The Ole Miss Men’s Basketball team will return to the historic Tad Smith Coliseum for a mid-November matchup against Sam Houston State. This idea came up shortly after new Head Coach Chris Beard arrived on campus, and it will finally come to fruition at 8 p.m. Nov. 17.
There has not been an Ole Miss basketball game held in the “Tad Pad” since December 2015 when the Rebels topped Troy University 83-80.
This throwback game has been a legacy move for Beard. He has accomplished similar feats during his previous stops at Texas, Texas Tech and Little Rock. Beard sees this as an opportunity to get fans excited about this season.
Ole Miss Basketball had a long history inside the Tad Pad, playing 700 games while going 490-210 over a 50-year period. The Coliseum functioned as the Rebels’ home arena from 1966-2015.
A throwback game like this does not come without logistical questions: Will this actually excite fans and former players? How much will tickets cost? Will this become a yearly event? Does the Ole Miss Women’s Basketball program intend on holding a throwback game as well?
This throwback game is a form of fan service for Rebel nation. The Tad Pad holds a special place in the hearts of some fans and many former players.
Zach Graham, a member of the Ole Miss Men’s Basketball team from 2007-2001, said, “What do you mean nostalgia for the arena? The Tad Pad was one of the hardest places in the SEC for teams to play on the road. A lot of big wins in there.
“I walked into the Tad Pad as an 18-year-old kid and walked out as a 22-year-old young man,” he said.
It makes sense for former players to love the idea of a Tad Pad throwback, but it is more unclear how current Ole Miss students, who never got the opportunity to experience a game in the Tad Pad, will perceive a return to the former home arena.
Zoe Barnes, a second-year juris doctorate candidate, said, “I’m super excited about the throwback game in the Tad Pad. I’m a sucker for anything nostalgic, and the throwback game feels like a way for current students to immerse ourselves in the history of the university and the basketball program.”
As for the cost of attendance, prices will vary based on what kind of ticket is purchased and when said ticket is purchased. Tickets bought before the day of the game will cost $19.97 in honor of former Rebels Coach Rob Evans’ 1997 Coach of the Year awards. General admission for those who buy tickets on the day of the game will be $25; there is also a VIP package available for $200.
There are no immediate plans for the Ole Miss Women’s Basketball team to host a throwback game of their own.
Head Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin said, “(We will) probably not (play a game in the Tad Pad), but I do think it’s great that the men are doing it.”
If the Tad Pad throwback game goes over well among fans and former players, there is a huge possibility it becomes a yearly event, and maybe by that time it will be a men’s and women’s basketball tradition.
Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Keith Carter said, “Tad Smith Coliseum hosted many great games over its 50-year lifespan, and it will be fun to bring back some nostalgic feelings for our longtime hoops fans plus showcase the history of the building to some of our younger fans.”
