It was a thrilling night in Nashville, but unfortunately for Coach John Calipari and his Arkansas Razorbacks, the SEC Tournament dream ended in heartbreak. In a game filled with momentum swings and nail-biting drama, Ole Miss emerged victorious with a stunning buzzer-beater, sending Arkansas packing in the second round.
Leading by as many as 15 points early on, Ole Miss allowed Arkansas to claw back and even take control in the second half. With less than five minutes remaining, the Razorbacks held an eight-point advantage and appeared poised to seal the win. However, the Rebels weren’t ready to back down. A spirited rally put Ole Miss ahead by six points with just four minutes to play, only for Arkansas to respond with a clutch push of their own, taking a three-point lead with 29 seconds on the clock.
The closing moments were pure chaos. Ole Miss’ Dre Davis completed a critical and-one play to tie the game at 70 with 20 seconds left. Arkansas had a golden opportunity to regain the lead when Trevon Brazile went to the free-throw line, but he missed both attempts, leaving the door wide open for the Rebels.
On the final possession, Davis secured the rebound and dished it out to Sean Pedulla, who drained a game-winning three-pointer as time expired. The arena erupted, and the Razorbacks were left stunned as Ole Miss celebrated a 73-70 victory.
The loss is particularly bitter for Coach Cal, who has long downplayed the importance of the SEC Tournament compared to the NCAA Tournament. “We want to win every game, but this isn’t do-or-die,” Calipari said earlier this week. However, the razor-thin margin of this defeat may sting more than others, as the team showed flashes of brilliance only to falter in the game’s most critical moments.
For Ole Miss, this win marks a major boost in their postseason aspirations and solidifies their status as a dangerous underdog. For Arkansas, the focus now shifts to the NCAA Tournament, where they’ll look to regroup and make a deeper run.
As fans love to say this time of year, “This is March.” And for the Razorbacks, it’s a cruel reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in a single moment.
