NASHVILLE — Coach Chris Beard observed something he didn’t like at the Ole Miss basketball team breakfast on March 13.

“I saw a couple guys kind of yawning as they came into breakfast,” Beard said. “That’s not going to work.”

Beard said his team quickly set the tone that morning before No. 15 seed Ole Miss beat No. 2 Alabama 80-79 in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament in Bridgestone Arena.

Ole Miss will face No. 3 Arkansas (24-8) in the semifinals on March 14 (2:30 p.m., ESPN). The winner will be one game away from earning a bid into the NCAA Tournament.

Ole Miss is the second team in SEC Tournament history to win three straight games to reach semifinals. No. 13 Auburn did it in 2025.

The Rebels are the lowest seed to make the SEC semifinals, but this is just the second year since the tournament expanded from 14 to 16 teams after Texas and Oklahoma joined the conference.

Beard said he urges his players to be off their phones this time of year. It’s to keep players from focusing on a narrative he knows will be brought up for the rest of the tournament: Won’t Ole Miss be tired against Arkansas?

“Is Ole Miss going to be tired after playing 80 minutes? I just don’t believe in that,” Beard said.

Beard explained why.

“These players are not 29, 30, 31 years old,” Beard said. “They grew up playing in the summer, sometimes three games a day on the AAU circuit.

Beard also drew on his personal experience as a kid. He said fatigue won’t be something the Rebels use as an excuse.

“All of them, in their respective basketball journeys, played pickup basketball seven days a week for hours and hours and hours,” Beard said.

Ole Miss guard Ilias Kamardine was asked how the Rebels will combat fatigue on the TV broadcast after the Alabama game.

“There is no excuse,” Kamardine said. “That’s what we said before the (Alabama) game. Just keep fighting. We know we’re a little bit tired, but we want to keep going.”

How does Ole Miss basketball match up against Arkansas?

Stopping Arkansas guard Darius Acuff will be key for Beard and the Rebels.

Acuff scored 37 points against Oklahoma in the quarterfinals. His performances propelled the Razorbacks to an 82-79 win.

Arkansas beat Ole Miss 94-87 in the only regular season meeting on Jan. 7. Acuff was excellent in that game as well, scoring 26 points and adding nine assists.

Arkansas has an elite offense, but the Rebels have already knocked out two similar teams out of the tournament. The Razorbacks are No. 3 in the SEC in scoring (90.2 points). The Rebels beat the No. 1 scoring offense in Alabama (91.7) and the No. 3 offense in Georgia (89.8).

Ole Miss basketball vs. Arkansas prediction

Ole Miss 85, Arkansas 83: The Rebels have found a great groove in Nashville. Unlike Arkansas, Ole Miss is playing for its NCAA Tournament hopes.

Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at Shutchens@gannett.com or reach him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_