Cameron Larkin
Ole Miss remains winless in conference play after this loss to Georgia, and this time it was the late-game mistakes that sealed the deal for the Rebels.
This was a very back-and-forth matchup between two teams who finished at the bottom of the SEC just a season ago, but it was the much-improved Georgia Bulldogs, led by first-year head coach Mike White, who came out on top.
A total of more than 20 lead changes made this game intense and physical for the players and stressful and nail-biting for fans. It was not until Georgia guard Kario Oquendo sank two free throws with 3.1 seconds left that anyone knew who would win.
Ole Miss held a minor lead for most of this game, with its largest lead being just six points, but Georgia was able to control the game when it mattered.
The final score of this game ended up being 62-58, a low-scoring affair that both of these teams are used to.
Every possession mattered from tip-off to when the final buzzer sounded. With time winding down under three minutes to play, there was a huge scoring drought from both teams, and it was obvious that whoever could get back on track offensively was going to pull this one out.
Down 54-56, Oquendo nailed a three-pointer to take the lead, and the Bulldogs never looked back.
After they lost the lead, it seemed as though the Rebels went into panic mode; they took shots very early in the shot clock, rushed second-chance shots on offensive rebounds and made uncharacteristically poor mistakes on the defensive side of the ball.
It feels like Ole Miss has the talent and ability to compete with just about any team in the SEC, seeing as its only blowout loss was to the current No. 4 ranked Crimson Tide, but head coach Kermit Davis and the Rebels continue to underperform when it comes time to win games.
At this point, it is very clear: something has to change.
Mediocrity and losing records are not what Ole Miss fans sign up for when they tune in to watch their favorite team. These last few years have been nothing short of disappointing from a basketball standpoint, and it is not for lack of talent.
Ole Miss has brought in multiple four-star prospects that were college-ready athletes, as well as many experienced transfers to help fill the voids, but the talent of this team has hardly been showcased.
Something needs to change if Ole Miss wants to reach prominence on the national level, and it better happen fast before the top-end talent decides to take their skills elsewhere.
With 13 conference games left, Ole Miss needs to show some form of improvement; otherwise, changes may happen sooner rather than later.
