Rebels Going Dancing! Ole Miss Men’s Basketball earns No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament
OXFORD, Miss. – For the first time since 2019, the Ole Miss Men’s Basketball team will officially play in the NCAA tournament, also known as March Madness.
Ole Miss men’s basketball is going dancing! #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/HBOpexnlEL
— The Rebel Walk (@TheRebelWalk) March 16, 2025
Chris Beard’s Rebels finished the regular season with a 22-11 record, including 8 quad one wins and 10 quad one losses. Highlighting those key wins, Ole Miss upset highly ranked seed Alabama, Tennessee, and Louisville, among others. Recently in the SEC tournament, the Rebs took down Arkansas in thrilling fashion and nearly upset the No. 1 seed Auburn, losing 62-57.
The No. 1 seed in the South region is Auburn, followed by the No. 2 seed, Michigan State.
Statistically, Sean Pedulla led the team in scoring this season for Ole Miss, averaging 14.9 points per game, with five other teammates averaging double digits. On the opposing end, Pedulla and Matt Murrell averaged almost two steals a game, proving to be elite perimeter defenders.
March Madness
No. 6 seed Ole Miss will play in the South region against the winner of the play-in game between No. 11 San Diego State and North Carolina in the first round. The game will be located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and take place on Friday.
If the Rebels’ advance to the second round, they’ll face the winner of No. 3 Iowa State or No. 14 Lipscomb on Sunday. In big news for Iowa State, the Cyclones’ 6-foot-4 guard Keshon Gilbert will not be able to play in the tournament due to injury.
T.J. Otzelberger told reporters tonight that Iowa State’s Keshon Gilbert (muscle strain) will not be available moving forward.
Has not played since 3/12.
Averages 13.4 PPG.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 16, 2025
SEC in the Tourney
The SEC has broken the record for most conference teams to receive an NCAA Tournament. Fourteen SEC teams are going to the Big Dance, breaking the record of 11 teams set by the Big East in 2011.
The fourteen SEC teams, along with their seed and region, are:
- Alabama – No. 2-seed, East
- Arkansas – No. 10-seed, West
- Auburn – No. 1-seed overall, South
- Florida – No. 1-seed, West
- Georgia – No. 9-seed, Midwest
- Kentucky – No. 3-seed, Midwest
- Mississippi State – No. 8-seed, East
- Missouri – No. 6-seed, West
- Oklahoma – No. 9-seed, West
- Ole Miss – No. 6-seed, South
- Tennessee – No. 2-seed, Tennessee
- Texas – No. 11-seed Midwest, First Four vs. Xavier
- Texas A&M – No. 4-seed, South
- Vanderbilt – No. 10-seed, East
As we enter the madness, be sure to stay tuned with The Rebel Walk for all of your Ole Miss sports coverage!
