NASHVILLE — The Texas men’s basketball team came to Music City needing at least a victory to bolster its credentials and catch the NCAA Division I tournament selection committee’s attention.
The Longhorns’ former coach put a dent into those hopes Wednesday night.
Fired by Texas on Jan. 5, 2023, in his second season, Chris Beard got some payback Wednesday night when his 15th-seeded Ole Miss Rebels beat the 10th-seeded Longhorns, 76-66, in the first round of the Southeastern Conference tournament at Bridgestone Arena to keep their season alive another day.
The Rebels (13-19), who never trailed in the first postseason game between the programs, haven’t posted back-to-back victories since a three-game winning streak in mid-January early in SEC regular-season play, the only thing that kept them from finishing dead last in the league standings.
Malik Dia scored 23 points to lead the Rebels, and AJ Storr added 18 off the bench, including eight over the final 2 1/2 minutes as Texas managed only a free throw from Dailyn Swain and a dunk by Nic Codie.