Ole Miss advances to Sweet 16, defeating North Carolina

Mississippi defeated North Carolina 71-64 in a tense NCAA Tournament game on Friday. With just under a minute left, Sean Pedulla hit a key 3-pointer that helped secure the victory for Ole Miss. Ole Miss, a No. 6 seed in the South Region, will advance to face No. 3 seed Iowa State on Sunday. This is their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2019, and they aim for a Sweet 16 berth for the first time since 2001. North Carolina, the lower-seeded team, made a strong comeback after trailing by as much as 22 points. RJ Davis scored a crucial three-point play to reduce the lead to just two points, but Pedulla answered with a vital shot for Ole Miss. Davis led North Carolina with 15 points, while Ven-Allen Lubin added 14. For Ole Miss, Pedulla scored 20 points and Dre Davis contributed 15. The game was particularly challenging for North Carolina, who lost starting forward Jae’lyn Withers to an injury in the second half. Despite the difficulties, the Tar Heels pushed back hard in the final minutes. This loss is part of a disappointing trend for the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in the tournament. Only Duke advanced to the next round, while Louisville and Clemson lost their games earlier in the week.