The University of Mississippi Athletics
Wednesday, December 17
Tupelo, Miss.
7 p.m.
Ole Miss
vs
Alabama A&M
Men's Basketball Takes Show on the Road to Tupelo
12/16/2025 | Men's Basketball
TUPELO, Miss. – A second consecutive game playing in a neutral site in their home state, the Ole Miss men's basketball team continues to share their game across Mississippi as they take on Alabama A&M on Wednesday, December 17 at 7 p.m. at Cadence Bank Arena in Tupelo, Mississippi and streaming on SEC Netowrk+.
TEAM FACTS
Ole Miss Rebels (Record: 6-4, 0-0 SEC)
Head Coach: Chris Beard • 3rd Season at Ole Miss (50-28) • 287-126 career record (14th Season)
Alabama A&M Bulldogs (Record: 6-4, 0-0 SWAC)
Head Coach: Donte' Jackson • 1st Season at Alabama A&M (6-4) • 250-186 career record (15th Season)
ON THE AIR
Television/Online: 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. ALABAMA A&M
The Bulldogs and Rebels have faced off three times in basketball, with Ole Miss taking the win in each previous matchup, all of which have taken place in Oxford. Ole Miss has claimed each victory by an average margin of 34.7 points.
LAST MEETING: January 2, 2008 (W, 86-50, Oxford, Miss.)
• The Ole Miss defense held the Bulldogs to just 19 points in the first half while scoring 46 of their own. The Rebels shot 53.0% from the floor while adding 11 steals on defense.
• David Huertas (Ole Miss): 17 points, five made three pointers, three rebounds, one assist, one steal.
• Lanorris Smith (Alabama A&M): 12 points, three rebounds, one assist.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Alabama A&M has begun the season by going 6-4, picking up wins over Blue Mountain Christian, Charleston Southern, Lindenwood, Tennessee State, Arkansas Baptist, and North Alabama, while falling to Indiana, Clemson, Coastal Carolina, and Lipscomb. They sit at No. 251 in the latest NET Rankings.
Three players average double digits in the scoring column, led by Grambling State transfer Kintavious Dozier at 13.9 per game. He is joined by Sami Pissis at 11.6 points per contest and Koron Davis at 11.0. They are led in rebounding by PJ Eason who comes down with 7.1 boards per outing.
As a team, much of Alabama A&M's success has come from limiting their opponents at the three point line. Their opposing three-point field goal percentage of 29.1 ranks among the top 50 in all of college basketball.
In his first season at Alabama A&M, head coach Donte' Jackson has won 250 career games during his 15-year career. Prior to joining the Bulldogs this past offseason, Jackson was at the helm of Grambling State for eight seasons from 2017-25, where he accumulated 132 victories, won three SWAC championships, and guided the team to the 2024 NCAA Tournament. His previous stops include Stillman and his alma mater Central State.
BLACKJACK
For the third season in a row, the Ole Miss Rebels travelled 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 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.
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 5.6 blocks per game, the 16th-best mark in the nation. They have been led by forward James Scott, who's average of 1.7 blocks per contest rank 61st in the country and fourth among SEC programs. Through the first nine games this season, 11 different players have recorded a block paced by Scott's 16, nine from Malik Dia, and eight from both Corey Chest and Ilias Kamardine.
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.
THE THIRD TIME IS A CHARM
Ole Miss head coach Chris Beard has built quite the reputation as a program builder, and it's been evident while here in Oxford. Bringing in a winning culture that led to 20 wins in year one, the build continued to rise in year two last season, guiding Ole Miss to an NCAA Tournament berth while matching their deepest run in school history, narrowly missing an Elite Eight appearance.
In his last third season, Beard helped lead Texas Tech to 31 victories and a spot in the NCAA National Championship Title game. The trajectory with Ole Miss has been similar through two full seasons.
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: 6-4, 0-0 SEC)
Head Coach: Chris Beard • 3rd Season at Ole Miss (50-28) • 287-126 career record (14th Season)
Alabama A&M Bulldogs (Record: 6-4, 0-0 SWAC)
Head Coach: Donte' Jackson • 1st Season at Alabama A&M (6-4) • 250-186 career record (15th Season)
ON THE AIR
Television/Online: 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. ALABAMA A&M
The Bulldogs and Rebels have faced off three times in basketball, with Ole Miss taking the win in each previous matchup, all of which have taken place in Oxford. Ole Miss has claimed each victory by an average margin of 34.7 points.
LAST MEETING: January 2, 2008 (W, 86-50, Oxford, Miss.)
• The Ole Miss defense held the Bulldogs to just 19 points in the first half while scoring 46 of their own. The Rebels shot 53.0% from the floor while adding 11 steals on defense.
• David Huertas (Ole Miss): 17 points, five made three pointers, three rebounds, one assist, one steal.
• Lanorris Smith (Alabama A&M): 12 points, three rebounds, one assist.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Alabama A&M has begun the season by going 6-4, picking up wins over Blue Mountain Christian, Charleston Southern, Lindenwood, Tennessee State, Arkansas Baptist, and North Alabama, while falling to Indiana, Clemson, Coastal Carolina, and Lipscomb. They sit at No. 251 in the latest NET Rankings.
Three players average double digits in the scoring column, led by Grambling State transfer Kintavious Dozier at 13.9 per game. He is joined by Sami Pissis at 11.6 points per contest and Koron Davis at 11.0. They are led in rebounding by PJ Eason who comes down with 7.1 boards per outing.
As a team, much of Alabama A&M's success has come from limiting their opponents at the three point line. Their opposing three-point field goal percentage of 29.1 ranks among the top 50 in all of college basketball.
In his first season at Alabama A&M, head coach Donte' Jackson has won 250 career games during his 15-year career. Prior to joining the Bulldogs this past offseason, Jackson was at the helm of Grambling State for eight seasons from 2017-25, where he accumulated 132 victories, won three SWAC championships, and guided the team to the 2024 NCAA Tournament. His previous stops include Stillman and his alma mater Central State.
BLACKJACK
For the third season in a row, the Ole Miss Rebels travelled 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 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.
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 5.6 blocks per game, the 16th-best mark in the nation. They have been led by forward James Scott, who's average of 1.7 blocks per contest rank 61st in the country and fourth among SEC programs. Through the first nine games this season, 11 different players have recorded a block paced by Scott's 16, nine from Malik Dia, and eight from both Corey Chest and Ilias Kamardine.
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.
THE THIRD TIME IS A CHARM
Ole Miss head coach Chris Beard has built quite the reputation as a program builder, and it's been evident while here in Oxford. Bringing in a winning culture that led to 20 wins in year one, the build continued to rise in year two last season, guiding Ole Miss to an NCAA Tournament berth while matching their deepest run in school history, narrowly missing an Elite Eight appearance.
In his last third season, Beard helped lead Texas Tech to 31 victories and a spot in the NCAA National Championship Title game. The trajectory with Ole Miss has been similar through two full seasons.
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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