How Chris Beard, Malik Dia grew together in Ole Miss basketball’s victory at Arkansas

With just over 14 minutes left in the second half, junior Ole Miss basketball forward Malik Dia left the bench and trotted onto the floor Wednesday at Bud Walton Arena.

What Dia did in Ole Miss’ 73-66 win at Arkansas — and specifically in those 14 minutes — could pay long-term dividends for him as the No. 22 Rebels (13-2, 2-0 SEC) get further into their conference schedule.

Dia scored a season-high 21 points on 7-for-12 shooting against Razorbacks (11-4, 0-2). He sank two of his four 3-point attempts, including one with 1:10 left that slammed the door, and pulled down a team-high eight rebounds. Despite playing much of the final 14 minutes, Dia picked up just one more foul and avoided automatic disqualification.

“I’ve only coached Dia for one year,” Ole Miss coach Chris Beard said. “Tonight was a big step in our relationship. The big guy gained some confidence tonight.”

Dia’s last season high was 11 points.

Dia, a transfer from Belmont, has been a rallying point for the Rebels of late. Before the Arkansas game, and for much of the season as a whole, Beard emphasized the need for Ole Miss to play big and rebound. When they don’t have, such as in a 87-70 loss at Memphishas been clear.

If Ole Miss can get more games like Wednesday’s from Dia, it bodes well. Dia, at 6-foot-9, is the second tallest player on the Ole Miss roster. Because 7-2 freshman John Bol has played sparingly in SEC play, Dia has often drafted opposing 7-footers as defensive assignments.

Beard also praised Jaemyn Brakefeld, the Rebels’ 6-8 forward, for playing “guts” down the block. Brakefield had six rebounds before fouling out.

“We were able to weather the storm with some foul trouble tonight, but obviously Dia came to play,” Beard said.

the rebels, expected to be a no. 7 seeds in the NCAA Tournament, will look to continue their strong start to SEC play at home against LSU on Saturday (5 p.m., SEC Network).

“Round two of an 18-round fight,” Beard said. “That’s how we set it up. The SEC is as good as advertised. We played well tonight. Special performance by Malik Dia.”

Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at [email protected] or contact him at X at @Sam_Hutchens_

This article originally appeared on the Mississippi Clarion Ledger: How Malik Dia gained confidence in Ole Miss basketball’s victory at Arkansas