ATHENS, Ga. (Interstat) — In a Southeastern Conference thriller that defied pregame projections and required an extra period to decide, the Mississippi Rebels stunned the Georgia Bulldogs 97-95 in overtime Wednesday night before a crowd of 10,523 at Stegeman Coliseum.

The victory, secured on a last-second tip-in by Patton Pinkins, handed Georgia just its third loss of the season and served as a significant road upset. The Bulldogs had entered as heavy favorites, projected with a 76.8% win probability and installed as 10.5-point favorites, but the Rebels’ efficient offense and clutch plays down the stretch prevailed.

The game’s most critical sequence unfolded in the frantic final seconds of regulation and the decisive moments of overtime. Trailing 87-85 with under 20 seconds left in the second half, Mississippi’s AJ Storr tied the game with a driving layup. Georgia’s Jeremiah Wilkinson, who led all scorers with 32 points, then missed a potential game-winning drive on the other end, sending the contest to an extra period tied at 87.

Overtime was a tense, back-and-forth affair. With Mississippi clinging to a 94-92 lead, Georgia’s Kanon Catchings drained a three-pointer to put the Bulldogs ahead 95-94 with just over a minute remaining. After a Mississippi turnover, Georgia had a chance to extend the lead but missed a three-pointer. The Rebels called a timeout with 18 seconds left, setting up the final play.

Out of the timeout, Ilias Kamardine found Storr cutting to the basket for a layup to put Mississippi back in front 96-95 with 18 seconds on the clock. Georgia’s ensuing possession resulted in a missed driving layup by Jordan Ross, which was blocked by Corey Chest. The Bulldogs retained possession and called their final timeout with 10 seconds left.

On the final inbounds play, Marcus Millender was fouled and sent to the line for two shots with a chance to reclaim the lead. He missed the first free throw but made the second, tying the game at 96 with 10 seconds remaining. Mississippi advanced the ball without a timeout, and Storr’s pull-up jumper from the wing missed as time expired. However, Pinkins alertly crashed the boards and tipped in the miss just before the buzzer sounded, giving the Rebels the dramatic victory.

The game was a tale of contrasting styles. Mississippi won with superior shooting efficiency, converting 51.4% from the field (36 of 70) and 45.8% from three-point range (11 of 24). Georgia, meanwhile, struggled from the floor, shooting just 37.5% (27 of 72), but stayed competitive by attempting 15 more free throws, making 26 of 34. The Rebels also dominated inside, outscoring Georgia 32-20 in the paint and outscoring them 16-9 in points off turnovers.

Storr led Mississippi with 27 points, continuing his strong recent form, and added four assists. Pinkins provided crucial support with 18 points, none bigger than his game-winner. Kamardine orchestrated the offense effectively with 13 points and a game-high six assists. Kezza Giffa added 11 points off the bench.

For Georgia, Wilkinson’s 32-point performance on 9-of-22 shooting was the offensive centerpiece, supplemented by 14 points from Millender and 17 points from Catchings. The Bulldogs’ 16 offensive rebounds kept them in the game, leading to 19 second-chance points, but they were ultimately undone by their field goal percentage and Mississippi’s late-game execution.

Mississippi improved to 10-7 overall with the win, while Georgia fell to 14-3. The Rebels will look to build on this momentum Saturday at Mississippi State. Georgia, which saw a seven-game winning streak snapped, will host Arkansas on Saturday.