Upset Alert: No. 21 Ole Miss Dominates No. 4 Alabama in Thrilling SEC Showdown

On Tuesday night, No. 21 Ole Miss shook up the SEC by defeating No. 4 Alabama, 74-64. It was an impressive upset over the nation’s highest-scoring team, showcasing a thrilling evening in college basketball.

Auburn, ranked No. 1, also had a strong showing against No. 21 Mississippi State, winning 88-66 without their star player, Johni Broome, due to an ankle injury. In another game, No. 8 Kentucky managed to beat No. 11 Texas A&M, 81-69. Meanwhile, unranked Missouri surprised No. 5 Florida, handing them only their second loss of the season, 83-82.

Ole Miss Shows Defensive Brilliance

Despite a tough start, Ole Miss found their rhythm. Alabama led 36-32 at halftime, but junior Malik Dia took charge with a stunning performance. He scored 23 points and grabbed 19 rebounds, with a key play being a crucial and-1 putback that helped solidify Ole Miss’s lead. When Dia faced a block from Alabama’s Grant Nelson, he quickly got the rebound and scored, boosting Ole Miss’s advantage to 56-51.

With Alabama struggling to respond, Ole Miss’s defensive strategy truly shone. They held Alabama 27 points below their usual scoring average and forced them into 21 turnovers. Alabama’s shooting suffered, hitting just 42.6% from the field and only 25% from beyond the arc.

Mississippi controlled the board, resulting in a significant 70-47 advantage in field-goal attempts. Although Ole Miss shot 38.6% overall, their dominance in ball possession made the difference, particularly after halftime when they limited Alabama to just 28 points.

On the Alabama side, only Mark Sears reached double figures among the starters, scoring 11 points. Backup Aden Holloway contributed 15 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the strong defense from Ole Miss.