JACKSONVILLE — It’s both the cruelty and the brilliance of March Madness but in 48 hours, everything can change.
Two days ago, the No. 11 seed Ole Miss Rebels were on top of the college basketball world after coming back from 17 points down to beat the BYU Cougars in a First Four contest that will go down as one of the best games of this year’s NCAA tournament. Fast forward just a little while later and the March magic had run out as the Rebels fell to sixth-seeded Xavier 76-57.
“It wasn't out of reach, we just had to fight, and we didn't come with that fight today,” Rebels forward MJ Rhett said. “We just didn't come prepared today, none of us. It wasn't -- like, my awareness, I shouldn't have got two fouls early in the first half. It affected the team, and we just didn't bring it today.”
With former sharpshooter Marshall Henderson in attendance, the Rebels had a decidedly un-Henderson like performance shooting from its backcourt. Their best shooter, guard Stefan Moody finished with 14 points but was 5-18 and 2-9 from three-point range. Fellow guard Jarvis Summers went 0-8 from the field and 0-4 from three-point range.
“Obviously the end comes to most every team at this time of year. Really proud of our group for getting to the NCAA Tournament, for advancing to the NCAA Tournament,” Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy said. “We certainly did not play well today. All credit goes to Xavier. They had complete control of the tempo from the start, and we were never able to wrestle it away from them.”
Ole Miss had opportunities, but could not cut into the Xavier lead coming down the stretch. For instance, down 11, an errant Moody pass negated what would have been an open layup, and the Musketeers went down on the other end and made an old fashioned three-point play.
What could have been single digits was then a 14-point lead.
Countless blunders, quick trigger three pointers that would not fall and miscues hurt any chances of a comeback.
To Xavier’s credit, in a game that started 30 minutes after Baylor gave up a 12-point lead in just under three minutes, the Musketeers dropped the hammer when it counted. They were 46.4-percent from the field in the game and 43.5-percent from three-point range, finishing the game hitting seven of its last eight field goals.
“We're excited. This is the best time of the year. This is what you work for the entire off-season. We've gotten better as the year has gone on, especially on the defensive end,” Xavier coach Chris Mack said. “They shoot 32 percent from the field, 22 percent from the three, they only shoot five free throws. Our guys have gotten a lot better defensively as the year has gone on. I've told them that the teams that advance in tournament play are the ones that can get stops and defend, and I think this team is finally starting to realize that.”
Follow Richard Johnson on Twitter @RagjUF
