OXFORD — Chris Beard has a process for what's facing Ole Miss basketball after it lost for the fifth time in six games on Saturday.

He borrowed it from Nick Saban, the recently retired Alabama football coach who led the Crimson Tide to six national championships.

"We've got a 12-hour rule around here," Beard said after the Rebels fell, 72-59, to South Carolina at the SJB Pavilion. "I think Coach Saban had it at 24 (hours). Use some simple math there. We play a couple games a week. They play one. So we just tell our guys, you got 12 hours. You got 12 hours to celebrate it. You got 12 hours to beat yourself up a little bit. Nothing wrong with that, and we gotta get right back to work."

As it relates to their NCAA Tournament hopes, the Rebels (19-9, 6-8 SEC) are working with very little runway. Their NET sat at 68 entering Saturday's action and is sure to take a hit after the lopsided loss to the Gamecocks (22-5, 10-4), who were ranked 58th.

A looming matchup with Alabama, tied for first in the SEC even after a loss to Kentucky, offers the Rebels an opportunity to make a last stand of sorts. Leaning on one of Saban's methods, Ole Miss can collect what would be by far its best win of the season ‒ the Crimson Tide was ranked fifth in the NET before its loss to the Wildcats ‒ and re-supply its confidence stores.

"I think pressure is a privilege," Beard said. "There's nobody I would rather play than one of the best teams in college basketball. It's an opportunity for us to respond quickly."

That process will begin in earnest once the allotted 12 hours have been exhausted. And Ole Miss will have plenty to ruminate over.

GAME STORY: Ole Miss basketball outclassed by South Carolina as NCAA Tournament hopes dwindle

Its offense against South Carolina looked rudderless. Ole Miss managed a dismal 33.3% effort from the floor.

That outcome was no doubt heavily influenced by Matthew Murrell's foul trouble. The Rebels' star played just 21 minutes against South Carolina. With him on the floor, the Rebels were plus-six. Without him, the Gamecocks outscored Ole Miss by 19.

Allen Flanigan, the Rebels' second-leading scorer, also played only 21 minutes after the officials ejected him when his elbow made contact with the head of a South Carolina player. Beard said he hadn't yet seen the play, but had confidence the officials had made the correct decision. The Rebels will await a decision from the SEC on whether or not Flanigan will face a suspension.

More than anything, Ole Miss needs to re-locate the 3-point excellence that fueled its outstanding start to the season. The Rebels have shot better than 40% from 3-point range on 14 occasions this season, and they're 12-2 when they meet that threshold. When they don't, they're 7-6 – and 1-6 in SEC games. They converted on just three of their 16 attempts against the Gamecocks.

"We'll have guys in the Tuohy Center as early as 8 in the morning," Beard said. "That's just how this team rolls. So, for us, we'll look at this, we'll try to learn from it, we'll try to improve from it. All eyes are on Alabama on Wednesday night."

David Eckert covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at deckert@gannett.com or reach him on Twitter @davideckert98.

Get the latest news and insight on SEC football by subscribing to the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Ole Miss basketball: Can Nick Saban technique help Rebels, Chris Beard?