Notes: Rebels season ends in familiar fashion

Ole Miss guard Martavious Newby talks to reporters following the Rebels' 75-73 SEC tournament quarterfinal loss to Georgia Friday.

ATLANTA -- Ole Miss' season ended in familiar fashion Friday night.

The Rebels needed one defensive rebound. They couldn't get it.

Instead, down 73-72, Georgia got three shots at the basket on its final possession before Charles Mann grabbed an offensive rebound and scored on a layup with 17 seconds left. That proved to be the game-winner for the Bulldogs, who won 75-73 to advance to Saturday's Southeastern Conference tournament semifinal against Kentucky.

"For us to be in the game, we shoot 2-for-25 (from the 3-point line), I think that was a testament to our grit and to our fortitude," Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy said. "Again, we're one rebound away to maybe not having to depend on making a shot at the end. …We couldn't secure a rebound. They got three opportunities. Their point guard chased down the ball and put them in the lead.

"That has been our Achilles heel. We have not done a very good job on our defensive glass. Tonight we were holding our own on the glass. We couldn't come up with the big one."

Ole Miss center Dwight Coleby talks to media following his 10-point, 3-rebound performance in Ole Miss' 75-73 loss to Georgia Friday in the quarterfinals of the SEC tournament.

NIT FOR REBELS?: Kennedy said there's "a chance" Ole Miss could earn an NIT bid Sunday, but he didn't sound particularly hopeful.

"Just being honest, I think that obviously Georgia's beaten us twice. I think Missouri deserves an opportunity to play in the NCAA tournament. Whether or not that happens, I think it will depend on whether or not we get an opportunity to continue to play. Will they take five teams from the SEC to the NIT? You know, probably not. …I don't want to speculate. We'll find out Sunday."

FOUL TROUBLE: Ole Miss was whistled for 29 fouls Friday night. Georgia drew 22. Dwight Coleby and Sebastian Saiz fouled out. Aaron Jones, Jarvis Summers and Anthony Perez had four fouls each.

"We had our opportunities, and in the game, you have to adjust to the game as it is being called," Kennedy said. "We obviously had foul trouble everywhere, and as a result, I think it does take away a little bit of your aggression. We were playing smaller than I would have preferred against a big physical team."