The Ole Miss Rebels continued their improbable SEC Tournament run Thursday night, stunning seventh-seeded Georgia 76-72 in Nashville behind strong performances from A.J. Storr’s 19 points and Malik Dia’s 17-point contribution.
The 15th-seeded Rebels (14-19) appeared to have the game well in hand, building a commanding 55-32 advantage with 13 minutes left on the clock. However, Travis Perry contributed 16 points with four three-pointers, while Ilias Kamardine chipped in eight points, four assists, and four steals as Ole Miss watched their comfortable margin nearly evaporate.
Georgia mounted a furious comeback using aggressive full-court pressure, orchestrating a devastating 22-2 scoring surge that brought them within 57-54 with 7:35 remaining. The Bulldogs continued their charge when Kanon Catchings converted a layup to cut the deficit to just 60-58, but that would be as close as they would get.
The defeat ends a strong stretch for Georgia (22-10), which had captured three consecutive victories and five of their last six contests. The Bulldogs are still expected to receive an NCAA Tournament invitation despite the setback.
This marked the second straight tournament game where Ole Miss controlled from start to finish, following their 76-66 opening-round triumph over Texas. The Rebels had endured a disastrous regular season finale, dropping 12 of their final 13 games. They now advance to face second-seeded Alabama, ranked 15th nationally, in Friday’s quarterfinal round.
In other SEC Tournament action, Oklahoma dominated Texas A&M 83-63 as Nijel Pack tallied 20 points with four three-pointers before exiting due to injury. The 11th-seeded Sooners (19-14) overwhelmed the sixth-seeded Aggies with contributions from Xzayvier Brown (16 points, six rebounds), Derrion Reid (15 points, 10 rebounds), and Tae Davis (14 points). Oklahoma built a 22-point halftime cushion to secure their sixth straight victory and will meet third-seeded Arkansas Friday.
Kentucky survived Missouri 78-72 as Otega Oweh’s 21 points and clutch plays at both ends lifted the ninth-seeded Wildcats past the eighth-seeded Tigers. Denzel Aberdeen added 16 points and seven assists while Collin Chandler contributed 15 points and three steals for Kentucky (21-12). Missouri’s Mark Mitchell exploded for 32 points and seven rebounds, including 23 second-half points that helped the Tigers briefly erase a 16-point deficit.
No. 25 Tennessee defeated Auburn 72-62 behind Nate Ament’s outstanding all-around performance of 27 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and three blocks in his return from a leg injury. The fifth-seeded Volunteers (22-10) used a decisive 20-0 run late in the game to pull away from the Tigers. Ja’Kobi Gillespie added 15 points and three steals for Tennessee, which will face fourth-seeded Vanderbilt in the quarterfinals. Auburn’s Tahaad Pettiford scored 28 points but committed five turnovers for the 12th-seeded Tigers (17-16).
