The Ole Miss Rebels' impressive NCAA Tournament run came to a halt in a hard-fought Sweet 16 battle against the No. 2 seed Michigan State Spartans. In a game that went down to the wire in Atlanta, the Spartans emerged victorious with a 73-70 win, securing their place in the Elite Eight.

Chris Beard's Ole Miss squad showcased resilience throughout the game, initially building a nine-point lead in the first half. However, Michigan State rallied, narrowing the gap to two points by halftime. The second half saw a continued back-and-forth battle, with Ole Miss briefly regaining a 10-point advantage. But Michigan State mounted another comeback, ultimately seizing a two-point lead and holding on for the win in a tense final stretch.

Offensively, Ole Miss shot 39.7% from the field, 30.8% from three-point range, and an impressive 90% from the free-throw line. Sean Pedulla led the Rebels with 24 points, supported by Malik Dia (11 points) and Matthew Murrell (10 points), highlighting a balanced offensive effort. Michigan State countered with a 50% shooting percentage from the field, 35.3% from beyond the arc, and 85.7% from the free-throw line. Jase Richardson led the Spartans with 20 points, followed by Coen Carr (15 points), Jaden Atkins (13 points), and Jaden Holloman (10 points), showcasing their own diverse scoring options.

Despite surrendering a 10-point lead, Ole Miss demonstrated strength on the boards, out-rebounding Michigan State 29-26. This was particularly significant given the Spartans' No. 14 ranking in rebounding compared to Ole Miss's No. 293 ranking. The Rebels also maintained a positive turnover margin, forcing nine turnovers while committing eight, and converting those turnovers into 15 points.

Reflecting on the season, Coach Chris Beard expressed gratitude for his team's accomplishments. Despite the disappointment of the loss, he emphasized the significance of reaching the Sweet 16 and the raised expectations for the program moving forward. "Every season ends except for one with the feelings we have right now. Every year you dread that walk to the locker room. Not this year. I am just thankful. I am thankful they raised expectations. No-one in the country expected us to make the Sweet Sixteen. We played some great basketball (down the stretch)," Beard stated. "What these guys did is raised expectations for this program. (long pause) I've been blessed to coach a lot of guys but these guys are special."

The loss concludes Ole Miss's season with an overall record of 24-12, including a 10-8 mark in SEC play. They averaged 77.2 points per game on 44.5% shooting from the field and 34.8% from three-point range, achieving a scoring margin of 5.5 points per game. Key contributors included Sean Pedulla (15.4 points, 3.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds), Jaemyn Brakefield (11.1 points, 4.3 rebounds), Malik Dia (10.8 points, 5.7 rebounds), and Matthew Murrell (10.8 points, 3.5 rebounds).

Looking ahead, Ole Miss aims to build on this season's success and continue improving in the 2025-26 campaign. Meanwhile, Michigan State advances to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2019.

In other news, Montreal Canadiens fans can anticipate another wedding soon, following last summer's nuptials of Brendan Gallagher, Jake Evans, and Josh Anderson. Boston Bruins legend Brad Marchand recently debuted with the Florida Panthers after recovering from an injury.