I just got to Nashville. I'll have a lot more coverage here, likely starting tomorrow. For now, here's the release from Ole Miss previewing the Rebels' appearance in the tournament.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The 2025 SEC Tournament has arrived, and the Ole Miss men's basketball team awaits their initial opponent in the second round after earning a first-round bye. The Rebels will play on Thursday at 12 p.m. in Bridgstone Arena and on the SEC Network, against the winner of the Arkansas and South Carolina game on Wednesday at noon.
ON THE AIR
Television/Online: SEC Network
Play-by-Play: Dan Shulman
Analyst: Jay Bilas
Reporter: Jess Sims
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: David Kellum
Analyst: Marc Dukes
REBS AT THE SEC TOURNAMENT
Ole Miss heads to Nashville for the 2025 SEC Tournament with a first-round bye, awaiting the winner of Arkansas vs. South Carolina on Wednesday. Earning an eighth seed, the Rebels will play the first game on Thursday at noon, with Auburn awaiting them in the next round with a win.
Ole Miss owns a record of 33-60 all-time in 62 tournament appearances since 1933. They're 0-1 all-time against Arkansas and 6-5 all-time against South Carolina at the tournament, and own a record of 13-24 in the second round.
LUNARDI SAYS "DANCE"
The latest bracketology from ESPN's Joe Lunardi has Ole Miss as a seven seed in the West Region. They are projected to face 10-seed Utah State in Wichita, Kan., paired with two-seeded Texas Tech vs. 15th-seeded Bryant. Lunardi's latest projections has 13 teams from the SEC earning a ticket to the 2025 NCAA Tournament, a number that would be the most for a single conference all time.
BIG GAME HUNTING
On January 14, Ole Miss took down No. 4 Alabama on the road for their first-ever road win over an AP top-five team, and second win over the fourth-ranked AP team ever. Ole Miss followed that up later in the season, recently defending their home court on senior day with a win over No. 4 Tennessee on March 5. This marked the first time in program history that an Ole Miss team earned two top-five wins in the same season.
BATTLE TESTED
The regular season schedule for Ole Miss was one of the most difficult in the nation. As of March 9, their cumulative opposition's win percentage of 63.7 ranks as the fourth-highest in the nation, behind only Alabama, Auburn, and Kentucky.
PROGRAM BUILDER
With Ole Miss currently projected to reach the 2025 NCAA Tournament, head coach Chris Beard is set to guide his fourth program to the big dance during his career. He would join an elite group of active head coaches who have brought four or more schools to an NCAA Tournament: Steve Alford, Rick Barnes, Fran McCaffery, Rick Pitino, and Kelvin Sampson.
LET'S PLAY DEFENSE
A staple of success for head coach Chris Beard has always been his team's defensive play, and it's been evident on this year's Ole Miss roster to start the season. With a turnover margin of +5.5, the Rebels own the fourth-best average in all of college basketball, forcing 14.3 per game (No. 38 in the NCAA) while committing just 8.8 to rank third in the NCAA.
Ole Miss ranks among the top teams in the nation in steals per game at 8.6, the 32nd-best clip in college basketball, and blocks per game at 4.0 to rank 79th.
GIANT KILLER
Ole Miss is one of just four schools in the country that has taken down a top-10 opponent in football, men's basketball, and women's basketball, joined by Ohio State, Penn State, and Tennessee. On the gridiron, the Rebels took down No. 3 Georgia in a historic 28-10 win in early November in Oxford. Women's hoops picked up victories over No. 8 Kentucky 66-57 on February 10 and No. 7 LSU on March 2, while the men's basketball program toppled No. 4 Alabama in Tuscaloosa 74-64 in January and No. 4 Tennessee on March 5.
I'LL TAKE THAT, PLEASE
Sean Pedulla has had a big impact for the Rebels on defense, forcing 57 steals for an average of 1.84 per game. The senior guard has collected a steal in 27 of 31 games during the 2024-25 season, grabbing multiple swipes in 16 games this year with a season-best of five against Oral Roberts. He currently ranks 69th in the NCAA in steals per game and 66th in total steals. The senior guard has also entered the top-10 for most in a single season in program history, currently tied for seventh with Stefan Moody.
Ole Miss - Single Season Steals
1. 89, Gerald Glass (30 games, 1988-89)
2. 80, Myles Burns (33 games, 2022-23)
3. 73, Jason Smith (33 games, 1998-99)
4. 70, Gerald Glass (30 games, 1989-90)
5. 58, Murphy Holloway (36 games, 2012-13)
58, Rod Barnes (29 games, 1987-88)
7. 57, Sean Pedulla (29 games, 2024-25)
57, Stefan Moody (34 games, 2014-15)
9. 56, Devontae Shuler (33 games, 2018-19)
10. 55, Rahim Lockhart (33 games, 1999-2000)
55, Ervin Garnes (27 games, 1993-94)
55, Eric Laird (28 games, 1983-84)
BEARD BALL - A TEAM FOR THE AGES
Currently playing the 115th season of Ole Miss basketball, this year's team has been setting numerous records, achieving countless firsts, and cementing themselves as one of the better teams in the long and storied history of the program. The 2024-25 team's 21 overall wins and 10 SEC victories are each tied for the eighth-most in school history.
Statistically, the Rebels defense has collected 268 steals this year, the fifth-most in a single season in school history. They've also connected on 260 three point shots, tied for the fifth-most made in a single season by an Ole Miss team. Their current assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.66 is by the far the best margin by an Ole Miss team all time, and their 8.8 turnovers per game is the lowest clip in program history.
Ole Miss has picked up two of the program's three all-time wins over an AP No. 4 team, with wins at No. 4 Alabama and vs. No. 4 Tennessee this season.
NETWORKING
The 2024-25 NET Rankings made their debut on Monday, December 2 and Ole Miss has since climbed their way to No. 28 in the nation. Since the ranking's first iteration at the conclusion of the 2018-19 season, their ranking of 13th on January 20 is the highest-ever NET Ranking for the Ole Miss program.
As of March 9, the entire SEC is ranked among the top 100, with 14 of the 16 programs sitting inside the top 50, seven in the top 25, and four in the top 10.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The 2025 SEC Tournament has arrived, and the Ole Miss men's basketball team awaits their initial opponent in the second round after earning a first-round bye. The Rebels will play on Thursday at 12 p.m. in Bridgstone Arena and on the SEC Network, against the winner of the Arkansas and South Carolina game on Wednesday at noon.
ON THE AIR
Television/Online: SEC Network
Play-by-Play: Dan Shulman
Analyst: Jay Bilas
Reporter: Jess Sims
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: David Kellum
Analyst: Marc Dukes
REBS AT THE SEC TOURNAMENT
Ole Miss heads to Nashville for the 2025 SEC Tournament with a first-round bye, awaiting the winner of Arkansas vs. South Carolina on Wednesday. Earning an eighth seed, the Rebels will play the first game on Thursday at noon, with Auburn awaiting them in the next round with a win.
Ole Miss owns a record of 33-60 all-time in 62 tournament appearances since 1933. They're 0-1 all-time against Arkansas and 6-5 all-time against South Carolina at the tournament, and own a record of 13-24 in the second round.
LUNARDI SAYS "DANCE"
The latest bracketology from ESPN's Joe Lunardi has Ole Miss as a seven seed in the West Region. They are projected to face 10-seed Utah State in Wichita, Kan., paired with two-seeded Texas Tech vs. 15th-seeded Bryant. Lunardi's latest projections has 13 teams from the SEC earning a ticket to the 2025 NCAA Tournament, a number that would be the most for a single conference all time.
BIG GAME HUNTING
On January 14, Ole Miss took down No. 4 Alabama on the road for their first-ever road win over an AP top-five team, and second win over the fourth-ranked AP team ever. Ole Miss followed that up later in the season, recently defending their home court on senior day with a win over No. 4 Tennessee on March 5. This marked the first time in program history that an Ole Miss team earned two top-five wins in the same season.
BATTLE TESTED
The regular season schedule for Ole Miss was one of the most difficult in the nation. As of March 9, their cumulative opposition's win percentage of 63.7 ranks as the fourth-highest in the nation, behind only Alabama, Auburn, and Kentucky.
PROGRAM BUILDER
With Ole Miss currently projected to reach the 2025 NCAA Tournament, head coach Chris Beard is set to guide his fourth program to the big dance during his career. He would join an elite group of active head coaches who have brought four or more schools to an NCAA Tournament: Steve Alford, Rick Barnes, Fran McCaffery, Rick Pitino, and Kelvin Sampson.
LET'S PLAY DEFENSE
A staple of success for head coach Chris Beard has always been his team's defensive play, and it's been evident on this year's Ole Miss roster to start the season. With a turnover margin of +5.5, the Rebels own the fourth-best average in all of college basketball, forcing 14.3 per game (No. 38 in the NCAA) while committing just 8.8 to rank third in the NCAA.
Ole Miss ranks among the top teams in the nation in steals per game at 8.6, the 32nd-best clip in college basketball, and blocks per game at 4.0 to rank 79th.
GIANT KILLER
Ole Miss is one of just four schools in the country that has taken down a top-10 opponent in football, men's basketball, and women's basketball, joined by Ohio State, Penn State, and Tennessee. On the gridiron, the Rebels took down No. 3 Georgia in a historic 28-10 win in early November in Oxford. Women's hoops picked up victories over No. 8 Kentucky 66-57 on February 10 and No. 7 LSU on March 2, while the men's basketball program toppled No. 4 Alabama in Tuscaloosa 74-64 in January and No. 4 Tennessee on March 5.
I'LL TAKE THAT, PLEASE
Sean Pedulla has had a big impact for the Rebels on defense, forcing 57 steals for an average of 1.84 per game. The senior guard has collected a steal in 27 of 31 games during the 2024-25 season, grabbing multiple swipes in 16 games this year with a season-best of five against Oral Roberts. He currently ranks 69th in the NCAA in steals per game and 66th in total steals. The senior guard has also entered the top-10 for most in a single season in program history, currently tied for seventh with Stefan Moody.
Ole Miss - Single Season Steals
1. 89, Gerald Glass (30 games, 1988-89)
2. 80, Myles Burns (33 games, 2022-23)
3. 73, Jason Smith (33 games, 1998-99)
4. 70, Gerald Glass (30 games, 1989-90)
5. 58, Murphy Holloway (36 games, 2012-13)
58, Rod Barnes (29 games, 1987-88)
7. 57, Sean Pedulla (29 games, 2024-25)
57, Stefan Moody (34 games, 2014-15)
9. 56, Devontae Shuler (33 games, 2018-19)
10. 55, Rahim Lockhart (33 games, 1999-2000)
55, Ervin Garnes (27 games, 1993-94)
55, Eric Laird (28 games, 1983-84)
BEARD BALL - A TEAM FOR THE AGES
Currently playing the 115th season of Ole Miss basketball, this year's team has been setting numerous records, achieving countless firsts, and cementing themselves as one of the better teams in the long and storied history of the program. The 2024-25 team's 21 overall wins and 10 SEC victories are each tied for the eighth-most in school history.
Statistically, the Rebels defense has collected 268 steals this year, the fifth-most in a single season in school history. They've also connected on 260 three point shots, tied for the fifth-most made in a single season by an Ole Miss team. Their current assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.66 is by the far the best margin by an Ole Miss team all time, and their 8.8 turnovers per game is the lowest clip in program history.
Ole Miss has picked up two of the program's three all-time wins over an AP No. 4 team, with wins at No. 4 Alabama and vs. No. 4 Tennessee this season.
NETWORKING
The 2024-25 NET Rankings made their debut on Monday, December 2 and Ole Miss has since climbed their way to No. 28 in the nation. Since the ranking's first iteration at the conclusion of the 2018-19 season, their ranking of 13th on January 20 is the highest-ever NET Ranking for the Ole Miss program.
As of March 9, the entire SEC is ranked among the top 100, with 14 of the 16 programs sitting inside the top 50, seven in the top 25, and four in the top 10.
