.png&width=32&height=32&type=webp)
The University of Mississippi Athletics
Tuesday, March 3
Oxford, Miss.
8 p.m.
Ole Miss
vs
Vanderbilt
Men's Basketball Back in the SJB Pavilion Tuesday Night, Hosts No. 22 Vanderbilt
3/2/2026 | Men's Basketball
OXFORD, Miss. – Following a win at Auburn this past weekend, the Ole Miss men's basketball team looks to ride the momentum as they host No. 22 Vanderbilt on Tuesday, March 3 at 8 p.m. in the SJB Pavilion and streaming on SEC Network+.
TEAM FACTS
Ole Miss Rebels (Record: 12-17, 4-12 SEC)
Head Coach: Chris Beard • 3rd Season at Ole Miss (56-41) • 293-139 career record (14th Season)
Vanderbilt Commodores (Record: 22-7, 9-7 SEC)
Head Coach: Mark Byington • 2nd Season at Vanderbilt (42-20) • 262-157 career record (14th Season)
ON THE AIR
Television: SEC Network+
Play-by-Play: Jake Hromada
Analyst: Kermit Davis
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: Gary Darby
Analyst: Murphy Holloway
SERIES HISTORY VS. VANDERBILT
The two schools have met on the basketball court 130 times, dating back to 1925 when Vandy defeated the Rebels 19-18 on January 8. The Commodores own the all-time series lead 81-49, while Ole Miss leads 34-24 when playing in Oxford. This will be the second matchup of the season between these two after a game in Nashville in January.
LAST MEETING: January 31, 2026 (L, 68-71, Nashville, Tenn.)
• A two-point game with just under a minute left following a second-half comeback from Ole Miss, the Commodores ended up keeping the Rebels at bay with a three-point win.
• Malik Dia (Ole Miss): 16 points, four rebounds, one assist, one steal.
• Tyler Tanner (Vanderbilt): 24 points, three rebounds, three assists, one steal.
SCOUTING THE COMMODORES
The first SEC team to hit 20 wins on the season, Vanderbilt brings a record of 22-7 to Oxford, having gone 9-7 in conference play. They've dropped three of their last four games, falling at Missouri and Tennessee before claiming a win at home over Georgia, most recently losing to Kentucky. The Dores currently sit in eighth place in the SEC Standings, and hold the 22nd spot in the latest Coaches Poll and 24th in the AP Poll. They are ranked 18th in the NET Rankings and 15th in KenPom.
Four players average double figures in scoring for one of the higher-powered offenses in the country, led by guard Tyler Tanner at 18.5. The Commodores are led on the boards by returning forward Devin McGlockton at 6.8 per outing. Sharpshooter Tyler Nickel ranks second in the SEC and among the nation's best from beyond the arc, making 92 total shots while shooting 40.9 percent from deep.
Notable NCAA Team Statistical Rankings:
- Assist-to-turnover ratio: 1.73, 13th
- Points per game: 86.9, 14th
- Free throw percentage: 78.2, 16th
- Blocks per game: 4.9, 20th
- Scoring margin: +12.4, 24th
- Turnover margin: +3.2, 26th
- Fewest turnovers per game: 9.6, 26th
Head coach Mark Byington is in his second year in Nashville, leading the Commodores to 20-win campaigns in both seasons. Prior to joining the Commodores, Byington spent four years at James Madison, highlighted by a 32-4 season in 2023-24 where he was one of three teams to begin the season 13-0 in the nation (also Ole Miss) and finished it off with an upset over No. 5 seed Wisconsin in the NCAA Tournament. Before his time at James Madison, he was the head coach of Georgia Southern for seven seasons, after getting his first action at the helm as an interim head coach at College of Charleston in 2011-12.
"SAFETY FIRST, THEN TEAMWORK"
In 29 games played this season, Ole Miss has had 10 or less turnovers in 18 contests, including 13 of their 16 SEC games. Their season average of 9.5 turnovers per game is the 20th-best mark in the nation and second in the conference, while their clip of 8.3 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 9.7, and is the only program averaging under 10.0.
HOT BENCH
Averaging 30.6 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 15 games. He's posted seven 20-point games during that span, including a pair of season-best 27-point performances, 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 18.0 points per game in SEC games, the 12th-best mark overall and most among non-starters.
A WIN IN HOSTILE TERRITORY
Ole Miss traveled to Auburn to close out February, picking up a win in front of a raucous Neville Arena crowd 85-79. Patton Pinkins continued to shine in SEC action, scoring a season-high 26 points on 8-10 shooting, knocking down four threes while going 6-7 from the free throw line. AJ Storr continued to be effective off the bench, scoring 26 points to help the Rebels get their first win in Neville Arena since 2021.
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 15 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 seven 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 60th-best mark in the nation. All fifteen student-athletes that have played this season have recorded a block paced by James Scott's 32, 25 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.
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.
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: 12-17, 4-12 SEC)
Head Coach: Chris Beard • 3rd Season at Ole Miss (56-41) • 293-139 career record (14th Season)
Vanderbilt Commodores (Record: 22-7, 9-7 SEC)
Head Coach: Mark Byington • 2nd Season at Vanderbilt (42-20) • 262-157 career record (14th Season)
ON THE AIR
Television: SEC Network+
Play-by-Play: Jake Hromada
Analyst: Kermit Davis
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: Gary Darby
Analyst: Murphy Holloway
SERIES HISTORY VS. VANDERBILT
The two schools have met on the basketball court 130 times, dating back to 1925 when Vandy defeated the Rebels 19-18 on January 8. The Commodores own the all-time series lead 81-49, while Ole Miss leads 34-24 when playing in Oxford. This will be the second matchup of the season between these two after a game in Nashville in January.
LAST MEETING: January 31, 2026 (L, 68-71, Nashville, Tenn.)
• A two-point game with just under a minute left following a second-half comeback from Ole Miss, the Commodores ended up keeping the Rebels at bay with a three-point win.
• Malik Dia (Ole Miss): 16 points, four rebounds, one assist, one steal.
• Tyler Tanner (Vanderbilt): 24 points, three rebounds, three assists, one steal.
SCOUTING THE COMMODORES
The first SEC team to hit 20 wins on the season, Vanderbilt brings a record of 22-7 to Oxford, having gone 9-7 in conference play. They've dropped three of their last four games, falling at Missouri and Tennessee before claiming a win at home over Georgia, most recently losing to Kentucky. The Dores currently sit in eighth place in the SEC Standings, and hold the 22nd spot in the latest Coaches Poll and 24th in the AP Poll. They are ranked 18th in the NET Rankings and 15th in KenPom.
Four players average double figures in scoring for one of the higher-powered offenses in the country, led by guard Tyler Tanner at 18.5. The Commodores are led on the boards by returning forward Devin McGlockton at 6.8 per outing. Sharpshooter Tyler Nickel ranks second in the SEC and among the nation's best from beyond the arc, making 92 total shots while shooting 40.9 percent from deep.
Notable NCAA Team Statistical Rankings:
- Assist-to-turnover ratio: 1.73, 13th
- Points per game: 86.9, 14th
- Free throw percentage: 78.2, 16th
- Blocks per game: 4.9, 20th
- Scoring margin: +12.4, 24th
- Turnover margin: +3.2, 26th
- Fewest turnovers per game: 9.6, 26th
Head coach Mark Byington is in his second year in Nashville, leading the Commodores to 20-win campaigns in both seasons. Prior to joining the Commodores, Byington spent four years at James Madison, highlighted by a 32-4 season in 2023-24 where he was one of three teams to begin the season 13-0 in the nation (also Ole Miss) and finished it off with an upset over No. 5 seed Wisconsin in the NCAA Tournament. Before his time at James Madison, he was the head coach of Georgia Southern for seven seasons, after getting his first action at the helm as an interim head coach at College of Charleston in 2011-12.
"SAFETY FIRST, THEN TEAMWORK"
In 29 games played this season, Ole Miss has had 10 or less turnovers in 18 contests, including 13 of their 16 SEC games. Their season average of 9.5 turnovers per game is the 20th-best mark in the nation and second in the conference, while their clip of 8.3 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 9.7, and is the only program averaging under 10.0.
HOT BENCH
Averaging 30.6 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 15 games. He's posted seven 20-point games during that span, including a pair of season-best 27-point performances, 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 18.0 points per game in SEC games, the 12th-best mark overall and most among non-starters.
A WIN IN HOSTILE TERRITORY
Ole Miss traveled to Auburn to close out February, picking up a win in front of a raucous Neville Arena crowd 85-79. Patton Pinkins continued to shine in SEC action, scoring a season-high 26 points on 8-10 shooting, knocking down four threes while going 6-7 from the free throw line. AJ Storr continued to be effective off the bench, scoring 26 points to help the Rebels get their first win in Neville Arena since 2021.
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 15 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 seven 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 60th-best mark in the nation. All fifteen student-athletes that have played this season have recorded a block paced by James Scott's 32, 25 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.
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.
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
F
/ Men's Basketball
PRESSER | Chris Beard & Patton Pinkins - Auburn Postgame (02-28-26)
Saturday, February 28
HIGHLIGHTS: Men's Basketball vs. LSU (2/25/26)
Wednesday, February 25
PRESSER: Chris Beard (LSU Postgame)
Wednesday, February 25
PRESSER: Chris Beard (Florida Postgame)
Saturday, February 21