Ole Miss never trailed by an overwhelming deficit, but by the middle of the second half, a comeback felt too ambitious to hope for. The rallies against Auburn and LSU, as crazy as they felt at the time, came against mediocre teams that were capable of falling apart at any moment. Alabama, on the other hand, ranks 14th nationally in KenPom’s adjusted defensive rating, and that onslaught was on display as the Tide felled Ole Miss in Tuscaloosa, 70-55.
The Rebel offense showed some life early on, making six of their 10 first shots. Despite facing a heavy press, often without their only pure point guard Breein Tyree, the offense was able to find quality looks under stress.