If you turned off the TV before the clock hit zero in Athens, you missed the most chaotic finish of the SEC season so far. Honestly, it was one of those games that makes you remember why college basketball is so much better than the pros sometimes. Ole Miss won the game against No. 21 Georgia 97-95 in an absolute overtime thriller on Wednesday night.
It wasn't pretty for 45 minutes. It was stressful. But for the Rebels, it was a statement.
How the Rebels Pulled Off the Upset
Patton Pinkins. Remember that name. The freshman found himself in the right place at exactly the right time, grabbing a desperate miss from AJ Storr and putting it back up with just 0.2 seconds left on the clock. It was a heartbreaker for the Georgia crowd at Stegeman Coliseum, especially since the Bulldogs had just tied it up seconds earlier on a Marcus Millender free throw.
The game was a total shootout. Georgia came into this thing leading the nation in scoring, and they lived up to the hype, but Chris Beard’s squad refused to blink.
You’ve got to look at AJ Storr here. He’s been coming off the bench lately, which is wild for a guy with his talent, but he dropped 27 points and basically carried the offense through the second half. When the Rebels were down late in regulation, he was the one hitting the layup to force the extra five minutes.
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A Bench Performance for the Ages
Most teams are lucky to get 20 points from their second unit. Ole Miss got 60.
Basically, the Rebels' bench outscored the starters by a mile.
- AJ Storr: 27 points
- Travis Perry: 14 points (including some massive threes)
- Kezza Giffa: 11 points
It's kinda rare to see a team win a road game against a ranked opponent when their starting center and power forward combine for almost nothing offensively. But that's the "Chris Beard way." He played 11 different guys. He rotated them like a hockey team. And eventually, the depth just wore Georgia down.
Breaking Down the Overtime Chaos
The final five minutes were a blur of whistles and lead changes. Jeremiah Wilkinson was a nightmare for the Rebels all night, finishing with a career-high 32 points. He’s a bucket, plain and simple. Every time Ole Miss seemed to have a cushion, Wilkinson would drive or draw a foul.
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But Georgia’s high-octane offense finally hit a snag when it mattered. Wilkinson missed both of his shots in the overtime period.
Then came the final sequence.
With the game tied at 95, Ole Miss had the ball for the final shot. AJ Storr took a tough look that rimmed out. For a split second, it looked like we were headed to a second overtime. Then Pinkins soared in. The tip-in was perfect. The buzzer sounded. The Rebels erupted.
Why This Victory Matters So Much
This wasn't just another win. Ole Miss started SEC play 0-2 with losses to Arkansas and Oklahoma. People were starting to whisper about whether this team was actually a tournament contender or just a collection of talent that didn't fit.
By beating a Top 25 team on their own floor, the Rebels have now won two straight. They’ve moved to 10-7 overall and 2-2 in the SEC. They aren't just back in the conversation; they've officially become the team nobody wants to see on their schedule in February.
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Key Stats from the Ole Miss vs. Georgia Box Score
| Category | Ole Miss | Georgia |
|---|---|---|
| Final Score | 97 | 95 |
| Field Goal % | 51.4% | 37.5% |
| 3-Point % | 45.8% | 42.9% |
| Bench Points | 60 | 31 |
| Turnovers | 8 | 9 |
The discrepancy in field goal percentage is what stands out. Georgia took a lot more shots but struggled to finish near the rim against Corey Chest, who had a monster defensive game with two blocks and nine rebounds.
What This Means for the Rest of the Season
If you're an Ole Miss fan, you're looking at the schedule now with a lot more confidence. Next up is a trip to Starkville to face Mississippi State on January 17. That's a rivalry game, and those are always toss-ups, but the Rebels are playing with house money now.
Georgia, on the other hand, just lost their first home game of the season. They’re still a great team—their offense is legitimate—but they showed some cracks in their late-game execution tonight.
Actionable Takeaways for Rebels Fans
- Watch the Rotation: Keep an eye on how Beard uses AJ Storr. If he keeps coming off the bench and producing like a starter, it gives the Rebels a "Sixth Man of the Year" level weapon that most SEC teams can't match.
- Patton Pinkins' Growth: The freshman played 39 minutes tonight. That's a huge vote of confidence. He's becoming a glue guy who can also hit the occasional dagger.
- The 3-Point Threat: Shooting nearly 46% from deep isn't sustainable every night, but if Travis Perry and Ilias Kamardine keep hitting shots, it opens up the lane for the bigs.
This win proves that the Rebels can score with the best of them. They survived a 32-point performance from a star and a raucous road environment. For a team that was 0-2 in the conference just a week ago, the season looks completely different now.
Keep an eye on the injury report heading into the Mississippi State game, specifically regarding Ilias Kamardine’s minutes after he fouled out late in this one. The Rebels need his steady hand at point guard to keep this momentum rolling through the meat of the SEC schedule.