Ole Miss Heartbreaker: Late Call, Turnovers Cost Rebels

0:00On March 4th, Ole Miss dropped another heartbreaker, falling to Vanderbilt 89-86 in overtime on Tuesday night. The game was full of reviews and controversy, including one late call that the Southeastern Conference later admitted was wrong. It's the Rebels' second overtime loss in just a week, and they've now dropped seven games by seven points or less this season. Ole Miss sits at 12 and 18 overall, 4 and 13 in the SEC, while Vanderbilt improves to 23 and 7, 10 and 7 in, conference play. The Rebels held a late lead in regulation, but sought slip away amid back-and-forth plays and a flagrant foul review that sent Maligdiah to the bench. Both teams traded free throws, tying things at 76 to force overtime. There, more review slowed things down, including a rejected appeal on a potential elbow and questions over a foul before a time out. Coach Chris Beer didn't hold back after the game, ripping the constant stoppages and challenges for killing basketball's human element.

1:01He argued officials trained their whole lives for this level and deserved to call gains without endless iPad checks, warning it could drag matches into. Turnovers hurt Ole Miss big time, with 17 total including 16 in regulation that Vanderbilt turned into easy points. Tyler Tanner led the Commodores with a game-high 34 points, while Patton Pinkins topped the Rebels at 16. Ole Miss wraps the regular season Saturday at noon against South Carolina, who sit at the bottom of the SEC at 3 and 14. Rebels head into the conference tournament next week, still searching for momentum.