Basketball
Heartbreaker for Ole Miss: Rebels Lose to Mississippi State in Rivalry Classic
Ole Miss fought back from a halftime deficit but fell short in overtime against Mississippi State, losing 84-81. Details and analysis here.
Ole Miss and Mississippi State’s men’s basketball teams have played 271 games against one another, and the most recent meeting may be one of its greatest games ever.
No. 21 Ole Miss came back from an eight-point halftime deficit and send Saturday’s game against No. 15 Mississippi State into overtime. But the Rebels came up short in overtime with Jaemyn Brakefield missing a game-tying three-point shot that sent the Rebels home with an 84-81 loss.
OH MY GOODNESS pic.twitter.com/QpgxPttCz6
— Ole Miss Athletics (@OleMissSports) January 19, 2025
It’s the first SEC defeat for Ole Miss this season, but the Rebels still hold a higher place in the conference standings than the Bulldogs, who have suffered two losses in SEC play.
Taylor’s Take
Ole Miss is in the middle of its toughest three-game stretch of this season. Fortunately for the Rebels, this week’s upset victory against No. 4 Alabama should ensure the Rebels don’t fall far in the various top 25 polls and NCAA Tournament bracket predictions.
One key factor to consider as we digest the Rebels’ loss is where the game took place. The Rebels lost by three points, in overtime, to its biggest rival that happens to be ranked six spots higher. If that exact game was played in Oxford at SJB Pavilion, it’s likely the home-court advantage propels Ole Miss to a win.
It was that close.
Ole Miss will get its chance to avenge this loss later this season when the Bulldogs come to Oxford (February 15). But first, the Rebels have to finish their three-game stretch against teams ranked in the top 15 of the AP Men’s Basketball Poll.
Ole Miss will host No. 11 Texas A&M on Wednesday. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. on ESPN2.
| Sat, Aug 31 |  | vs Furman | W, 76-0 |
| Sat, Sep 7 |  | vs Middle Tennessee | W, 52-3 |
| Sat, Sep 14 |  | @ Wake Forest | W, 40-6 |
| Sat, Sep 21 |  | vs Georgia Southern | W, 52-13 |
| Sat, Sep 28 |  | vs Kentucky | L, 20-17 |
| Sat, Oct 5 |  | @ South Carolina | W, 27-3 |
| Sat, Oct 12 |  | vs LSU | L, 29-26 (2 OT) |
| Sat, Oct 26 |  | vs Oklahoma | W, 26-14 |
| Sat, Nov 2 |  | @ Arkansas | W, 63-35 |
| Sat, Nov 16 |  | vs Georgia | W, 28-10 |
| Sat, Nov 23 |  | @ Florida | L, 24-17 |
| Sat, Nov 30 |  | vs Mississippi State | W, 26-14 |
| Thu, Jan 2 |  | vs Duke (Gator Bowl) | W, 52-20 |
| 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 | 11:00 AM SECN |
| Wed, Jan 8 |  | @ 23 Arkansas | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Jan 11 |  | vs LSU | 5:00 PM SECN |
| Tue, Jan 14 |  | @ 5 Alabama | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Jan 18 |  | @ 17 Mississippi State | 5:00 PM TBA |
| Wed, Jan 22 |  | vs 13 Texas A&M | 8:00 PM TBA |
| 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 |