The University of Mississippi Athletics
Wednesday, March 11
Nashville, Tenn.
6 p.m.
Ole Miss
vs
Texas
Men's Basketball Set for SEC Tournament, Faces Texas Wednesday Night
3/10/2026 | Men's Basketball
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The 2026 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament has arrived, as the Ole Miss men's basketball team heads to Nashville to take on Texas in the first round on Wednesday, March 11 at 6 p.m. in Bridgestone Arena and on the SEC Network.
TEAM FACTS
Ole Miss Rebels (Record: 12-19, 4-14 SEC)
Head Coach: Chris Beard • 3rd Season at Ole Miss (56-43) • 293-141 career record (14th Season)
Texas Longhorns (Record: 18-13, 9-9 SEC)
Head Coach: Sean Miller • 1st Season at Texas (18-13) • 455-209 career record (21st Season)
ON THE AIR
Television: SEC Network
Play-by-Play: Tom Hart
Analyst: Dane Bradshaw
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: Gary Darby
Analyst: Murphy Holloway
SERIES HISTORY VS. TEXAS
This will be the 18th total matchup between the two teams and second of the season, first meeting back in 1955. The Longhorns lead the all-time series 10-7, and are up 3-0 on Ole Miss when playing on neutral ground. In their matchup in Austin this season, the Longhorns fought off a second-half comeback attempt by the Rebels after they took a late three-point lead with just over three minutes left. This will be the first meeting between Ole Miss and Texas in the SEC Tournament and the postseason.
LAST MEETING: February 7, 2026 (L, 68-79, Austin, Texas)
• Trailing by 12 at the half on the road, Ole Miss stormed back and held a three-point lead with three and a half minutes to go, before Texas inched in front late.
• Eduardo Klafke (Ole Miss): 16 points, six rebounds, four assists.
• Matas Vokietaitis (Texas): 27 points, 9-10 FG, 9-12 FT, seven rebounds, one assist, one block.
SCOUTING THE LONGHORNS
Texas finished their regular season schedule with a record of 18-13 overall, going 9-9 during SEC action. They closed out their slate with losses in four of their final five games, dropping a pair of games to Georgia and Florida before defeating Texas A&M, before finishing with losses to Arkansas and Oklahoma. They earned the 10th seed in the SEC Tournament due to their finish in the standings, and currently hold a ranking of 41st in the NET and 33rd in KenPom. Entering the SEC Tournament, Texas sits just inside the field for the 2026 NCAA Tournament by earning one of the last four byes, according to ESPN's Joe Lunardi.
The Longhorns are led by SEC Newcomer of the Year and Second Team All-SEC selection Dailyn Swain in both points and rebounds per game, averaging 17.7 in the scoring column and 7.5 on the boards. Joining his head coach in the move from Xavier to Texas, Swain has been filling the box score all season, shooting 55.4 percent from the floor, sinking 28 threes, and ranking among the best in the SEC with 55 steals. Center Matas Vokietaitis ranks second on the team with an average of 15.7 points per game, ranking among the nation's best in getting to the free throw line having made 170 shots on 244 attempts from the charity stripe.
Notable NCAA Team Statistical Rankings:
- Free throws made per game, 19.8, 5th
- Free throw attempts per game, 26.4, 7th
- Rebound margin, +7.6, 16th
- Points per game, 84.4, 22nd
- Field goal percentage, 49.0, 27th
- Fastbreak points per game, 13.6, 52nd
Named the head coach at Texas in March of 2025, Sean Miller is in his first season with the Longhorns, following a successful three years during a second stint at Xavier. For 12 seasons from 2009-2021, Miller was the head coach at Arizona where he led the Wildcats to seven NCAA Tournaments, including three runs to the Elite Eight. He got his first NCAA head coaching job at Xavier in 2004, coaching for five seasons while making the NCAA Tournament in each of his final four years.
SEC TOURNAMENT HISTORY
Since playing in their first SEC postseason tournament back in 1933, Ole Miss has gone 34-61 all-time. They've come out on top of the bracket twice. First in 1981 as the six seed under Bob Weltlich by defeating Dominique Wilkins and Georgia in the final, and once again in 2013 led by tournament MVP Marshall Henderson.
"SAFETY FIRST, THEN TEAMWORK"
In 31 games played this season, Ole Miss has had 10 or less turnovers in 19 contests, including 14 of their 18 SEC games. Their season average of 9.8 turnovers per game is the 32nd-best mark in the nation and third in the conference, while their clip of 8.8 per game is second 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 30.2 points of the bench per game, Ole Miss ranks 24th 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 17 games. He's posted seven 20-point games during that span, including a pair of season-best 27-point performances, and has averaged 18.1 points per game. Including his lone start in conference play, Storr is averaging 17.5 points per game in SEC games, the 13th-best mark overall and most among non-starters.
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 eight turnovers on the season, and is the only player with less than 10.
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 4.2 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 35, 28 from Malik Dia, and 23 from Corey Chest.
MALIK DIA-DIA
Entering this season with four career double-doubles, senior forward Malik Dia has matched that total number this year, hitting the milestone against St. John's, NC State, Alcorn State, and Missouri.
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: 12-19, 4-14 SEC)
Head Coach: Chris Beard • 3rd Season at Ole Miss (56-43) • 293-141 career record (14th Season)
Texas Longhorns (Record: 18-13, 9-9 SEC)
Head Coach: Sean Miller • 1st Season at Texas (18-13) • 455-209 career record (21st Season)
ON THE AIR
Television: SEC Network
Play-by-Play: Tom Hart
Analyst: Dane Bradshaw
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: Gary Darby
Analyst: Murphy Holloway
SERIES HISTORY VS. TEXAS
This will be the 18th total matchup between the two teams and second of the season, first meeting back in 1955. The Longhorns lead the all-time series 10-7, and are up 3-0 on Ole Miss when playing on neutral ground. In their matchup in Austin this season, the Longhorns fought off a second-half comeback attempt by the Rebels after they took a late three-point lead with just over three minutes left. This will be the first meeting between Ole Miss and Texas in the SEC Tournament and the postseason.
LAST MEETING: February 7, 2026 (L, 68-79, Austin, Texas)
• Trailing by 12 at the half on the road, Ole Miss stormed back and held a three-point lead with three and a half minutes to go, before Texas inched in front late.
• Eduardo Klafke (Ole Miss): 16 points, six rebounds, four assists.
• Matas Vokietaitis (Texas): 27 points, 9-10 FG, 9-12 FT, seven rebounds, one assist, one block.
SCOUTING THE LONGHORNS
Texas finished their regular season schedule with a record of 18-13 overall, going 9-9 during SEC action. They closed out their slate with losses in four of their final five games, dropping a pair of games to Georgia and Florida before defeating Texas A&M, before finishing with losses to Arkansas and Oklahoma. They earned the 10th seed in the SEC Tournament due to their finish in the standings, and currently hold a ranking of 41st in the NET and 33rd in KenPom. Entering the SEC Tournament, Texas sits just inside the field for the 2026 NCAA Tournament by earning one of the last four byes, according to ESPN's Joe Lunardi.
The Longhorns are led by SEC Newcomer of the Year and Second Team All-SEC selection Dailyn Swain in both points and rebounds per game, averaging 17.7 in the scoring column and 7.5 on the boards. Joining his head coach in the move from Xavier to Texas, Swain has been filling the box score all season, shooting 55.4 percent from the floor, sinking 28 threes, and ranking among the best in the SEC with 55 steals. Center Matas Vokietaitis ranks second on the team with an average of 15.7 points per game, ranking among the nation's best in getting to the free throw line having made 170 shots on 244 attempts from the charity stripe.
Notable NCAA Team Statistical Rankings:
- Free throws made per game, 19.8, 5th
- Free throw attempts per game, 26.4, 7th
- Rebound margin, +7.6, 16th
- Points per game, 84.4, 22nd
- Field goal percentage, 49.0, 27th
- Fastbreak points per game, 13.6, 52nd
Named the head coach at Texas in March of 2025, Sean Miller is in his first season with the Longhorns, following a successful three years during a second stint at Xavier. For 12 seasons from 2009-2021, Miller was the head coach at Arizona where he led the Wildcats to seven NCAA Tournaments, including three runs to the Elite Eight. He got his first NCAA head coaching job at Xavier in 2004, coaching for five seasons while making the NCAA Tournament in each of his final four years.
SEC TOURNAMENT HISTORY
Since playing in their first SEC postseason tournament back in 1933, Ole Miss has gone 34-61 all-time. They've come out on top of the bracket twice. First in 1981 as the six seed under Bob Weltlich by defeating Dominique Wilkins and Georgia in the final, and once again in 2013 led by tournament MVP Marshall Henderson.
"SAFETY FIRST, THEN TEAMWORK"
In 31 games played this season, Ole Miss has had 10 or less turnovers in 19 contests, including 14 of their 18 SEC games. Their season average of 9.8 turnovers per game is the 32nd-best mark in the nation and third in the conference, while their clip of 8.8 per game is second 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 30.2 points of the bench per game, Ole Miss ranks 24th 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 17 games. He's posted seven 20-point games during that span, including a pair of season-best 27-point performances, and has averaged 18.1 points per game. Including his lone start in conference play, Storr is averaging 17.5 points per game in SEC games, the 13th-best mark overall and most among non-starters.
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 eight turnovers on the season, and is the only player with less than 10.
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 4.2 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 35, 28 from Malik Dia, and 23 from Corey Chest.
MALIK DIA-DIA
Entering this season with four career double-doubles, senior forward Malik Dia has matched that total number this year, hitting the milestone against St. John's, NC State, Alcorn State, and Missouri.
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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