Ole Miss men’s basketball team continued its surprising run in the SEC Tournament with an 80-79 victory over Alabama on Friday. The Rebels, seeded 15th, are the lowest-ranked team to reach the semifinals in tournament history, according to the league.
Ole Miss led wire-to-wire in the game, which featured strong performances from multiple players. AJ Storr scored 17 points to lead the team, while Ilias Kamardine added 16 and made critical shots down the stretch. Malik Dia contributed 14 points, and Patton Pinkins finished with 13. James Scott led the Rebels with 10 rebounds, according to the school.
Alabama’s star guard Labaron Philon scored a game-high 28 points, including five three-pointers. Aden Holloway added 18 points for the Crimson Tide, but Alabama fell short in its bid to advance. The Tide’s shooting was efficient, hitting 41% from the field and 31% from three-point range, compared to Ole Miss’s 46% and 42%, respectively, according to statistics from the schools.
Ole Miss built a double-digit lead in the first half, but Alabama rallied to make it a close finish. The Rebels’ Kamardine scored nine of his team’s last 11 points, helping secure the win. The game came down to the final seconds, with Alabama missing a potential game-tying shot after a missed free throw by Ole Miss.
The Rebels will face either Arkansas or Arkansas in the SEC semifinals Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on ESPN and participating SuperTalk Mississippi stations. Ole Miss lost to both teams earlier this season but will look to continue its Cinderella run in the tournament.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
