Overview
- The Ole Miss coach drew two technical fouls with 6:15 remaining and, after being tossed, briefly ran back onto the floor to address his team before exiting.
- Tennessee won 84-66, attempting 34 free throws to Ole Miss’s 21 and converting 23 to the Rebels’ 13, with fouls reported at 27 on Ole Miss and 18 on the Vols.
- Beard said the free-throw and foul gap triggered his ejection because a coach has to fight for his players, adding that his frustration was not personal toward officials.
- He praised Rick Barnes as a first-ballot Hall of Fame-caliber coach and pointed to Tennessee’s physical style, which ranks among the nation’s leaders in free-throw attempts.
- Ole Miss fell to 11-11 overall and 3-6 in SEC play, and no discipline had been reported as attention shifts to Saturday’s game against Beard’s former Texas team.