Sean Pedulla hits game winner for Ole Miss to top Arkansas, advance to SEC tournament quarterfinals
By SAM LANCE
Wild finishes are a theme in March. Ole Miss’ 83-80 win over Arkansas in the second round of the SEC tournament was just the latest reminder.
After Arkansas junior forward Trevon Brazile missed two free throws with seven seconds left, Ole Miss had a chance to break the tie and win the game. Senior guard Sean Pedulla didn’t miss out on the opportunity.
OLE MISS (-180 ML) WINS IT AT THE END AFTER ARKANSAS MISSES BOTH FREE THROWS pic.twitter.com/fiM66ziA7l
— br_betting (@br_betting) March 13, 2025
“It’s March, you gotta go get a bucket,” Pedulla said on SEC Network postgame. “We were fortunate enough they missed both their free throws. And at that point, it’s just getting the best shot off possible.”
Before Pedulla’s game-winner, he was 0-for-6 from the 3-point line. It only takes one to be a hero.
“Players make plays,” Pedulla said. “You have to impact the game outside of just scoring the basketball and shooting the basketball. So at that point, just being confident. Even if you miss, shooters don’t stop shooting.”
Pedulla was one of five Rebels in double-figure scoring with 10 points. Junior forward Malik Dia’s 19 points and eight rebounds, as well as senior guard Jaylen Murray’s 17 points and five assists, led the way for Ole Miss.
The Rebels led for over 30 minutes of game clock. It took an Arkansas comeback to make this a game down the stretch. The Razorbacks used a 8-0 run from the 3:11-mark until there were 30 seconds left to take the lead at 80-77. But it was Ole Miss who had the last laugh, ending on a 6-0 run, which included a clutch and-1 from senior guard Dre Davis and Pedulla’s shot.
“Who cares about the stat sheet when the games on the line,” Ole Miss head coach Chris Beard said of the final moments. “We want to execute… This is March. If you guys know anything about me, it’s going to be players, not plays.”
Next up for Ole Miss will be a quarterfinal matchup with No. 1 Auburn. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. ET in Nashville on Friday. Arkansas, who sits at 20-13 overall, will have a long wait until Selection Sunday. Its not a guarantee the Razorbacks will be in the field. Joe Lunardi had Arkansas as a No. 10 seed entering Thursday’s action.
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