The University of Mississippi Athletics
Saturday, March 14
Nashville, Tenn.
2:30 p.m.
Ole Miss
vs
Arkansas
Men's Basketball Looks to Continue Run at SEC Tournament, Takes on Arkansas Saturday
3/14/2026 | Men's Basketball
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A historical run continues, as the Ole Miss men's basketball team looks to follow up their win over the No. 2 seed Alabama on Friday, taking on the No. 3 seed Arkansas in the semifinals of the 2026 SEC Tournament on Saturday, March 14 at 2:30 p.m. in Bridgestone Arena and broadcast on ESPN.
TEAM FACTS
Ole Miss Rebels (Record: 15-19, 4-14 SEC)
Head Coach: Chris Beard • 3rd Season at Ole Miss (59-43) • 296-141 career record (14th Season)
Arkansas Razorbacks (Record: 24-8, 13-5 SEC)
Head Coach: John Calipari • 2nd Season at Arkansas (46-22) • 859-283 career record (34th Season)
ON THE AIR
Television: ESPN
Play-by-Play: Karl Ravech
Analyst: Jimmy Dykes
Reporter: Alyssa Lang
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: Gary Darby
Analyst: Murphy Holloway
SERIES HISTORY VS. ARKANSAS
The Rebels and Razorbacks have faced each other 89 times in their long history dating back to 1937, with Arkansas leading the series 53-36. Under head coach Chris Beard, Ole Miss has won three of their four matchups, including a thrilling 83-80 victory in last year's SEC Tournament.
LAST MEETING: January 7, 2026 (L, 87-94, Oxford, Miss.)
• Ole Miss battelled back from a halftime deficit by scoring 55 in the second half before falling short.
• Malik Dia (Ole Miss): 16 points, six rebounds, one assist, two blocks, two steals.
• Darius Acuff Jr. (Arkansas): 26 points, nine assists, one block, two steals.
THE RUN CONTINUES
Lined up in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament with the No. 2 seed and 15th-ranked team nationally, Ole Miss took down Alabama 80-79 for their third win at the postseason event. It marks the third time Ole Miss has won three games at the tournament, with the other two instances coming during their title runs in 1981 and 2013. It marks just the second time ever that a double-digit seed has won three games at the SEC Tournament, with the other instance coming from 13-seeded Auburn in 2015. Across three games here in Nashville at the tournament, Ole Miss has still not trailed their opponent.
AS SWEET AS THE FIRST
Following a regular season overtime win in Athens, Ole Miss matched up with the Georgia Bulldogs in the second round of the 2026 SEC Tournament on Thursday. Storming out to an early lead and holding off a second-half comeback, the Rebels picked up a 76-72 victory behind 19 points from AJ Storr, 17 from Malik Dia, and 16 from Travis Perry. James Scott pulled in a season-best 13 rebounds and added a trio of blocks on defense, while Ilias Kamardine scored eight and dished out four assists with four steals.
While Georgia entered the night as the third-highest scoring offense in the nation, Ole Miss held them to their lowest point total and field goal percentage in a first half this year.
The last time Ole Miss earned two wins at the SEC Tournament came in 2013, during their title run.
SURVIVE AND ADVANCE
Facing each other for the first time ever in the SEC Tournament, Ole Miss picked up the lone victory for the lower seeds in the first round, defeating Texas 76-66 on Wednesday night. Behind a strong defensive performance, blazing start by Malik Dia, and season-best 50 points in the paint, the Rebels earned another day of basketball as they moved on to the second round. A season-high 12 steals combined with six blocks kept the Longhorns at bay, while Ole Miss matched the SEC Tournament record with just three turnovers.
SEC TOURNAMENT HISTORY
Since playing in their first SEC postseason tournament back in 1933, Ole Miss has gone 37-61 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 34 games played this season, Ole Miss has had 10 or less turnovers in 21 contests, including 16 of their 21 games against SEC foes. Their season average of 9.7 turnovers per game is the 31st-best mark in the nation and second in the conference, while their clip of 8.8 per game was second best in the SEC during regular season 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.
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 led all qualifying players averaging at least 20 minutes per game with just nine turnovers during the regular 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 4.3 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 43, 29 from Malik Dia, and 25 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: 15-19, 4-14 SEC)
Head Coach: Chris Beard • 3rd Season at Ole Miss (59-43) • 296-141 career record (14th Season)
Arkansas Razorbacks (Record: 24-8, 13-5 SEC)
Head Coach: John Calipari • 2nd Season at Arkansas (46-22) • 859-283 career record (34th Season)
ON THE AIR
Television: ESPN
Play-by-Play: Karl Ravech
Analyst: Jimmy Dykes
Reporter: Alyssa Lang
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: Gary Darby
Analyst: Murphy Holloway
SERIES HISTORY VS. ARKANSAS
The Rebels and Razorbacks have faced each other 89 times in their long history dating back to 1937, with Arkansas leading the series 53-36. Under head coach Chris Beard, Ole Miss has won three of their four matchups, including a thrilling 83-80 victory in last year's SEC Tournament.
LAST MEETING: January 7, 2026 (L, 87-94, Oxford, Miss.)
• Ole Miss battelled back from a halftime deficit by scoring 55 in the second half before falling short.
• Malik Dia (Ole Miss): 16 points, six rebounds, one assist, two blocks, two steals.
• Darius Acuff Jr. (Arkansas): 26 points, nine assists, one block, two steals.
THE RUN CONTINUES
Lined up in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament with the No. 2 seed and 15th-ranked team nationally, Ole Miss took down Alabama 80-79 for their third win at the postseason event. It marks the third time Ole Miss has won three games at the tournament, with the other two instances coming during their title runs in 1981 and 2013. It marks just the second time ever that a double-digit seed has won three games at the SEC Tournament, with the other instance coming from 13-seeded Auburn in 2015. Across three games here in Nashville at the tournament, Ole Miss has still not trailed their opponent.
AS SWEET AS THE FIRST
Following a regular season overtime win in Athens, Ole Miss matched up with the Georgia Bulldogs in the second round of the 2026 SEC Tournament on Thursday. Storming out to an early lead and holding off a second-half comeback, the Rebels picked up a 76-72 victory behind 19 points from AJ Storr, 17 from Malik Dia, and 16 from Travis Perry. James Scott pulled in a season-best 13 rebounds and added a trio of blocks on defense, while Ilias Kamardine scored eight and dished out four assists with four steals.
While Georgia entered the night as the third-highest scoring offense in the nation, Ole Miss held them to their lowest point total and field goal percentage in a first half this year.
The last time Ole Miss earned two wins at the SEC Tournament came in 2013, during their title run.
SURVIVE AND ADVANCE
Facing each other for the first time ever in the SEC Tournament, Ole Miss picked up the lone victory for the lower seeds in the first round, defeating Texas 76-66 on Wednesday night. Behind a strong defensive performance, blazing start by Malik Dia, and season-best 50 points in the paint, the Rebels earned another day of basketball as they moved on to the second round. A season-high 12 steals combined with six blocks kept the Longhorns at bay, while Ole Miss matched the SEC Tournament record with just three turnovers.
SEC TOURNAMENT HISTORY
Since playing in their first SEC postseason tournament back in 1933, Ole Miss has gone 37-61 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 34 games played this season, Ole Miss has had 10 or less turnovers in 21 contests, including 16 of their 21 games against SEC foes. Their season average of 9.7 turnovers per game is the 31st-best mark in the nation and second in the conference, while their clip of 8.8 per game was second best in the SEC during regular season 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.
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 led all qualifying players averaging at least 20 minutes per game with just nine turnovers during the regular 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 4.3 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 43, 29 from Malik Dia, and 25 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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