Ole Miss turned Sunday’s NCAA second-round clash with Iowa State into an upset party, routing the 3-seed Cyclones 91-78 to crash the Sweet 16. The 6-seed Rebels shot the lights out—52% from the field, 11 threes—and ran Iowa State off the court with a pace they couldn’t match. March Madness loves a stunner, and Ole Miss delivered—is this the start of a deep run?
Imagine this—first half, Ole Miss swings it around, finds an open shooter, and splash, another three drops, pushing the lead to 15. They were relentless, hitting from deep and attacking the rim, while their D forced 16 turnovers that turned into fast-break buckets. Iowa State’s usually stingy defense—top-10 all year—crumbled; their shooters went cold, and their bigs couldn’t keep up. The Rebels’ balance—four guys over 15 points—overwhelmed a Cyclones squad that’s been a bracket staple.
This is Ole Miss seizing the moment—Chris Beard’s got them playing loose and lethal, a combo that’s deadly in March. Iowa State’s a powerhouse, but they got outworked and outshot, a rare off night that ends their run early. Fans online are buzzing—some call it a fluke, others see a sleeper emerging—and with this kind of firepower, the Rebels could keep rolling. The Sweet 16’s next, and they’ve got upset vibes written all over them.
Can they sustain it? The field’s shrinking, but Ole Miss has the juice—scoring, hustle, and a coach who thrives in chaos. Iowa State’s out, stunned, while the Rebels are dreaming big. If they keep shooting like this, brackets are toast, and March just got wilder.
