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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Monday, December 29
Oxford, Miss.
7 p.m.
Ole Miss
vs
Alcorn State
Men's Basketball Returns to Oxford to Face Alcorn State Monday Night
12/28/2025 | Men's Basketball
OXFORD, Miss. – The Ole Miss men's basketball team will play their final non-conference game back home in the SJB Pavilion on Monday, December 29, hosting Alcorn State at 7 p.m. on the SEC Network.
TEAM FACTS
Ole Miss Rebels (Record: 7-5, 0-0 SEC)
Head Coach: Chris Beard • 3rd Season at Ole Miss (51-29) • 288-127 career record (14th Season)
Alcorn State Braves (Record: 1-10, 0-0 ACC)
Head Coach: Jake Morton • 1st Season at Alcorn State (1-10) • 1-10 career record (1st Season)
ON THE AIR
Television/Online: SEC Network
Play-by-Play: Mike Morgan
Analyst: Daymeon Fishback
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: Gary Darby
Analyst: Murphy Holloway
SERIES HISTORY VS. ALCORN STATE
This will be the sixth matchup between Ole Miss and Alcorn State, with the Rebels holding the series lead 5-0. First facing off in 1985 in Jackson, Mississippi, they've played each of the last four games in Oxford, most recently in 2022.
LAST MEETING: November 7, 2022 (W, 73-58, Oxford, Miss.)
• Ole Miss held a narrow lead at halftime, but exploded for 45 second-half points to win by 15.
• Matthew Murrell (Ole Miss): 20 points, five made three pointers, six rebounds, three assists, three steals.
• Byron Joshua (Alcorn State): 15 points, three
rebounds, six assists, three steals.
SCOUTING THE BRAVES
Alcorn State has begun the 2025-26 season with a record of 1-10, with their victory coming over Indiana State in late November. A handful of their losses have come to power programs, such as Florida State, Minnesota, Maryland, LSU, Oklahoma, Iowa State, and Baylor. They currently own a NET Ranking of 335.
The team is led in scoring by Shane Lancaster at 11.9 points per game, while shooting 53.8 percent from the floor. Lancaster has been sharp from beyond the arc, sinking 24 three pointers while shooting 58.5 percent from deep. They are led in rebounding by Mike Jones at 3.9 per game, and get much of their statistical production on defense from Jameel Morris who has 24 steals.
Led by Lancaster's clip, Alcorn is shooting 36.8 percent from three to begin this season, ranking 62nd in the NCAA. They also rank among the top 100 in blocks per game at 4.3 (72nd), bench points per game at 29.1 (88th), and steals per game at 8.1 (93rd).
Jake Morton is in his first year as the head coach of Alcorn State, and his first season as a collegiate head coach. He's had numerous stops on staffs as an assistant coach, including Florida State, East Carolina, Jacksonville State, Coppin State, Western Kentucky, Miami, and more. He graduated from Miami where he was a standout guard from 1988-92, before playing professional basketball overseas.
SHAKE, RATTLE, AND WIN
For the first time since 2004, Ole Miss traveled down to Tupelo, Mississippi for a game, taking on Alabama A&M in Cadence Bank Arena. The Rebels jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, leading by 15 at the half before winning 80-66. Malik Dia set a new high for his Ole Miss career with 27 points while grabbing seven rebounds and blocking two shots. Ilias Kamardine ran an efficient offense at point guard, dishing out eight assists with just one turnover. As a team, the Rebels set a new season-high by shooting 54.0 percent from the floor.
50 VICTORIES
With an Ole Miss win over Southern Miss on Saturday, December 13, head coach Chris Beard picked up his 50th win at the helm in Oxford. He became the 13th coach to win 50 games at Ole Miss, the fifth coach to reach that mark in their third season, and the third-fastest to 50 in school history.
"WHEN IT'S TIME TO EAT A MEAL, I ROB AND STEAL"
In a heated road battle in Madison Square Garden with St. John's, Kezza Giffa played a key part in the Ole Miss second-half comeback attempt. On the floor for 17 of the final 20 minutes of action, Giffa helped keep one of the nation's best offenses at bay, collecting six steals to bring his game total to seven. He became one of 11 Rebels all-time to grab seven or more steals in a game, tying him for the fifth-most in school history. It was the most steals for an Ole Miss player in a single game since Matthew Murrell had seven as well against Grambling State on November 8, 2024.
THA BLOCK IS HOT
A strong defense has been a staple for Ole Miss under head coach Chris Beard, and this year's team has used their length and athleticism to average 5.1 blocks per game, the 31st-best mark in the nation. They have been led by forward James Scott, who's average of 1.5 blocks per contest ranks among the top 100 in the country and seventh among SEC programs. Through the first 12 games this season, 11 different players have recorded a block paced by Scott's 18, 11 from Malik Dia and Corey Chest, and eight from Ilias Kamardine.
BLACKJACK
For the third season in a row, the Ole Miss Rebels traveled down to Biloxi, Mississippi to take on Southern Miss in the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. Holding a narrow lead at halftime, 31-29, guard AJ Storr helped fuel a second-half surge where the team shot 63.6 percent from the field, their second-best shooting performance in a half this season. The senior guard finished with a season-best eight made shots and a game-high 21 points while adding three offensive rebounds, and a pair of steals.
The Ole Miss bench outscored Southern Miss 29-6, led by 13 points from Kezza Giffa and 12 from Patton Pinkins. For the fourth time this season and third game in a row, the Ole Miss defense had 10 or more steals, led by Giffa with three.
DEFENDED HOME COURT
On November 18, Ole Miss played in their fifth-straight game in Oxford to open the regular season, hosting Austin Peay in what turned into a battle. Leading by eight at the half and as much as 17 early in the second period, the visiting Governors clawed their way back in, tying the game at 52 with just over six minutes to go. The Rebels would hold on, reclaiming the lead and never looking back en route to a victory to remain undefeated, 72-65.
Ole Miss was led by Malik Dia with 18 points, while Ilias Kamardine stuffed the box score with 15 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists.
ONE LAST GOODBYE TO THE TAD PAD
Nearly 60 years ago, the C.M. "Tad" Smith Coliseum opened its doors for the first Ole Miss basketball game, when they hosted Kentucky on February 21, 1966. Decades of memories and historic moments later, what was thought to be the final game in the arena was played on December 22, 2015 as the Rebels defeated Troy in a thrilling overtime victory. With the hiring of current head coach Chris Beard came the throwback games, as Ole Miss has since played a pair of games in the former arena still standing on campus. However, the University announced in the fall of 2025 that the coliseum would be demolished in 2026, opening the door for one final game in the Tad Pad early in the 2025-26 season.
Hosting Cal State Bakersfield, Ole Miss earned one final victory in front of a capacity sellout crowd, defeating the Roadrunners 82-60.
"WHOOP" THERE IT IS
Ole Miss defended their home court to move to 3-0 on the new season in their toughest matchup to date, taking down Memphis 83-77 in front of a raucous crowd. While the two would go back-and-forth to begin the matchup, the Tigers held their final lead midway through the first half as Ole Miss stepped in front and held the visitors at bay.
Newcomer Ilias Kamardine continued to dazzle and impress, as he paced the Rebels with 26 points by going 11-14 from the field, knocking down a trio of three pointers while adding four rebounds, four assists and a block and steal on defense. Senior guard Kezza Giffa made his first start of the season and took advantage of his opportunity with 15 points while dishing out five assists with zero turnovers.
The win gave Ole Miss a win in six of the last nine meetings with Memphis, while the Rebels have won five straight games when playing in Oxford.
KEPT IT ROLLING
In their second game of the season, the Rebels handled Louisiana Monroe 86-65. AJ Storr led Ole Miss with 19 points, connecting on four shots from beyond the arc for the second game in a row. Ilias Kamardine loaded the box score, dropping 15 points while dishing out seven assists with a block and three steals on defense.
CONVINCING OPENER
One of the most anticipated seasons in program history got off to a great start, as Ole Miss took down Southeastern Louisiana in their opener 88-58 on Monday, November 3. The Rebels out-rebounded the Lions 44 to 26, posting their best rebound margin of +18 under head coach Chris Beard. The team was paced offensively by Malik Dia, who scored 20 points with four rebounds, an assist, and two steals.
In his Ole Miss debut, AJ Storr dropped 18 points while going 4-5 from beyond the arc, adding six rebounds and four assists. His 18 were the most for a Rebel debut in a season opener since 2016, when Deandre Burnett scored 23 vs. UT Martin.
International guard Ilias Kamardine flashed his skill on both ends of the floor in his first college game, scoring 13 points with three boards, four assists, and a pair of steals. James Scott led the team on the boards with nine while blocking three shots (eighth career game with 3 or more blocks), while Kezza Giffa came off the bench and added 12 points in just 15 minutes.
KEEP THE FUTURE BRIGHT
The Ole Miss men's basketball program recently welcomed two signees to their 2026 recruiting class, adding small forward Jaron Saulsberry and combo guard Yohance Connor.
Saulsberry will come to Oxford from Marietta, Georgia and Wheeler High School, and is ranked as a top-10 player in his home state by both ESPN and 247Sports. A 6'6" four-star recruit, he is ranked as the No. 28 small forward in the class of 2026.
Hailing from Charlotte, N.C., Connor ranks among the best in his state, tabbed the No. 3 player in North Carolina by 247Sports and No. 5 by Rivals. He is listed as a four-star recruit by ESPN and 247Sports, and ranked as the No. 5 combo guard in the class of 2026 by Rivals.
'CAUSE I PROVIDE, THAT NEW NEW
After returning three starters and six letterwinners a year ago, head coach Chris Beard and staff were tasked with reloading an Ole Miss team that saw 11 letterwinners and all but one starter depart this past offseason. They delivered, bringing in a handful of top recruits in the 2025 freshman class, while adding a plethora of talent in the transfer portal. A recruiting class ranked as high as No. 14 in the nation and a transfer class ranked as high as No. 19, Ole Miss has retooled with length, athleticism, shooting ability, and much more to fuel the upward trajectory the program has seen in the past two seasons under Beard.
FAMILIAR FACES
Four members of the 2024-25 Sweet 16 team return to Oxford for another year this season, led by starting forward Malik Dia. Leading the team in rebounding (5.7 RPG) and finishing third in scoring (10.8 PPG) a year ago, Dia looks to continue to build upon his diverse game, where he can play multiple positions and score at all levels of the court. The second letterwinner to return to the 2025-26 roster is sophomore guard Eduardo Klafke, who was one of just 11 true freshmen in the SEC to play in all of their team's games a year ago. A high-energy player with an elite IQ, Klafke led the team in three-point percentage (48.1%, 13-27) and added 16 steals and seven blocks on defense. Returning for a second year each are guards Max Smith and Zach Day. Smith joined the team as a senior a year ago but took a redshirt following a preseason injury, and looks to help the team on the court this season. Day, a freshman a year ago, took a redshirt to develop his game and earned a scholarship this past offseason.
A MILESTONE MAN
In his two seasons with Ole Miss, head coach Chris Beard has had six players hit the 1,000-career points mark under his watch: Davon Barnes, Jaemyn Brakefield, Malik Dia, Allen Flanigan, Jaylen Murray, and Matthew Murrell. Two other current players came to Oxford having already hit the mark in Kezza Giffa and AJ Storr.
EVERYBODY'S HANDS GO UP
This year's Ole Miss roster is comprised of experience and proven winners. Among the 10 players who have earned a letter as a collegiate athlete, they have seen 14 total 20-win seasons.
For the latest news and updates regarding Ole Miss Men's Basketball, follow the Rebels on X at @OleMissMBB, on Facebook at Ole Miss Men's Basketball and on Instagram at olemissmbb.
TEAM FACTS
Ole Miss Rebels (Record: 7-5, 0-0 SEC)
Head Coach: Chris Beard • 3rd Season at Ole Miss (51-29) • 288-127 career record (14th Season)
Alcorn State Braves (Record: 1-10, 0-0 ACC)
Head Coach: Jake Morton • 1st Season at Alcorn State (1-10) • 1-10 career record (1st Season)
ON THE AIR
Television/Online: SEC Network
Play-by-Play: Mike Morgan
Analyst: Daymeon Fishback
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: Gary Darby
Analyst: Murphy Holloway
SERIES HISTORY VS. ALCORN STATE
This will be the sixth matchup between Ole Miss and Alcorn State, with the Rebels holding the series lead 5-0. First facing off in 1985 in Jackson, Mississippi, they've played each of the last four games in Oxford, most recently in 2022.
LAST MEETING: November 7, 2022 (W, 73-58, Oxford, Miss.)
• Ole Miss held a narrow lead at halftime, but exploded for 45 second-half points to win by 15.
• Matthew Murrell (Ole Miss): 20 points, five made three pointers, six rebounds, three assists, three steals.
• Byron Joshua (Alcorn State): 15 points, three
rebounds, six assists, three steals.
SCOUTING THE BRAVES
Alcorn State has begun the 2025-26 season with a record of 1-10, with their victory coming over Indiana State in late November. A handful of their losses have come to power programs, such as Florida State, Minnesota, Maryland, LSU, Oklahoma, Iowa State, and Baylor. They currently own a NET Ranking of 335.
The team is led in scoring by Shane Lancaster at 11.9 points per game, while shooting 53.8 percent from the floor. Lancaster has been sharp from beyond the arc, sinking 24 three pointers while shooting 58.5 percent from deep. They are led in rebounding by Mike Jones at 3.9 per game, and get much of their statistical production on defense from Jameel Morris who has 24 steals.
Led by Lancaster's clip, Alcorn is shooting 36.8 percent from three to begin this season, ranking 62nd in the NCAA. They also rank among the top 100 in blocks per game at 4.3 (72nd), bench points per game at 29.1 (88th), and steals per game at 8.1 (93rd).
Jake Morton is in his first year as the head coach of Alcorn State, and his first season as a collegiate head coach. He's had numerous stops on staffs as an assistant coach, including Florida State, East Carolina, Jacksonville State, Coppin State, Western Kentucky, Miami, and more. He graduated from Miami where he was a standout guard from 1988-92, before playing professional basketball overseas.
SHAKE, RATTLE, AND WIN
For the first time since 2004, Ole Miss traveled down to Tupelo, Mississippi for a game, taking on Alabama A&M in Cadence Bank Arena. The Rebels jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, leading by 15 at the half before winning 80-66. Malik Dia set a new high for his Ole Miss career with 27 points while grabbing seven rebounds and blocking two shots. Ilias Kamardine ran an efficient offense at point guard, dishing out eight assists with just one turnover. As a team, the Rebels set a new season-high by shooting 54.0 percent from the floor.
50 VICTORIES
With an Ole Miss win over Southern Miss on Saturday, December 13, head coach Chris Beard picked up his 50th win at the helm in Oxford. He became the 13th coach to win 50 games at Ole Miss, the fifth coach to reach that mark in their third season, and the third-fastest to 50 in school history.
"WHEN IT'S TIME TO EAT A MEAL, I ROB AND STEAL"
In a heated road battle in Madison Square Garden with St. John's, Kezza Giffa played a key part in the Ole Miss second-half comeback attempt. On the floor for 17 of the final 20 minutes of action, Giffa helped keep one of the nation's best offenses at bay, collecting six steals to bring his game total to seven. He became one of 11 Rebels all-time to grab seven or more steals in a game, tying him for the fifth-most in school history. It was the most steals for an Ole Miss player in a single game since Matthew Murrell had seven as well against Grambling State on November 8, 2024.
THA BLOCK IS HOT
A strong defense has been a staple for Ole Miss under head coach Chris Beard, and this year's team has used their length and athleticism to average 5.1 blocks per game, the 31st-best mark in the nation. They have been led by forward James Scott, who's average of 1.5 blocks per contest ranks among the top 100 in the country and seventh among SEC programs. Through the first 12 games this season, 11 different players have recorded a block paced by Scott's 18, 11 from Malik Dia and Corey Chest, and eight from Ilias Kamardine.
BLACKJACK
For the third season in a row, the Ole Miss Rebels traveled down to Biloxi, Mississippi to take on Southern Miss in the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. Holding a narrow lead at halftime, 31-29, guard AJ Storr helped fuel a second-half surge where the team shot 63.6 percent from the field, their second-best shooting performance in a half this season. The senior guard finished with a season-best eight made shots and a game-high 21 points while adding three offensive rebounds, and a pair of steals.
The Ole Miss bench outscored Southern Miss 29-6, led by 13 points from Kezza Giffa and 12 from Patton Pinkins. For the fourth time this season and third game in a row, the Ole Miss defense had 10 or more steals, led by Giffa with three.
DEFENDED HOME COURT
On November 18, Ole Miss played in their fifth-straight game in Oxford to open the regular season, hosting Austin Peay in what turned into a battle. Leading by eight at the half and as much as 17 early in the second period, the visiting Governors clawed their way back in, tying the game at 52 with just over six minutes to go. The Rebels would hold on, reclaiming the lead and never looking back en route to a victory to remain undefeated, 72-65.
Ole Miss was led by Malik Dia with 18 points, while Ilias Kamardine stuffed the box score with 15 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists.
ONE LAST GOODBYE TO THE TAD PAD
Nearly 60 years ago, the C.M. "Tad" Smith Coliseum opened its doors for the first Ole Miss basketball game, when they hosted Kentucky on February 21, 1966. Decades of memories and historic moments later, what was thought to be the final game in the arena was played on December 22, 2015 as the Rebels defeated Troy in a thrilling overtime victory. With the hiring of current head coach Chris Beard came the throwback games, as Ole Miss has since played a pair of games in the former arena still standing on campus. However, the University announced in the fall of 2025 that the coliseum would be demolished in 2026, opening the door for one final game in the Tad Pad early in the 2025-26 season.
Hosting Cal State Bakersfield, Ole Miss earned one final victory in front of a capacity sellout crowd, defeating the Roadrunners 82-60.
"WHOOP" THERE IT IS
Ole Miss defended their home court to move to 3-0 on the new season in their toughest matchup to date, taking down Memphis 83-77 in front of a raucous crowd. While the two would go back-and-forth to begin the matchup, the Tigers held their final lead midway through the first half as Ole Miss stepped in front and held the visitors at bay.
Newcomer Ilias Kamardine continued to dazzle and impress, as he paced the Rebels with 26 points by going 11-14 from the field, knocking down a trio of three pointers while adding four rebounds, four assists and a block and steal on defense. Senior guard Kezza Giffa made his first start of the season and took advantage of his opportunity with 15 points while dishing out five assists with zero turnovers.
The win gave Ole Miss a win in six of the last nine meetings with Memphis, while the Rebels have won five straight games when playing in Oxford.
KEPT IT ROLLING
In their second game of the season, the Rebels handled Louisiana Monroe 86-65. AJ Storr led Ole Miss with 19 points, connecting on four shots from beyond the arc for the second game in a row. Ilias Kamardine loaded the box score, dropping 15 points while dishing out seven assists with a block and three steals on defense.
CONVINCING OPENER
One of the most anticipated seasons in program history got off to a great start, as Ole Miss took down Southeastern Louisiana in their opener 88-58 on Monday, November 3. The Rebels out-rebounded the Lions 44 to 26, posting their best rebound margin of +18 under head coach Chris Beard. The team was paced offensively by Malik Dia, who scored 20 points with four rebounds, an assist, and two steals.
In his Ole Miss debut, AJ Storr dropped 18 points while going 4-5 from beyond the arc, adding six rebounds and four assists. His 18 were the most for a Rebel debut in a season opener since 2016, when Deandre Burnett scored 23 vs. UT Martin.
International guard Ilias Kamardine flashed his skill on both ends of the floor in his first college game, scoring 13 points with three boards, four assists, and a pair of steals. James Scott led the team on the boards with nine while blocking three shots (eighth career game with 3 or more blocks), while Kezza Giffa came off the bench and added 12 points in just 15 minutes.
KEEP THE FUTURE BRIGHT
The Ole Miss men's basketball program recently welcomed two signees to their 2026 recruiting class, adding small forward Jaron Saulsberry and combo guard Yohance Connor.
Saulsberry will come to Oxford from Marietta, Georgia and Wheeler High School, and is ranked as a top-10 player in his home state by both ESPN and 247Sports. A 6'6" four-star recruit, he is ranked as the No. 28 small forward in the class of 2026.
Hailing from Charlotte, N.C., Connor ranks among the best in his state, tabbed the No. 3 player in North Carolina by 247Sports and No. 5 by Rivals. He is listed as a four-star recruit by ESPN and 247Sports, and ranked as the No. 5 combo guard in the class of 2026 by Rivals.
'CAUSE I PROVIDE, THAT NEW NEW
After returning three starters and six letterwinners a year ago, head coach Chris Beard and staff were tasked with reloading an Ole Miss team that saw 11 letterwinners and all but one starter depart this past offseason. They delivered, bringing in a handful of top recruits in the 2025 freshman class, while adding a plethora of talent in the transfer portal. A recruiting class ranked as high as No. 14 in the nation and a transfer class ranked as high as No. 19, Ole Miss has retooled with length, athleticism, shooting ability, and much more to fuel the upward trajectory the program has seen in the past two seasons under Beard.
FAMILIAR FACES
Four members of the 2024-25 Sweet 16 team return to Oxford for another year this season, led by starting forward Malik Dia. Leading the team in rebounding (5.7 RPG) and finishing third in scoring (10.8 PPG) a year ago, Dia looks to continue to build upon his diverse game, where he can play multiple positions and score at all levels of the court. The second letterwinner to return to the 2025-26 roster is sophomore guard Eduardo Klafke, who was one of just 11 true freshmen in the SEC to play in all of their team's games a year ago. A high-energy player with an elite IQ, Klafke led the team in three-point percentage (48.1%, 13-27) and added 16 steals and seven blocks on defense. Returning for a second year each are guards Max Smith and Zach Day. Smith joined the team as a senior a year ago but took a redshirt following a preseason injury, and looks to help the team on the court this season. Day, a freshman a year ago, took a redshirt to develop his game and earned a scholarship this past offseason.
A MILESTONE MAN
In his two seasons with Ole Miss, head coach Chris Beard has had six players hit the 1,000-career points mark under his watch: Davon Barnes, Jaemyn Brakefield, Malik Dia, Allen Flanigan, Jaylen Murray, and Matthew Murrell. Two other current players came to Oxford having already hit the mark in Kezza Giffa and AJ Storr.
EVERYBODY'S HANDS GO UP
This year's Ole Miss roster is comprised of experience and proven winners. Among the 10 players who have earned a letter as a collegiate athlete, they have seen 14 total 20-win seasons.
For the latest news and updates regarding Ole Miss Men's Basketball, follow the Rebels on X at @OleMissMBB, on Facebook at Ole Miss Men's Basketball and on Instagram at olemissmbb.
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PRESSER: Chris Beard (Miami FL Postgame)
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PRESSER: Chris Beard & AJ Storr (Miami FL Postgame)
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PRESSER: Kezza Giffa & Malik Dia & Chris Beard & AJ Storr & Ilias Kamardine & James Scott (Austin Peay Postgame)
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