"It's not (monumental)": Chris Bear shrugs off Ole Miss’ stunning upset of No. 4 Alabama; has his eyes set on March Madness

Despite leading Ole Miss to a historic 74–64 road win over No. 4 Alabama on Tuesday, head coach Chris Beard downplayed its significance. The victory, which marked the Rebels’ first-ever road win against a top-five team, was also the biggest win of Beard’s time in Oxford.

Yet, he viewed it simply as another step in their season.

"In my mind, it’s not (monumental)," Beard said after the game. "This was the fourth SEC game…Tonight was a good SEC road win. No doubt about it."

Ole Miss delivered an impressive defensive performance, holding Alabama, the nation’s top offense, to a season-low 64 points—their lowest since the 2023 Sweet 16.

The Rebels limited the Crimson Tide to 42.6% shooting overall and 25% from beyond the arc, allowing only five 3-pointers. They also forced 21 turnovers, disrupting Alabama’s rhythm throughout the game.

Chris Beard and Ole Miss put on offensive showcase in upset win over Alabama

Chris Beard's Rebels’ offense shone against Alabama, with five players scoring double figures. Malik Dia led the charge, recording a double-double of 23 points and 19 rebounds. He was crucial in securing Ole Miss’ fourth straight Southeastern Conference win to open conference play.

This win was particularly significant for Ole Miss, as it shifted a three-way tie into a two-way race for the top spot in the SEC standings between the Rebels and Auburn, the nation’s No. 1 team, both at 4-0. However, Chris Beard remains focused on long-term goals rather than immediate accolades.

"We’re trying to put ourselves in position to win every night, execute a game plan," Beard explained. "The whole ‘this is the first time’? I mean, you know, when you get a job, you go in the arena and, when you don’t see a Final Four banner, then you say we’re going to have to do some firsts around here. So, that stuff really means nothing to me.

Not to disrespect the question, but we didn’t come here to win a game in January. We came here to be one of those teams, you know, that has a chance to win six games in March in three weekends. So, long ways to go."

Ole Miss has more work ahead as they aim to build on this season’s first-ranked win under Beard’s leadership. Next up are two matchups against ranked opponents, including a crucial in-state rivalry game against No. 15 Mississippi State this weekend at The Hump.