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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Saturday, January 3
Norman, Okla.
2:30 p.m.
Ole Miss
at
Oklahoma
Men's Basketball Set to Commence SEC Action at Oklahoma
1/2/2026 | Men's Basketball
NORMAN, Okla. – The Southeastern Conference schedule has arrived with the new year, as the men's basketball team travels west to face Oklahoma in their SEC opener on Saturday, January 3 at 2:30 p.m. on the SEC Network.
TEAM FACTS
Ole Miss Rebels (Record: 8-5, 0-0 SEC)
Head Coach: Chris Beard • 3rd Season at Ole Miss (52-29) • 289-127 career record (14th Season)
Oklahoma Sooners (Record: 10-3, 0-0 SEC)
Head Coach: Porter Moser • 5th Season at Oklahoma (84-62) • 377-304 career record (22nd Season)
ON THE AIR
Television/Online: SEC Network
Play-by-Play: Dave Neal
Analyst: Jon Sundvold
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: Gary Darby
Analyst: Murphy Holloway
SERIES HISTORY VS. OKLAHOMA
This will be just the seventh time the Rebels and Sooners have faced each other, with the series tied at 3-3 all time. They have faced off just once before in Norman, Oklahoma back in 1999, when the Sooners won 81-73. Prior to joining the SEC in 2024, the two teams played five times between 1998 and 2022. Ole Miss claimed the first conference matchup last season, defeating Oklahoma 87-84 in the SJB Pavilion.
LAST MEETING: March 1, 2025 (W, 87-84, Oxford, Miss.)
• Ole Miss took a slim one-point lead into halftime, riding a big game from Sean Pedulla to victory with the guard sinking five three pointers including a clutch triple to take the lead with 19 seconds left.
• Sean Pedulla (Ole Miss): 26 points, five made three pointers, five rebounds, three assists, two steals.
• Dayton Forsythe (Oklahoma): 25 points, two rebounds, three assists.
SCOUTING THE SOONERS
Oklahoma enters conference play with a 10-3 record, earning wins over Saint Francis, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Oral Roberts, Alcorn State, Marquette, Wake Forest, Oklahoma State, Kansas City, Stetson, and Mississippi Valley State. Their three losses came at the hands of Gonzaga, Nebraska, and Arizona State. The Sooners currently rank 51st in the latest NET Rankings.
They have been paced offensively by Nijel Pack at 16.3 points per game and Xzayvier Brown at 15.4 points per game, each of whom are shooting just under 50 percent from the field. The two have also totaled over 40 assists to begin the season. They're led in rebounding by Mohamed Wague at 7.0 per outing, who also leads the team defensively with 20 blocked shots.
Led by Pack and Brown, the Sooners have taken care of the ball through non-conference action, with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.80, the 14th-best mark in the NCAA, while averaging just 9.4 turnovers per game, the 10th-best clip in the nation. Oklahoma also ranks highly in three point attempts per game (29.6, No. 25 in the NCAA), three pointers made per game (10.5, No. 37 in the NCAA), and points per game (87.4, No. 39 in the NCAA).
In his 22nd season as a college basketball head coach, Porter Moser has been at the helm of Oklahoma for five seasons now, where he's picked up 84 victories with the Sooners thus far. Prior to his time in Norman, Moser spent 10 seasons as the head coach of Loyola Chicago, where he accumulated nearly 200 wins and helped turn them into a household name with a pair of NCAA Tournament berths, highlighted by a Final Four run in 2018. Moser had previous stops at Illinois State for four seasons from 2003-2007, and at Little Rock for three years from 2000-2003.
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 28th-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 10 among SEC programs. Through the first 13 games this season, 12 different players have recorded a block paced by Scott's 19, 13 from Corey Chest, 11 from Malik Dia, and eight from Ilias Kamardine.
NON-CONFERENCE CLOSER
In their final game before SEC action, Ole Miss hosted Alcorn State on December 29, picking up a dominating 79-43 victory. Their success stemmed from impressive rebounding, posting a margin of +25 for the first time since 2008, led by Malik Dia and James Scott with 11 rebounds, and Corey Chest with 10. It had been nearly a decade since the Rebels had a trio of players with 10+ boards in a single game.
Paired with their 11 rebounds, both Dia and Scott posted double-doubles as well, marking the first time Ole Miss had two double-doubles in a single game since 2021. For Dia, that was his third double-double of the season, all of which occurred in a five-game stretch, and second in a row. He became the latest Ole Miss player to record double-doubles in back-to-back games since Sebastian Saiz in 2017. After beginning the season with an average of 4.8 rebounds per contest over the first six games of the season, Dia averaged 9.0 per game over the final seven in non-conference action.
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.
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.
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: 8-5, 0-0 SEC)
Head Coach: Chris Beard • 3rd Season at Ole Miss (52-29) • 289-127 career record (14th Season)
Oklahoma Sooners (Record: 10-3, 0-0 SEC)
Head Coach: Porter Moser • 5th Season at Oklahoma (84-62) • 377-304 career record (22nd Season)
ON THE AIR
Television/Online: SEC Network
Play-by-Play: Dave Neal
Analyst: Jon Sundvold
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: Gary Darby
Analyst: Murphy Holloway
SERIES HISTORY VS. OKLAHOMA
This will be just the seventh time the Rebels and Sooners have faced each other, with the series tied at 3-3 all time. They have faced off just once before in Norman, Oklahoma back in 1999, when the Sooners won 81-73. Prior to joining the SEC in 2024, the two teams played five times between 1998 and 2022. Ole Miss claimed the first conference matchup last season, defeating Oklahoma 87-84 in the SJB Pavilion.
LAST MEETING: March 1, 2025 (W, 87-84, Oxford, Miss.)
• Ole Miss took a slim one-point lead into halftime, riding a big game from Sean Pedulla to victory with the guard sinking five three pointers including a clutch triple to take the lead with 19 seconds left.
• Sean Pedulla (Ole Miss): 26 points, five made three pointers, five rebounds, three assists, two steals.
• Dayton Forsythe (Oklahoma): 25 points, two rebounds, three assists.
SCOUTING THE SOONERS
Oklahoma enters conference play with a 10-3 record, earning wins over Saint Francis, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Oral Roberts, Alcorn State, Marquette, Wake Forest, Oklahoma State, Kansas City, Stetson, and Mississippi Valley State. Their three losses came at the hands of Gonzaga, Nebraska, and Arizona State. The Sooners currently rank 51st in the latest NET Rankings.
They have been paced offensively by Nijel Pack at 16.3 points per game and Xzayvier Brown at 15.4 points per game, each of whom are shooting just under 50 percent from the field. The two have also totaled over 40 assists to begin the season. They're led in rebounding by Mohamed Wague at 7.0 per outing, who also leads the team defensively with 20 blocked shots.
Led by Pack and Brown, the Sooners have taken care of the ball through non-conference action, with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.80, the 14th-best mark in the NCAA, while averaging just 9.4 turnovers per game, the 10th-best clip in the nation. Oklahoma also ranks highly in three point attempts per game (29.6, No. 25 in the NCAA), three pointers made per game (10.5, No. 37 in the NCAA), and points per game (87.4, No. 39 in the NCAA).
In his 22nd season as a college basketball head coach, Porter Moser has been at the helm of Oklahoma for five seasons now, where he's picked up 84 victories with the Sooners thus far. Prior to his time in Norman, Moser spent 10 seasons as the head coach of Loyola Chicago, where he accumulated nearly 200 wins and helped turn them into a household name with a pair of NCAA Tournament berths, highlighted by a Final Four run in 2018. Moser had previous stops at Illinois State for four seasons from 2003-2007, and at Little Rock for three years from 2000-2003.
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 28th-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 10 among SEC programs. Through the first 13 games this season, 12 different players have recorded a block paced by Scott's 19, 13 from Corey Chest, 11 from Malik Dia, and eight from Ilias Kamardine.
NON-CONFERENCE CLOSER
In their final game before SEC action, Ole Miss hosted Alcorn State on December 29, picking up a dominating 79-43 victory. Their success stemmed from impressive rebounding, posting a margin of +25 for the first time since 2008, led by Malik Dia and James Scott with 11 rebounds, and Corey Chest with 10. It had been nearly a decade since the Rebels had a trio of players with 10+ boards in a single game.
Paired with their 11 rebounds, both Dia and Scott posted double-doubles as well, marking the first time Ole Miss had two double-doubles in a single game since 2021. For Dia, that was his third double-double of the season, all of which occurred in a five-game stretch, and second in a row. He became the latest Ole Miss player to record double-doubles in back-to-back games since Sebastian Saiz in 2017. After beginning the season with an average of 4.8 rebounds per contest over the first six games of the season, Dia averaged 9.0 per game over the final seven in non-conference action.
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.
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.
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 & Malik Dia (Arkansas Postgame)
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