NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Texas came to Music City needing at least a victory to bolster its NCAA Tournament resume.
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 Mississippi beat the 10th-seeded Longhorns 76-66 in the Southeastern Conference Tournament to keep its struggling season alive another day. The Rebels (13-19) never trailed in the first postseason game between the programs.
Beard said his Rebels are in “survive-and-advance mode,” with their next loss ending a struggling season.
“Sean (Miller) has done a good job in his first season there,” Beard said of Texas’ current coach. “Wish those guys the best of luck in the NCAA Tournament. He’s got good enough players to make a run.”
This loss could help push Texas (18-14) to starting March Madness in the First Four or out of the bracket completely. The Longhorns got within 66-63 with 4:07 left but couldn’t get any closer.
Beard had five years left on a seven-year guaranteed contract when Texas fired him after a domestic violence arrest, and the coach left with a 29-13 record. Felony charges against him were dismissed the next month.
Ole Miss then hired Beard on March 13, 2023, jumping at the chance to bring in a coach who had led three programs to the NCAA Tournament since 2016, including an appearance in the 2019 championship game with Texas Tech when he was the AP coach of the year.
Beard went 20-12 in his first season at Ole Miss and followed that up by going 24-12 with an NCAA Tournament berth last season. He had to replace four starters for this season, and the Rebels came into this event losers of 12 of their last 13. They lost 79-68 at Texas on Feb. 7.
Ole Miss will play seventh-seeded Georgia on Thursday night in the second round. Beard said everyone eventually winds up in the same spot as the Rebels, needing to win or go home — with 68 teams lucky enough to make the NCAA Tournament and stave that off for another week.
“We’re still alive,” Beard said. “We didn’t come here to Nashville to win one game. We came here to win one game at a time. Still have belief in our locker room that we can make a run here.”
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