Ole Miss Basketball Stuns No. 4 Alabama, Secures 4th-Straight SEC Win

Posted by Admin January 15, 2025 Basketball

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No. 21 Ole Miss basketball traveled to Tuscaloosa on Tuesday to take on the No. 4 Alabama. The Rebels stunned the Crimson Tide to earn their fourth-straight SEC victory and prove it can compete on the national stage.

To say this win is massive would be an understatement. Tuesday’s victory marks the first time since 2015 that Ole Miss defeated Alabama in Tuscaloosa, and it is the first-ever win over an AP Top 5 opponent on the road alongside being the fourth-ever win over an AP top 5 team.

The Rebels played a back-and-forth first half, taking a 36-32 deficit into the intermission before rallying to an advantage, leading the Tide by as much as 12.

As a team, the Rebels shot 38.6% from the floor, 28.6% from three-point range, and 80% from the free throw line. Malik Dia led the Rebels in scoring with 23 points and a career-high 18 rebounds, followed by Sean Pedulla with 12 points and Matthew Murrell, Jaylen Murray and Jaemyn Brakefield with 11 points.

The Crimson Tide shot 44.4% from the floor, 27.8% from the field, and 73.1% from free throw line. Aden Holloway led the Tide in scoring with 15 points, followed by Mark Sears with 11 and Grant Nelson with 9.

The Rebels’ defensive efforts forced the Crimson Tide into 21 turnovers, the most this season for Alabama. This victory also broke a 53-game streak of Alabama scoring at least 70 points in a game, and the Crimson Tide offense has been averaging 91 points per game, good for tops in the nation. A massive defensive effort for Ole Miss stonewalled one of the most efficient offenses in the country and proved the Rebels can win big games.

Another layer to this victory is that Alabama under head coach Nate Oats has won 83% of its games at home. For the Rebels to not only win, but win on the road and by double digits, makes this result one of the biggest wins in program history.

The Rebels are now one of two teams left undefeated in SEC play, joining No. 1 Auburn who dismantled No. 15 Mississippi State on Tuesday night.

The Rebels are back in action on Saturday against aforementioned rival Mississippi State in Starkville. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. CT and will be televised on ESPN2.