Ole Miss head coach Chris Beard often wears specific game attire each time he patrols the sidelines, whether at home or on the road. Oftentimes, the apparel has the word “culture” embroidered on it.
In many ways, the word embodies phrases like teamwork, buy-in, and discipline. Last night against Arkansas, Ole Miss outplayed the Razorbacks in Fayetteville and once built up a 22-point lead en route to the 73-66 win over the Hogs.
Not surprising to many, Beard out-coached Arkansas head coach John Calipari.
“They were the better team tonight, they are a good team,” Calipari would add following the loss.
Ole Miss (13-2, 2-0 SEC) is in prime position early for a postseason run, and the Southeastern Conference is as loaded as ever.
Starting so well, prior to and in-conference, the cultural aspect of the program is beginning to show, and the players are buying in. While early, Beard sees a trend he likes.
"Round two of an eighteen-round fight. We played well tonight. We took care of the basketball tonight; it's early in the league, and trying not to get too high or too low,” Chris Beard said following the game.
At one point, the Hogs cut the lead to six points, but the play and the leadership of Malik Dia, Sean Pedulla, and Dre Davis aided the Rebels in weathering the storm.
A program that has not been to the NCAA Tournament since 2019, Beard has the Rebels in prime position to make an appearance this season. In the SEC, it’s paramount to win your home games. Ole Miss did one better against Arkansas, winning inside Bud Walton Arena, a place Ole Miss hadn’t won since 2015.
THE DYNAMIC DUO
Pedulla added 16 points, and Davis added 10 points, which would put the team on their respective backs in the second half. During a pivotal moment with the Hogs closing in, the duo would account for 14 points combined and blank Arkansas to extend the lead.
As for a floor general, Pedulla has been the backbone of the team so far, playing in 35 minutes in the win over Arkansas, leading the team with three assists.
THE MALIK DIA SHOW
Ole Miss head coach Chris Beard, and the fans for that matter, have been waiting for the breakout game for the transfer from Belmont. Dia would finish with a game-high 21 points and 7-12 from the field. Even more impressive to some is his team-leading eight rebounds.
"Tonight was a great step. The big fella earned some reps tonight,” Beard added after the game.
NOTHIN’ BUT NET
Road wins are a premium in the SEC, and the rankings reflect this. Following the win over the Hogs, Ole Miss is now 22 in the NET rankings, moving the Rebels up six places from 28 prior to the win. Coming into the game against the Hogs, ESPN Bracketologist Joe Lunardi had the Rebels as a 7-seed in the NCAA Tournament.
UP NEXT
Ole Miss will host LSU on Saturday inside the SJB Pavilion on campus at 5:00 CT on the SEC Network. The Tigers (11-4, 0-2 SEC) are entering the game following an 83-67 loss to Missouri. The weather could be a factor in the attendance numbers, as north Mississippi is under a winter weather advisory through Friday night.