Ole Miss Rebels Shock No. 15 Alabama Crimson Tide In Quarterfinals Of NCAA Tournament
Nobody told Ole Miss they weren’t supposed to be here. The No. 15 seed Rebels walked into Bridgestone Arena on Friday night in Nashville and did something nobody saw coming — they knocked off No. 2 Alabama 80-79 in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals. It was Ole Miss’s third straight upset in three days, and at this point, calling it a Cinderella story almost feels like an insult. Cinderella caught a lucky break. Ole Miss has been outright taking them.
Ole Miss finished the regular season 12-19. Second-to-last in the SEC. Alabama finished second in the league at 23-8 and had two full days of rest while the Rebels were out there grinding through No. 10 Texas and No. 7 Georgia back-to-back. By all conventional logic, Ole Miss should have been gassed, overmatched, and on a bus back to Oxford by 9 p.m. Instead, they played like a team possessed.
Ole Miss Came Out Firing and Never Really Looked Back
The Rebels didn’t ease into this one — they attacked. At one point in the first half, Ole Miss rattled off seven straight field goals and built a 14-point lead. The Crimson Tide’s defense looked more like a suggestion than a strategy. The Rebels were shooting 59% from the field at one point, hitting shots from everywhere on the court. By halftime, the Rebels led 47-41, and Alabama looked like it had shown up to a gunfight with a butter knife.
Three Ole Miss players had double figures by the half. AJ Storr led the way with 13 at the break, finishing the night with 17 points. But Storr wasn’t even the most compelling storyline on the floor.
Ilias Kamardine Was the Guy Ole Miss Needed in the Second Half
Alabama tightened things up defensively after halftime — they had to. The Crimson Tide outscored Ole Miss 38-33 in the second half and chipped away at the lead. Labaron Philon, one of the best players in the country, turned into a one-man wrecking crew with 28 points on the night. For a stretch, it genuinely felt like Alabama was going to steal this one back.
But then there was Ilias Kamardine. The Ole Miss guard made 6-of-11 shots in the second half alone, finishing with 14 second-half points. The defining moment? A falling-backward three-pointer at the shot-clock buzzer that had absolutely no business going in. It went in. The kind of shot that makes you spill your drink and stare at your TV like you just witnessed a UFO landing.
When it mattered most, Kamardine delivered. Every time Alabama looked ready to pounce, Kamardine answered.
Alabama Had One Last Chance
With nine seconds left, Ole Miss missed a free throw and led by just one point. Alabama grabbed the rebound. Philon had the ball. The moment was his. He drove the lane and passed it. Aiden Sherrell caught it, got smothered by the defense, and couldn’t get a clean look off. Nate Oats didn’t call a timeout to draw something up. Amari Allen had a desperation attempt with a half-second left that never had a chance.
Ball game. Ole Miss wins 80-79.
Was Philon’s decision to pass the wrong call? Hindsight says yes. He’s one of the best players in the country, and the ball was in his hands in crunch time. You live with that decision. For Ole Miss, though, give credit to their defense for making it an uncomfortable possession.
What’s Next
Ole Miss (15-19) advances to the semifinals on March 14 at 2:30 p.m. CT, where they’ll face either No. 11 Oklahoma or No. 3 Arkansas. Two more wins and the Rebels win the SEC Tournament outright, which would almost certainly be their only path into the NCAA Tournament.
At this point? Don’t bet against them. This Ole Miss team has looked every “better” opponent in the eye and refused to blink. They’re playing with nothing to lose and everything to gain. That’s a dangerous combination, and every remaining team in Nashville just got a very loud reminder of that.
