Excitement Builds as Ole Miss Rebels Basketball Prepares for Season Opener in Oxford

Excitement Grows for Ole Miss Rebels Basketball in Oxford

As the beautiful city of Oxford prepares to embrace basketball season, the Ole Miss Rebels are building some momentum and anticipation in men’s basketball. With just five days to go before the opening tip-off, the team is fine-tuning their skills and strategies, gearing up for what looks to be an exciting campaign.

Solid Performance from Last Season

Last year, the Rebels closed out the season with a respectable 20-12 record. However, this season is all about taking things up a notch. The addition of standout guard Sean Pedulla is a game-changer, and his performance during the recent charity match has left fans buzzing with excitement. Even though he didn’t have the best shooting day, scoring only seven points, he showcased his playmaking skills with a standout stat line, featuring eight assists and just one turnover! That kind of efficiency is something head coach Chris Beard is thrilled about.

Coach Beard’s Confidence in Pedulla

Coach Beard was all smiles during his postgame remarks, emphasizing how much this effective play, especially from a guard, can do for the team’s success. “I mean, eight assists and one turnover, there’ll be a lot of happy moments in this room if we can get that kind of assist-to-turnover ratio from our guard play,” he said. He also commended Pedulla’s competitive spirit and unselfishness, highlighting that, “This guy scored 17 or 18 points a game in the ACC. He’s a bucket. Sean has some aspirations to play after college, and I see that vision.”

A Team of Unselfish Contributors

But it’s not just Pedulla who is making waves. The Rebels as a unit really shine when it comes to sharing the basketball, evidenced by their impressive tally of 25 assists during the charity game. “We set this team up to have unselfishness, and we obviously did today. Twenty-five assists isn’t something you see every day, and it really shows where our guys were mentally and how much they care about sharing the ball,” Beard reflected.

Building Excitement

The excitement surrounding this season continues to grow. The Rebels earned their first preseason top 25 ranking in 26 years, giving the fans plenty to cheer about. The energy at the Sunday morning charity matchup was electric, as the team started strong, hitting their first five shots and never looking back against a tough opponent from the Big Ten. The confidence exuding from these players is clear; they’re working hard, trusting the coaching staff, and they believe they deserve their top 25 status, and maybe even more.

Stars to Watch This Season

This year, the Rebels are looking to lean on several key players, including Jaylen Murray, Malik Dia, Sean Pedulla, and Matthew Murrell. While Murray and Murrell were part of the team last season, each of these players averaged over 13 points a game last year, and they’re eager to build their chemistry and increase those numbers even further this season. The goal isn’t just to compete; they’re aiming for the top.

Aiming High in the SEC

As the season unfolds, the buzz around Oxford is that the Rebels aim for a top 3 finish in the SEC and have their sights set on making a deep tournament run. Will they ascend to the pinnacle of the conference standings, or could they make their way back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019? Only time will tell, but fans are anxious to find out.

Season Opener on the Horizon

With the season opener against Long Island scheduled for Monday at 7:30 p.m. CT at the SJB Pavilion, the Ole Miss Rebels are ready to hit the court and prove they truly mean business this season. As all eyes turn to the action, there’s no doubt that this basketball season in Oxford is shaping up to be one for the books!