This has been a difficult season for Ole Miss and Chris Beard. It’s not one he wants to repeat.
Probably the final game arrives Wednesday night in the SEC Tournament.
Ole Miss hash a 12-19 overall record, 4-14 in conference play. The Rebels will face Texas at 6 p.m. on Wednesday in Nashville, hoping the conference event can extend their season.
Hope may be their best option in this one and Beard probably is already looking ahead to what he can do about it in the off-season.
“Regardless of what kind of season you have, conference tournaments bring opportunities,” Beard said. “Most of the teams around the country are playing for an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament. That’s the situation we find ourselves in this year.”
Ole Miss reached the Sweet 16 last season, tying the program’s best finish in the NCAA Tournament. This year’s results have been much different as the team prepares for what could be the final games of the season.
Rebels Face Uphill Climb Entering SEC Tournament
The Rebels have struggled during the closing stretch of the regular season. Ole Miss dropped 12 of its final 13 games leading into the SEC Tournament.
Texas also enters the postseason looking to regain momentum. The Longhorns lost four of their final five contests before traveling to Nashville.
The matchup brings together teams with contrasting postseason outlooks. Texas owns an 18-13 record and finished 9-9 in SEC play during its first season in the conference.
Ole Miss is seeking its third SEC Tournament championship. The Rebels previously won the event in 1981 and again in 2013 when Marshall Henderson earned tournament Most Valuable Player honors.
Overall, Ole Miss holds a 34-61 record in the conference tournament.
Beard said the program is grateful for the support fans provided throughout the season despite the team’s struggles.
“The whole season’s been tough,” Beard said. “We’ve obviously got to put a better product on the floor. I really want to thank the season-ticket holders and the students who supported the team this year.
“We’re going to do everything we possibly can in the next 12 months to put a better product on the floor next year. Our guys will keep fighting.”
Series History Between Texas, Ole Miss
The teams met earlier this season when the Rebels traveled to Austin in February. The Longhorns won 79-68.
That game marked Beard’s first return to Austin since he was dismissed by Texas more than three years ago. He is finishing his third season as Ole Miss head coach.
Eduardo Klafke led the Rebels in the February meeting with 16 points while adding six rebounds and four assists.
Texas received a big performance from Matas Vokietaitis, who scored 27 points. He made nine of his 10 shots from the field and converted nine of 12 attempts at the free-throw line. Vokietaitis also recorded seven rebounds, one assist and one block in the victory.
The Longhorns hold a 10-7 advantage in the all-time series. Texas is also 3-0 against Ole Miss on neutral courts.
Wednesday’s contest will be the first time the programs meet in the SEC Tournament or any postseason event.
Texas Brings Strong Offensive Numbers
Texas enters the matchup with several strong statistical categories.
The Longhorns average 84.4 points per game, placing them among the higher-scoring teams nationally. They also rank among the national leaders in free throws, sitting fifth in made free throws and seventh in attempts.
Texas is also strong on the glass. The Longhorns are inside the national top 25 in rebound margin with a plus-7.6 average.
Forward Dailyn Swain leads Texas in scoring and rebounding. The SEC Newcomer of the Year averages 17.7 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.
Swain transferred with head coach Sean Miller from Xavier and has become a key part of the Longhorns’ lineup. He’s shooting 55.4 percent from the field and ranks among the conference leaders in steals with 55.
Vokietaitis provides another scoring option for Texas. He averages 15.7 points per game and has made 170 of his 244 attempts at the free-throw line this season.
Odds and Tournament Outlook
Texas enters the SEC Tournament as the No. 10 seed and holds a NET ranking of No. 41. The Longhorns are No. 33 in KenPom ratings.
According to ESPN bracket projections by Joe Lunardi, Texas currently sits just inside the NCAA Tournament field as one of the final teams receiving a bye.
Oddsmakers list Texas as a 5.5-point favorite in Wednesday’s matchup. The projected point total for the game is 145.5.
Ole Miss, LSU and Mississippi State share the longest odds to win the SEC Tournament at +30000. Florida holds the shortest odds at −180.
Against the spread this season, Texas is 16-14. Ole Miss is 11-20 overall and 3-14 when listed as an underdog. The Rebels are also 0-5 against the spread on neutral courts.
How to Watch, Listen
• Television: SEC Network
• Play-by-play: Tom Hart
• Analyst: Dane Bradshaw
• Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
• Play-by-play: Gary Darby
• Analyst: Murphy Holloway
