.png&width=32&height=32&type=webp)
The University of Mississippi Athletics
Wednesday, February 18
College Station, Texas
6 p.m.
Ole Miss
at
Texas A&M
Men's Basketball Hits the Road to Face Texas A&M Wednesday
2/17/2026 | Men's Basketball
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Ole Miss men's basketball team goes back on the road this week, traveling west to take on Texas A&M in Reed Arena on Wednesday, February 18 at 6 p.m. on the SEC Network.
TEAM FACTS
Ole Miss Rebels (Record: 11-14, 3-9 SEC)
Head Coach: Chris Beard • 3rd Season at Ole Miss (55-38) • 292-136 career record (14th Season)
Texas A&M Aggies (Record: 17-8, 7-5 SEC)
Head Coach: Bucky McMillan • 1st Season at Texas A&M (17-8) • 116-60 career record (6th Season)
ON THE AIR
Television: 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. TEXAS A&M
This will be the 19th time the Rebels and Aggies have met on the court, facing off just once back in 1972 before Texas A&M joined the SEC in 2013. The Aggies lead the series 13-5 and have won all but one of the seven games played in College Station, with the Ole Miss victory coming in 2024 during Chris Beard's first season.
LAST MEETING: January 22, 2025 (L, 62-63, Oxford, Miss.)
• A premiere matchup of No. 16 Ole Miss vs. No. 13 Texas A&M in Oxford, the Rebels led by seven at the half before the visitors clawed back and hit a game-winning three in the final moments.
• Sean Pedulla (Ole Miss): 16 points, three rebounds, one assist, two steals.
• Zhuric Phelps (Texas A&M): 14 points, six rebounds, two assists.
SCOUTING THE AGGIES
Texas A&M holds a 17-8 season record and has gone 7-5 so far in SEC action. Beginning with a 7-1 conference record and climbing to the top of the standings, the Aggies have dropped four in a row in a difficult stretch against Alabama, No. 17 Florida, Missouri, and No. 19 Vanderbilt. They currently sit in eighth in the SEC standings, 43rd in the latest NET Rankings, and 36th in the KenPom Ratings.
Their high-scoring offense can come from anywhere on the roster, as they have six players averaging 10 or more points. They are led both in scoring and rebounding by Rashaun Agee at 13.7 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, and are paced in assists by Jacari Lane at 3.6 per outing. On defense, they rank third in the SEC in steals per game, as five players have 20 or more swipes on the season, led by 35 from Rylan Griffen.
Notable NCAA Team Statistical Rankings:
- Bench points per game, 37.3, 2nd
- Assists per game, 19.3, 6th
- Made three pointers per game, 11.5, 7th
- Points per game, 89.8, 9th
- Three-point attempts per game, 31.0, 13th
- Assist-to-turnover ratio, 1.73, 16th
Named the head coach for Texas A&M in April of 2025, Bucky McMillan is in his first season at the helm, coming to College Station after five years at Samford. He led the Bulldogs to 20-win seasons in each of his last four years, including a pair of conference championships, and an NCAA Tournament berth in 2024 following a 29-win season. Prior to his time with Samford, McMillan was a nationally recognized high school coach at Mountain Brook in Alabama where he won over 300 games in 12 seasons.
"SAFETY FIRST, THEN TEAMWORK"
In 25 games played this season, Ole Miss has had 10 or less turnovers in 16 contests, including 11 of their 12 SEC games. Their season average of 9.6 turnovers per game is the 22nd-best mark in the nation and second in the conference, while their clip of 7.9 per game is the best in the SEC during conference play.
After finishing last year with an average of 9.0 turnovers per game and setting a new school record, their current average would rank second, just ahead of Chris Beard's first season in Oxford (10.8), giving him the three-best marks in school history.
During Beard's three years in Oxford, Ole Miss leads the SEC in fewest turnovers per game at 9.8, and is the only program averaging under 10.0.
HOT BENCH
Averaging 31.6 points of the bench per game, Ole Miss ranks 22nd in the country and third in the SEC. Spearheading the output is senior guard AJ Storr, who has been coming off the bench in each of the last 11 games. He's posted five 20-point games during that span, including a pair of season-best 27-point games, and has averaged 18.7 points per game. Including his lone start in conference play, the SEC Sixth Man of the Year candidate is averaging 17.8 points per game in SEC games, the 12th-best mark overall and most among non-starters.
ROAD WARRIORS
When Ole Miss took the floor in Austin, Texas on February 7, they played in their fourth-straight road game, having played in hostile territory at Kentucky, at Vanderbilt, and at Tennessee prior. It marked the first time since the 1978-79 season that Ole Miss had played in four straight away games, when they lined up with Alabama, Auburn, Florida and LSU in mid-February. Ole Miss played on the road in seven of their first 10 SEC games, but will get six of their final eight in the SJB Pavilion.
I THOUGHT I TOLD YA, I'M A STARR
A key component in the consecutive SEC wins over Missouri, No. 21 Georgia, and Mississippi State was senior guard AJ Storr. In a home game with Mizzou, Storr caught fire early, knocking down four three-point shots in the first half before finishing with a then season-best 26 points. He followed that up with a strong game on the road at No. 21 Georgia, scoring 18 points in the second half and overtime period combined to finish with a season-best 27 points and eight rebounds, adding three steals on defense. Storr helped Ole Miss come out on top of a battle in Starkville with 17 points before scoring a team-high 18 against Auburn.
Over the past 11 games, Storr is averaging 18.7 points per game, all off the bench.
PATTON PINKINS PHRESHMAN PHENOM
In the team's SEC opener at Oklahoma, freshman guard Patton Pinkins scored a career-best 25 points on an impressive 9-11 (.818) shooting while draining four three pointers. His game-high 25 points were the most for a freshman at Ole Miss since November 2022, when Amaree Abram score 26 against Stanford. Pinkins has also hit game-winning shots in an overtime win at No. 21 Georgia, and in hostile territory at Mississippi State this season.
Among SEC programs, Pinkins leads all qualifying players averaging at least 20 minutes per game with just five turnovers on the season. The freshman is one of just two within the conference to have less than 10 turnovers on the season, joined by sophomore Ruben Dominguez of Texas A&M with eight.
AS SWEET AS SUGAR
Heading into hostile territory against a ranked opponent, Ole Miss entered Stegeman Coliseum on January 14 to take on the No. 21 Georgia Bulldogs, a facility that had the longest active win streak in the SEC against unranked foes. Trailing by five at the half, the Rebels continued to scrap with the top-ranked scoring offense in all of college basketball, keeping pace behind 16 second-half points from AJ Storr and 14 from Travis Perry. Trailing by four with under a minute to play, Storr cut the deficit to two, 87-85 with 38 seconds remaining. Following a missed layup from the Bulldogs, Storr collected the rebound and drove the length of the floor for a bucket to force overtime.
With 18 seconds left in OT, Storr dropped in a quick layup off an inbound pass to go up 95-94. The home team would go 1-2 on the other end of the floor from the free throw line, before a missed floater from Storr was batted to Patton Pinkins, who tipped in the rebound as the clock hit zeros for a game-winning score. The 97 points from Ole Miss marked the most scored against a ranked opponent on the road in school history.
TIGER TAMER
Ole Miss picked up their first conference victory with a 76-69 victory over Missouri in the SJB Pavilion on January 10. The Rebels survived an early onslaught of threes from the Tigers, overcoming a 10-point deficit in the first half to eventually win by seven. Coming off the bench, AJ Storr played 33 minutes and scored a game-high 26 points while grabbing five rebounds with zero turnovers. Ole Miss got another elite performance from forward Malik Dia, who recorded yet another double-double with 21 points and 11 boards, adding a steal and three blocks on the defensive end.
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 4.4 blocks per game, the 56th-best mark in the nation. All fifteen student-athletes that have played this season have recorded a block paced by James Scott's 27, 22 from Malik Dia, and 21 from Corey Chest.
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.
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: 11-14, 3-9 SEC)
Head Coach: Chris Beard • 3rd Season at Ole Miss (55-38) • 292-136 career record (14th Season)
Texas A&M Aggies (Record: 17-8, 7-5 SEC)
Head Coach: Bucky McMillan • 1st Season at Texas A&M (17-8) • 116-60 career record (6th Season)
ON THE AIR
Television: 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. TEXAS A&M
This will be the 19th time the Rebels and Aggies have met on the court, facing off just once back in 1972 before Texas A&M joined the SEC in 2013. The Aggies lead the series 13-5 and have won all but one of the seven games played in College Station, with the Ole Miss victory coming in 2024 during Chris Beard's first season.
LAST MEETING: January 22, 2025 (L, 62-63, Oxford, Miss.)
• A premiere matchup of No. 16 Ole Miss vs. No. 13 Texas A&M in Oxford, the Rebels led by seven at the half before the visitors clawed back and hit a game-winning three in the final moments.
• Sean Pedulla (Ole Miss): 16 points, three rebounds, one assist, two steals.
• Zhuric Phelps (Texas A&M): 14 points, six rebounds, two assists.
SCOUTING THE AGGIES
Texas A&M holds a 17-8 season record and has gone 7-5 so far in SEC action. Beginning with a 7-1 conference record and climbing to the top of the standings, the Aggies have dropped four in a row in a difficult stretch against Alabama, No. 17 Florida, Missouri, and No. 19 Vanderbilt. They currently sit in eighth in the SEC standings, 43rd in the latest NET Rankings, and 36th in the KenPom Ratings.
Their high-scoring offense can come from anywhere on the roster, as they have six players averaging 10 or more points. They are led both in scoring and rebounding by Rashaun Agee at 13.7 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, and are paced in assists by Jacari Lane at 3.6 per outing. On defense, they rank third in the SEC in steals per game, as five players have 20 or more swipes on the season, led by 35 from Rylan Griffen.
Notable NCAA Team Statistical Rankings:
- Bench points per game, 37.3, 2nd
- Assists per game, 19.3, 6th
- Made three pointers per game, 11.5, 7th
- Points per game, 89.8, 9th
- Three-point attempts per game, 31.0, 13th
- Assist-to-turnover ratio, 1.73, 16th
Named the head coach for Texas A&M in April of 2025, Bucky McMillan is in his first season at the helm, coming to College Station after five years at Samford. He led the Bulldogs to 20-win seasons in each of his last four years, including a pair of conference championships, and an NCAA Tournament berth in 2024 following a 29-win season. Prior to his time with Samford, McMillan was a nationally recognized high school coach at Mountain Brook in Alabama where he won over 300 games in 12 seasons.
"SAFETY FIRST, THEN TEAMWORK"
In 25 games played this season, Ole Miss has had 10 or less turnovers in 16 contests, including 11 of their 12 SEC games. Their season average of 9.6 turnovers per game is the 22nd-best mark in the nation and second in the conference, while their clip of 7.9 per game is the best in the SEC during conference play.
After finishing last year with an average of 9.0 turnovers per game and setting a new school record, their current average would rank second, just ahead of Chris Beard's first season in Oxford (10.8), giving him the three-best marks in school history.
During Beard's three years in Oxford, Ole Miss leads the SEC in fewest turnovers per game at 9.8, and is the only program averaging under 10.0.
HOT BENCH
Averaging 31.6 points of the bench per game, Ole Miss ranks 22nd in the country and third in the SEC. Spearheading the output is senior guard AJ Storr, who has been coming off the bench in each of the last 11 games. He's posted five 20-point games during that span, including a pair of season-best 27-point games, and has averaged 18.7 points per game. Including his lone start in conference play, the SEC Sixth Man of the Year candidate is averaging 17.8 points per game in SEC games, the 12th-best mark overall and most among non-starters.
ROAD WARRIORS
When Ole Miss took the floor in Austin, Texas on February 7, they played in their fourth-straight road game, having played in hostile territory at Kentucky, at Vanderbilt, and at Tennessee prior. It marked the first time since the 1978-79 season that Ole Miss had played in four straight away games, when they lined up with Alabama, Auburn, Florida and LSU in mid-February. Ole Miss played on the road in seven of their first 10 SEC games, but will get six of their final eight in the SJB Pavilion.
I THOUGHT I TOLD YA, I'M A STARR
A key component in the consecutive SEC wins over Missouri, No. 21 Georgia, and Mississippi State was senior guard AJ Storr. In a home game with Mizzou, Storr caught fire early, knocking down four three-point shots in the first half before finishing with a then season-best 26 points. He followed that up with a strong game on the road at No. 21 Georgia, scoring 18 points in the second half and overtime period combined to finish with a season-best 27 points and eight rebounds, adding three steals on defense. Storr helped Ole Miss come out on top of a battle in Starkville with 17 points before scoring a team-high 18 against Auburn.
Over the past 11 games, Storr is averaging 18.7 points per game, all off the bench.
PATTON PINKINS PHRESHMAN PHENOM
In the team's SEC opener at Oklahoma, freshman guard Patton Pinkins scored a career-best 25 points on an impressive 9-11 (.818) shooting while draining four three pointers. His game-high 25 points were the most for a freshman at Ole Miss since November 2022, when Amaree Abram score 26 against Stanford. Pinkins has also hit game-winning shots in an overtime win at No. 21 Georgia, and in hostile territory at Mississippi State this season.
Among SEC programs, Pinkins leads all qualifying players averaging at least 20 minutes per game with just five turnovers on the season. The freshman is one of just two within the conference to have less than 10 turnovers on the season, joined by sophomore Ruben Dominguez of Texas A&M with eight.
AS SWEET AS SUGAR
Heading into hostile territory against a ranked opponent, Ole Miss entered Stegeman Coliseum on January 14 to take on the No. 21 Georgia Bulldogs, a facility that had the longest active win streak in the SEC against unranked foes. Trailing by five at the half, the Rebels continued to scrap with the top-ranked scoring offense in all of college basketball, keeping pace behind 16 second-half points from AJ Storr and 14 from Travis Perry. Trailing by four with under a minute to play, Storr cut the deficit to two, 87-85 with 38 seconds remaining. Following a missed layup from the Bulldogs, Storr collected the rebound and drove the length of the floor for a bucket to force overtime.
With 18 seconds left in OT, Storr dropped in a quick layup off an inbound pass to go up 95-94. The home team would go 1-2 on the other end of the floor from the free throw line, before a missed floater from Storr was batted to Patton Pinkins, who tipped in the rebound as the clock hit zeros for a game-winning score. The 97 points from Ole Miss marked the most scored against a ranked opponent on the road in school history.
TIGER TAMER
Ole Miss picked up their first conference victory with a 76-69 victory over Missouri in the SJB Pavilion on January 10. The Rebels survived an early onslaught of threes from the Tigers, overcoming a 10-point deficit in the first half to eventually win by seven. Coming off the bench, AJ Storr played 33 minutes and scored a game-high 26 points while grabbing five rebounds with zero turnovers. Ole Miss got another elite performance from forward Malik Dia, who recorded yet another double-double with 21 points and 11 boards, adding a steal and three blocks on the defensive end.
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 4.4 blocks per game, the 56th-best mark in the nation. All fifteen student-athletes that have played this season have recorded a block paced by James Scott's 27, 22 from Malik Dia, and 21 from Corey Chest.
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.
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.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
PRESSER: Malik Dia & Ilias Kamardine & AJ Storr & Eduardo Klafke & Patton Pinkins (MSU Postgame)
Saturday, February 14
HIGHLIGHTS: Men's Basketball vs. MSU (2/14/26)
Saturday, February 14
PRESSER: Chris Beard (MSU Postgame)
Saturday, February 14
HIGHLIGHTS: Men's Basketball vs. Alabama (2/11/26)
Wednesday, February 11