The SJB Pavilion transformed into a sea of crimson and blue Wednesday night as Ole Miss students stormed the court after an unexpected win. In a stunning upset, the Rebels (21-9, 10-7 SEC) delivered a senior night for the ages, toppling the No. 4 Tennessee Volunteers (24-6, 11-6 SEC) 78-76 in a nail-biting thriller.
The scene was electric. You could feel the energy surging as Jaemyn Brakefield, a man possessed in the second half, dropped 19 points, all coming in the clutch, to fuel the Rebels' comeback. Forget bracketology, this was pure, unadulterated college basketball madness.
The first half was a tense back-and-forth, with Tennessee taking a slim 41-36 lead into the locker room. Zakai Zeigler, surprisingly scoreless, was a maestro with nine assists, while Chaz Lanier torched the nets with three first-half triples. Ole Miss, however, was no slouch, shooting a respectable 44.8%, led by Malik Dia’s 12 points.
But the second half? That's where the magic happened. Ole Miss chipped away, and Brakefield caught fire. With 10:49 remaining, Tennessee held a seven-point advantage, but the SJB Pavilion crowd wouldn’t let them rest. Brakefield’s scoring surge ignited the building, pulling the Rebels within one.
Then, the Rebels found their rhythm. Four straight field goals gave them a 74-70 lead with 2:28 left. A clutch baseline out-of-bounds play, Sean Pedulla to Brakefield, pushed it to 76-72. But Igor Milicic Jr. responded with a four-point play, tying the game at 76.
With 12 seconds left, Pedulla launched a three, the ball bouncing agonizingly off the rim. Davon Barnes tipped it, and Brakefield, seizing the moment, grabbed the offensive rebound and put it back with 7.5 seconds on the clock. 78-76, Ole Miss.
Tennessee, with three seconds left, called a timeout, but Milicic Jr.’s final drive fell short as the buzzer sounded. Pandemonium.
Brakefield was the undisputed star, his 8-of-9 shooting performance a masterclass. Dre Davis notched a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, while Dia and Matthew Murrell added 13 and 12 points, respectively.
This win marks the third time Ole Miss has defeated a No. 4 ranked team, with two of those victories coming this season. It's also the first time they've secured two wins over AP top-five teams in a single season. The Rebels dominated the paint, outscoring Tennessee 46-20.
Next up, Ole Miss heads to Gainesville to face the No. 5 Gators. But right now, Oxford celebrates. This was a statement win, a moment etched in the program's history. The court is still buzzing, the echoes of the crowd still ringing. This is what college basketball is all about.
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