Ole Miss managed to claw back in the second half, closing the gap to just three by the end, but the damage had already been done. The Bulldogs’ edge in physicality - especially in 50-50 situations - was apparent.
“Mississippi State’s identity is toughness,” Beard said. “They’ve got one of the most dynamic scorers in college basketball in Hubbard, and they surround him with tough, physical players.
I didn’t see us winning many 50-50 balls. We probably got fouled less than we have all season, and that tells you something - we weren’t physical enough.”
As for the team’s mindset after another tough loss, Beard was blunt.
“Are they devastated? I don’t know.
That’s a question for them. But what you do is keep chipping away.
Life’s not fair. You go through adversity as a man, a father, a husband, a teammate.
You get up every day and keep fighting. I think these guys have done some good things in that regard.”
Next up, Ole Miss hits the road for a Wednesday night matchup at Texas A&M. The Aggies, currently 17-8 overall and 7-5 in SEC play, are riding a four-game losing streak of their own after falling to Vanderbilt in Nashville.
Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
For Ole Miss, the challenge is clear: rediscover the grit and defensive edge that carried them earlier in the season - and fast. With the SEC tournament looming, time is running out to turn things around.