Ole Miss basketball earned a crucial SEC win Wednesday night, defeating rival Arkansas 73-66 in Bud Walton Arena, the program's first victory there since January of 2015. After the game, Ole Miss head coach Chris Beard broke down what worked well for his team in the win, especially as they handled a hostile environment.

Ole Miss forward Malik Dia set his season and Ole Miss high in points against Arkansas. The Rebels' win was a building moment for him and Chris Beard.

There has been a constant expectation for Malik Dia to showcase why Chris Beard went after him and brought him to Oxford. Until Wednesday that had not happened but Dia provided solid proof of concept by putting Ole Miss on his back for a key Southeastern Conference win on the road.

Jan 8, 2025; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Ole Miss Rebels forward Malik Dia (0) celebrates after making a three point shot in the second half against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Bud Walton Arena. Ole Miss won 73-66. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images / Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Ole Miss did not make the NCAA tournament in coach Chris Beard's first season last year. The Rebels finished 20-12 (7-11 SEC) last season and were a bubble team. Beard has March Madness success on his resume. He took Texas Tech to the Final Four in 2019. The Red Raiders lost the national championship to Virginia in overtime.

No. 22 Ole Miss has its first SEC road trip of the 2024-25 season Wednesday at Arkansas. Tipoff is 6 p.m. CT on ESPN2. The Rebels (12-2, 1-0 SEC) are coming off a 63-51 win over Georgia last weekend.

Ole Miss is scheduled to take on the Arkansas Razorbacks on Wednesday night, and the Hogs are led by legendary head coach John Calipari. Rebels coach Chris Beard is anticipating a real challenge when Ole Miss hits the hardwood this week.

After Ole Miss basketball took its worst loss of the season at Memphis on Saturday, coach Chris Beard says rebounding is a focal point for improvement