Basketball
Ole Miss gets much-needed win against Texas
With upcoming games against higher-ranked SEC teams, No. 23 Ole Miss held off unranked Texas to escape with a three-point win.
No. 23 Ole Miss needed a win Wednesday against Texas.
It wasn’t a must-win situation, but a loss to the Longhorns could have potentially seen the Rebels lose five-straight games. It was a game the Rebels were supposed to win based on top 25 rankings and SEC standings. And for a team that has experienced some close and unexpected losses, there was some cause for concern when the Longhorns tied the game at 68-68 with 1:28 left to play.
Fortunately, the Rebels held off Texas in a back-and-forth game in Oxford that saw the Rebels win, 72-69.
HYDR‼️#HottyToddy x #Culture pic.twitter.com/IHAuWQO0jv
— Ole Miss Men’s Basketball (@OleMissMBB) January 30, 2025
Ole Miss had already lost three consecutive games after upsetting then-No. 4 Alabama, which vaulted the Rebels to No. 16 in the AP Men’s College Basketball Top 25 Rankings. But losses to Mississippi State, Texas A&M and Missouri, all of whom were ranked opponents, saw the Rebels fall in the top 25 rankings and with another loss, potentially, on the bubble of earning an NCAA tournament invitation.
Alas, Ole Miss fans need not worry.
JAEMYN BRAKEFIELD 💪@Jaemyn1 x #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/6MXXERx5L6
— Ole Miss Men’s Basketball (@OleMissMBB) January 30, 2025
The Rebels did what they needed to do to pull out a close win against Texas, including a pair of free throws made by D Barnes to extend the Rebels’ lead and an outstanding defensive effort to force a desperate, game-tying three-pointer with 8.9 seconds left that the Longhorns missed.
For an Ole Miss team that has lost two of its last three games by three points or less, its’ ability to close out and win a close game is a great step in the right direction.
The Rebels may not get many brownie points for beating Texas in the eyes of the NCAA Selection Committee, but avoid a major negative. They’ll have a chance in the coming week to earn a lot more brownie points.
Ole Miss will face No. 1 Auburn, who defeated LSU 87-74 on Wednesday, in Oxford before hosting No. 12 Kentucky three days later.
If the Rebels can play like they did against the Crimson Tide two weeks ago, they’ll win one of those games.
Thank you @UMClubRed for another electric night at the SJB Pavilion!@DAndreDavis x #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/BQFogqW0ny
— Ole Miss Men’s Basketball (@OleMissMBB) January 30, 2025
| Mon, Nov 4 |  | vs Long Island University | W, 90-60 |
| Fri, Nov 8 |  | vs Grambling | W, 66-64 |
| Tue, Nov 12 |  | vs South Alabama | W, 64-54 |
| Sat, Nov 16 |  | vs Colorado State | W, 84-69 |
| Thu, Nov 21 |  | vs Oral Roberts | L, 100-68 |
| Thu, Nov 28 |  | vs BYU | W, 96-85 OT |
| Fri, Nov 29 |  | vs 13 Purdue | L, 80-78 |
| Tue, Dec 3 |  | @ Louisville | W, 86-63 |
| Sat, Dec 7 |  | vs Lindenwood | W, 86-53 |
| Sat, Dec 14 |  | vs Southern Miss | W, 77-46 |
| Tue, Dec 17 |  | vs Southern | W, 74-61 |
| Sat, Dec 21 |  | vs Queens University | W, 80-62 |
| Sat, Dec 28 |  | @ Memphis | L, 87-70 |
| Sat, Jan 4 |  | vs Georgia | W, 63-51 |
| Wed, Jan 8 |  | @ 23 Arkansas | W, 73-66 |
| Sat, Jan 11 |  | vs LSU | W, 77-65 |
| Tue, Jan 14 |  | @ 5 Alabama | W, 74-64 |
| Sat, Jan 18 |  | @ 17 Mississippi State | L, 81-84 |
| Wed, Jan 22 |  | vs 13 Texas A&M | L, 62-63 |
| Sat, Jan 25 |  | @ Missouri | 5:00 PM SECN |
| Wed, Jan 29 |  | vs Texas | 8:00 PM ESPN2 |
| Sat, Feb 1 |  | vs 2 Auburn | 3:00 PM TBA |
| Tue, Feb 4 |  | vs 10 Kentucky | 6:00 PM ESPN |
| Sat, Feb 8 | | @ LSU | 7:30 PM SECN |
| Wed, Feb 12 |  | @ South Carolina | 6:00 PM SECN |
| Sat, Feb 15 | | vs 17 Mississippi State | 5:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Feb 22 |  | @ Vanderbilt | 2:30 PM SECN |
| Wed, Feb 26 | | @ 2 Auburn | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Mar 1 |  | vs 12 Oklahoma | 1:00 PM TBA |
| Wed, Mar 5 |  | vs 1 Tennessee | 8:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Mar 8 |  | @ 6 Florida | 5:00 PM SECN |