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Ole Miss Stuns Alabama, Advances to SEC Tournament Semifinals
Rebels continue Cinderella run after finishing second-to-last in regular season
Mar. 14, 2026 at 4:49am
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The Ole Miss Rebels, who finished near the bottom of the SEC standings during the regular season, have continued their improbable run in the SEC tournament. After upsetting Texas and Georgia in earlier rounds, the Rebels defeated Alabama 80-79 in the quarterfinals, marking their third straight tournament win as an underdog. Head coach Chris Beard dismissed concerns about his team's fatigue, saying they are used to playing multiple games in a short span from their AAU days.
Why it matters
Ole Miss' stunning tournament performance has defied expectations and put them one win away from an unlikely appearance in the SEC championship game. Their Cinderella run has captivated fans and raised questions about the unpredictability of conference tournaments, where lower-seeded teams can get hot and pull off major upsets.
The details
Despite their regular season struggles, the Rebels have led for at least 37 minutes in each of their three SEC tournament games so far. In the quarterfinal win over Alabama, Ole Miss never trailed and held on for the 80-79 victory. Head coach Chris Beard dismissed concerns about his team's fatigue, saying they are accustomed to playing multiple games in a short span from their AAU days.
- Ole Miss defeated Texas in the first round of the SEC tournament.
- Ole Miss defeated Georgia in the second round of the SEC tournament.
- Ole Miss defeated Alabama 80-79 in the SEC tournament quarterfinals on March 14, 2026.
The players
Chris Beard
The head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels, who has led his team on an improbable Cinderella run to the SEC tournament semifinals despite their second-to-last regular season finish.
Ole Miss Rebels
The men's basketball team from the University of Mississippi, who have defied expectations by advancing to the SEC tournament semifinals after finishing near the bottom of the conference standings during the regular season.
What they’re saying
“This whole idea about fatigue is one of the most over written things ever. These guys growing up playing three days, three games a day at EYBL — I know in Conflans Park in Irving, Texas, where I grew up, we played for five hours a day. So I'll take the momentum of winning over the rest this time of year, man. So the guys understood, no excuses. We're not tired. Let's go play 40 minutes.”
— Chris Beard, Head Coach, Ole Miss Rebels
What’s next
Ole Miss will face the winner of the Florida-Vanderbilt semifinal in the SEC tournament championship game on Saturday.
The takeaway
Ole Miss' improbable run to the SEC tournament semifinals, after finishing second-to-last in the regular season, has captivated fans and demonstrated the unpredictability of conference tournaments. Their Cinderella story highlights the potential for lower-seeded teams to get hot and pull off major upsets when the stakes are highest.
