Ole Miss didn’t fly to Puerto Rico looking for a trophy, which is good considering the Rebels lost their first game Tuesday.
Chris Beard wanted something much simpler. He wanted to see whether all the work from June and July would hold up against someone who wasn’t wearing an Ole Miss practice jersey.
Two games later, the Rebels got exactly what they needed.
They lost the first matchup to Los Boris 100-93 on Tuesday, then bounced back with a 92-75 win on Wednesday. There were no box scores, no shooting splits, no rebounding numbers.
Just final scores and a few details from the Ole Miss staff. But even without stats, you could tell the second game looked and felt more like real basketball.
Tuesday was Beard’s experiment. He asked for 12-minute quarters to stretch the game out and give himself more minutes to work with. He rolled through loose rotations, mixed lineups, and treated the opener like a live-action lab session. It was less about rhythm and more about reps.
Wednesday was different. Beard tightened the rotation, went back to a traditional 40-minute college format and leaned into a more structured game plan.
The Rebels responded with a cleaner performance and a comfortable win. It wasn’t about proving anything in early August, but it did show what the team looks like when the pace and format resemble what they’ll see in November.
One notable piece of news came from multiple reports that newcomer Ben Henshall didn’t play in either game. He didn’t arrive in Oxford until late last week, so the staff kept him out while he settles in. His absence doesn’t change much, but it’s worth noting since he’s expected to be part of the rotation once the season gets closer.
Beard said the trip had two main purposes: build relationships and get a feel for the team against real competition. He felt they accomplished both.
“We had two purposes on the trip. First and foremost, continue to build our relationships, work on our culture, and become more of a team,” Beard said in a statement provided by Ole Miss. “I think we did that the first couple days, and we still have one more day in Puerto Rico, so it’s a real priority. From a basketball standpoint, there were some things way more important than the scoreboard in these two games. I think we accomplished a lot. Got every player on the team, some valuable minutes, played some different combinations. We recognized the quality competition we played against in both games. Very appreciative of the Puerto Rico basketball Association here. Both days, we were playing against some real pros. And so, overall, a great trip, excited to get back to Oxford.”
Ole Miss will wrap up its summer work this week before shifting into preseason mode in October. UAB and Alabama await in exhibition games.
Puerto Rico wasn’t about results, but the Rebels still managed to leave with a win, a clearer picture of their roster and a reminder that August is for growth, not panic.
