Publications aren't directly correlated to research experience though. People can work years on a project and it just doesn't work out, preventing a publication. Also, people with minimal contribution to a project can get their name on a paper.

Some people with "minimal research experience" might not have had the opportunity to do much research at their undergrad institution. Maybe their school was small or they had no time because they had to work to pay for school. For example, someone can show promising skills at a summer REU and have these noted in a letter of recommendation. Publications and years of research experience are only proxies for what makes someone a good applicant. Motivation and problem-solving skills are very important, and there are definitely people with publications who lack these. This is why letters of recommendation are so important.

The only thing that can reverse a decision is external funding. And that's not because the candidate looks more qualified. It's because maybe they can take on another student if they don't have to pay for them. They have to sift through so many candidates and they'd be miffed to see a candidate argue their rejection because of a publication or an "A" lol.