Ole Miss stuns Texas at SEC tourney, hurting Longhorns' NCAA hopes

Former Texas coach Chris Beard gets payback against his old team in first-round upset

Published on Mar. 12, 2026

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In a surprising upset, the Ole Miss Rebels defeated the 10th-seeded Texas Longhorns 76-66 in the opening round of the SEC Tournament. The win was especially meaningful for Ole Miss head coach Chris Beard, who was fired by Texas in January 2023 after just two seasons. This loss could severely damage Texas' chances of making the NCAA Tournament, while Ole Miss keeps its season alive for at least one more game.

Why it matters

This game had major implications for both teams' NCAA Tournament hopes. Texas came to the SEC Tournament needing a win to bolster its resume, but the loss to Ole Miss and former coach Chris Beard could push the Longhorns to the First Four or even out of the bracket completely. Meanwhile, the struggling Ole Miss squad was able to pull off the upset and extend its season for at least one more game.

The details

Ole Miss never trailed in the game and was able to hold off a late Texas rally that cut the deficit to 66-63 with 4:07 remaining. The Rebels were led by a strong all-around effort, while Texas struggled to find consistent scoring. This was the first postseason matchup between the two programs.

  • The game was played on Wednesday, March 12, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee.
  • Chris Beard was fired by Texas on January 5, 2023, in his second season as the Longhorns' head coach.
  • Beard was hired by Ole Miss on March 13, 2023.

The players

Chris Beard

The head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels, who was previously fired by Texas in January 2023 after just two seasons as the Longhorns' head coach.

Sean Miller

The current head coach of the Texas Longhorns, who took over the program after Beard was fired.

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What they’re saying

“We're still alive. We didn't come here to Nashville to win one game. We came here to win one game at a time. Still have belief in our locker room that we can make a run here.”

— Chris Beard, Head Coach, Ole Miss Rebels (magnoliatribune.com)

“Sean (Miller) has done a good job in his first season there. Wish those guys the best of luck in the NCAA Tournament. He's got good enough players to make a run.”

— Chris Beard, Head Coach, Ole Miss Rebels (magnoliatribune.com)

What’s next

Ole Miss will play seventh-seeded Georgia on Thursday night in the second round of the SEC Tournament. The loss could severely damage Texas' chances of making the NCAA Tournament, potentially pushing them to the First Four or out of the bracket completely.

The takeaway

This game was a testament to the unpredictability of college basketball, with the struggling Ole Miss squad pulling off a major upset over a Texas team that was hoping to bolster its NCAA Tournament resume. The win was especially meaningful for Ole Miss coach Chris Beard, who was able to get some payback against the program that fired him just over three years ago.