Chris Beard has not shied away from his desire to enhance interest in the game of basketball in Mississippi. Now, after having tested the waters with games in Biloxi and Southaven, the Ole Miss men’s frontman is hoping to have his team showcase its talents in Mississippi’s capital and the birthplace of Elvis Presley.
“We’re committed to playing in other parts of the state, whether that continues to be Biloxi or Southaven. We’ve also had some interest in playing in Jackson and Tupelo,” Beard told the media on Tuesday. “Being the University of Mississippi, I think it’s important that we play in other parts of the state.”
Back in 2023, Beard revealed that soon after taking the job in Oxford, one of his first ideas was to contact Southern Miss head coach Jay Ladner to schedule a matchup between the Rebels and Golden Eagles in the Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum. The contest came to fruition not once, but twice, as both squads faced off near Christmastime in the Ole Miss coach’s first two campaigns with the Rebels. Ole Miss ended up besting Southern Miss by double digits in both games.
“I have a lot of respect for Jay (Ladner). We’re friends. When I got the Ole Miss job, that’s one of the first things I thought about doing,” Beard said after the Rebels defeated the Golden Eagles in December 2023. “I think it’s the right thing to do for basketball in the state of Mississippi.”
Last year, on top of the second consecutive coastal showdown with Southern Miss, the Rebels faced Colorado State in the Landers Center in Southaven. The game provided a nice résumé-building opportunity against an eventual NCAA Tournament team and the chance for Ole Miss fans in and near DeSoto County to watch their favorite team in action.
“I think one of the responsibilities when you coach a state school, like Ole Miss, is to take the brand and our team [to other parts of Mississippi],” Beard said after the Rebels cruised to a 15-point win over the Rams. “We have a lot of great fans, alumni, donors, and former students who live in different parts of the state.”
It’s no secret that enthusiasm for Ole Miss basketball is at or nearing an all-time high, given the Rebels are coming off of their second Sweet 16 appearance in program history. Beard has maintained that taking his team to other areas of Mississippi could draw local supporters in those regions and lure them to Oxford for home games, where raucous crowds are always welcome.
At this time, Ole Miss has not confirmed whether or not games will be played in Biloxi, Jackson, Southaven, or Tupelo this year. If a matchup came to fruition in Tupelo, it would be the Rebels’ first time to play there since 2004. Ole Miss last took on an opponent in Jackson in 2019.
While Mississippians will have to keep an eye out for possible in-state schedule announcements for the time being, we do know that the Rebels will be taking their talents to one of basketball’s biggest stages this winter. Ole Miss is scheduled to play Rick Pitino’s St. John’s squad in the historic Madison Square Garden on Dec. 6.
The Rebels, following the expiration of eligibility for seven players from last year’s squad and the loss of three players to the transfer portal, will enter the 2025-26 campaign with a mostly revamped roster. Coming soon, fans will have to get accustomed to a new lineup of faces after saying goodbye to longtime staples like Matthew Murrell and Jaemyn Brakefield, among a group of short-term rentals who helped lead a historic postseason run.
Star big man Malik Dia and young guard Eduardo Klafke are the only notable returners from this past season. They will be joined by transfer additions Corey Chest (LSU), Koren Johnson (Louisville), James Scott (Louisville), AJ Storr (Kansas), Travis Perry (Kentucky), Augusto Cassia (Butler), Ilias Kamardine (France), Kezza Giffa (High Point), and Hobert Grayson (Ouachita Baptist). Freshman newcomers Tylis Jordan, Patton Pinkins, and Niko Bundalo have also earned roster spots.
Ole Miss will begin the upcoming basketball season in November.
