Ole Miss' losing streak continues as they suffer a humiliating defeat at the hands of Mississippi State, extending their losing streak to seven games. The Rebels' struggles on the hardwood persist, with no wins since their January 17th trip to Starkville. On Saturday, Ole Miss was outshone by Mississippi State, who dominated the game with a final score of 90-78 at the SJB Pavilion. Mississippi State's star player, Josh Hubbard, led the charge with an impressive 32 points and six assists, setting a new record for career made threes. Achor Achor also shone for the Bulldogs, contributing 18 points and five rebounds. Mississippi State's shooting prowess was evident, with a 62% field goal percentage in the first half and a 58% overall team performance. Despite Ole Miss's valiant effort, outscoring Mississippi State 50-43 in the second half, they couldn't close the gap enough to secure a win. Head coach Chris Beard acknowledged the team's lack of mental and physical toughness, emphasizing the importance of learning how to win. With the loss, Ole Miss drops to 11-14 overall and 3-9 in the Southeastern Conference, while Mississippi State improves to 12-13 and 4-8 in the SEC. Despite the team's struggles, Malik Dia had a career-high performance, scoring 32 points in 30 minutes. AJ Storr was the only other Rebel to score double figures, contributing 21 points and six rebounds. The Rebels' rebounding issues persisted, with a nine-rebound deficit in the first half, though they managed to narrow the gap in the second half. Coach Beard attributed the loss to a lack of physical plays, particularly in rebounding and 50-50 ball battles. As Ole Miss heads back on the road, they face a challenging task against Texas A&M, who are currently on a four-game losing streak. The Aggies, with a record of 17-8 overall and 7-5 in the SEC, will be a tough opponent for the Rebels, who are determined to break their losing streak.
