Ole Miss coach Chris Beard shares thoughts after third straight loss against Missouri Tigers: “You feel like the sun won’t come up tomorrow”

After an upset win over the Alabama Crimson Tide on Jan. 14, Ole Miss coach Chris Beard has seen his team struggle, losing three games in a row, starting with an overtime defeat to their rivals, the No. 15 Mississippi State Bulldogs. Following their loss to the No. 22 Missouri Tigers on Saturday, Beard addressed the team’s recent struggles.

For him, the key is to remain steady and focus on moving forward.

"We just stay the course,” Beard said. "This is the SEC. A two-game winning streak, it’s free breakfast burritos in the morning and people want to throw you a parade. A two-game losing streak, you feel like the sun won’t come up tomorrow. It’s short-term memory. It’s just staying the course — the same thing we do after wins. We just get back to work."

Ole Miss (15-5, 4-3 SEC) started strong in SEC play, winning its first four conference games. However, they’ve since lost the next three, all against teams ranked in the AP Top 25. In one of the toughest basketball conferences, stretches like this are a reality.

Chris Beard and Ole Miss slide to third-straight loss

The three losses came against Mississippi State, No. 13 Texas A&M and Missouri, including two games decided by just one possession. Despite the close outcomes, coach Chris Beard acknowledged there’s room for improvement.

He called the start of the game against Mississippi State "unacceptable" and said he hoped it would be a wake-up call for the team. After the Texas A&M loss on Jan. 22, Beard apologized to fans.

"Right now, we’re in a little slide," Beard said. "We played three of the best teams in the country. So, it’s understandable in this league. We’ve just got to keep working. It’s a long season. It’s an 18-round fight. We’ve got to play better and most importantly stay the course."

Chris Beard and the Rebels will have a chance to bounce back on Wednesday when they host the Texas Longhorns (14-6, 3-4), a team that Beard has coached in the past.

For Ole Miss, it’s an opportunity to end its losing streak. If it can’t secure a win, it’ll face another major challenge on Saturday against the No.1 ranked team, the Auburn Tigers (18-1, 6-0).