NASHVILLE – Coach Chris Beard noticed something he didn’t like at the Ole Miss basketball team’s breakfast on March 13.
“I saw a couple of guys yawning when they came in for breakfast,” Beard said. “That’s not going to work.”
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Beard said his team quickly set the tone that morning before No. 15 seed Ole Miss beat No. 2 Alabama 80-79 in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament at Bridgestone Arena.
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Ole Miss vs Alabama in the SEC Tournament, Labaron Philon vs AJ Storr see our best photos
Alabama guard Labaron Philon (0) passes between Mississippi guard Ilias Kamardine (6) and forward James Scott (4) during the first half of an SEC Tournament quarterfinal game at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, March 13, 2026.
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Ole Miss vs Alabama in the SEC Tournament, Labaron Philon vs AJ Storr see our best photos
Alabama guard Labaron Philon (0) passes between Mississippi guard Ilias Kamardine (6) and forward James Scott (4) during the first half of an SEC Tournament quarterfinal game at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, March 13, 2026.
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Ole Miss vs Alabama in the SEC Tournament, Labaron Philon vs AJ Storr see our best photos
Mississippi guard Travis Perry (11) shoots between Alabama guard Aden Holloway (2) and forward Amari Allen (5) during the first half of an SEC Tournament quarterfinal game at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, March 13, 2026.
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Ole Miss vs Alabama in the SEC Tournament, Labaron Philon vs AJ Storr see our best photos
Alabama coach Nate Oats works with his team during the first half of an SEC Tournament quarterfinal game against Mississippi at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, March 13, 2026.
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Ole Miss vs Alabama in the SEC Tournament, Labaron Philon vs AJ Storr see our best photos
Alabama guard Labaron Philon (0) celebrates a three-point basket against Mississippi during the first half of an SEC tournament quarterfinal game at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, March 13, 2026.
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Ole Miss vs Alabama in the SEC Tournament, Labaron Philon vs AJ Storr see our best photos
Mississippi coach Chris Beard during the first half of an SEC Tournament quarterfinal game against Alabama at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, March 13, 2026.
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Ole Miss vs Alabama in the SEC Tournament, Labaron Philon vs AJ Storr see our best photos
Mississippi guard Travis Perry (11) battles Alabama guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. (3) during the first half of an SEC Tournament quarterfinal game at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, March 13, 2026.
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Ole Miss vs Alabama in the SEC Tournament, Labaron Philon vs AJ Storr see our best photos
Mississippi guard Travis Perry (11) shoots over Alabama guard Aden Holloway (2) during the first half of an SEC Tournament quarterfinal game at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, March 13, 2026.
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Ole Miss vs Alabama in the SEC Tournament, Labaron Philon vs AJ Storr see our best photos
Mississippi guard AJ Storr (2) moves the ball past Alabama guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. (3) during the first half of an SEC Tournament quarterfinal game at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, March 13, 2026.
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Ole Miss vs Alabama in the SEC Tournament, Labaron Philon vs AJ Storr see our best photos
Mississippi guard AJ Storr (2) brings the ball up court toward Alabama Taylor forward Bol Bowen (7) during the first half of an SEC Tournament quarterfinal game at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, March 13, 2026.
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Ole Miss vs Alabama in the SEC Tournament, Labaron Philon vs AJ Storr see our best photos
Mississippi guard Travis Perry (11) prepares to shoot over Alabama guard Aden Holloway (2) during the first half of an SEC tournament quarterfinal game at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, March 13, 2026.
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Ole Miss vs Alabama in the SEC Tournament, Labaron Philon vs AJ Storr see our best photos
Mississippi guard Kezza Giffa (13) brings the ball up court against Alabama during the first half of an SEC Tournament quarterfinal game at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, March 13, 2026.
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Ole Miss vs Alabama in the SEC Tournament, Labaron Philon vs AJ Storr see our best photos
Mississippi guard Travis Perry (11) shoots over Alabama guard Aden Holloway (2) during the first half of an SEC Tournament quarterfinal game at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, March 13, 2026.
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Ole Miss vs Alabama in the SEC Tournament, Labaron Philon vs AJ Storr see our best photos
Mississippi guard Kezza Giffa (13) brings the ball up court against Alabama during the first half of an SEC Tournament quarterfinal game at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, March 13, 2026.
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Ole Miss vs Alabama in the SEC Tournament, Labaron Philon vs AJ Storr see our best photos
Alabama guard Labaron Philon (0) moves the ball past Mississippi forward James Scott (4) during the first half of an SEC Tournament quarterfinal game at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, March 13, 2026.
Ole Miss will face No. 3 Arkansas (24-8) in the semifinals on March 14 (2:30 p.m., ESPN). The winner will be one game away from earning a bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Ole Miss is the second team in SEC Tournament history to win three consecutive games to reach the semifinals. No. 13 Auburn did it in 2025.
The Rebels are the lowest seed to reach the SEC semifinals, but this is only the second year since the tournament expanded from 14 to 16 teams after Texas and Oklahoma joined the conference.
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Beard said he urges his players to put down their phones this time of year. It’s to keep players from focusing on a narrative they know will play out for the rest of the tournament: Won’t Ole Miss be tired against Arkansas?
“Is Ole Miss going to be tired after playing 80 minutes? I just don’t believe in that,” Beard said.
Barba explained why.
“These players are not 29, 30, 31 years old,” Beard said. “They grew up playing in the summer, sometimes three games a day on the AAU circuit.
Beard also drew on his personal experience as a child. He said fatigue will not be something the rebels use as an excuse.
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“All of them, on their respective basketball journeys, played basketball seven days a week for hours and hours and hours,” Beard said.
Ole Miss guard Ilias Kamardine was asked how the Rebels will combat fatigue on the television broadcast after the Alabama game.
“There’s no excuse,” Kamardine said. “That’s what we said before the (Alabama) game. Let’s keep fighting. We know we’re a little tired, but we want to keep going.”
How does Ole Miss basketball compare to Arkansas?
Stopping Arkansas guard Darius Acuff will be key for Beard and the Rebels.
Acuff scored 37 points against Oklahoma in the quarterfinals. His performances propelled the Razorbacks to an 82-79 victory.
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Arkansas beat Ole Miss 94-87 in the only regular season meeting on January 7. Acuff was also excellent in that game, scoring 26 points and adding nine assists.
Arkansas has an elite offense, but the Rebels have already eliminated two similar teams from the tournament. The Razorbacks rank third in the SEC in scoring (90.2 points). The Rebels beat the No. 1 scoring offense in Alabama (91.7) and the No. 3 scoring offense in Georgia (89.8).
Ole Miss vs. Arkansas Basketball Prediction
Old Miss 85, Arkansas 83: The Rebels have found a great groove in Nashville. Unlike Arkansas, Ole Miss is playing for its NCAA tournament hopes.
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Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at Shutchens@gannett.com or contact him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_
This article originally appeared in the Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Ole Miss vs. Arkansas prediction, expert picks in SEC tournament
