Ole Miss Men and Women’s Basketball are preparing for their first round NCAA Tournament games on Friday, March 21. This tournament is the first time the two programs have made March Madness in the same year.
Men’s
The Rebels enter the NCAA Tournament as a six seed and will face No. 11 seed North Carolina in the First Round at 3:05 p.m. Friday at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis.
The Tar Heels defeated San Diego State 95-68 in a play-in game on Tuesday.
RJ Davis notched 26 points on the evening for North Carolina, while Jae’Lyn Withers added 10 rebounds and 10 points.
North Carolina is a blue blood program, a factor that helped them make the tournament and is a cause for concern for this upcoming game. While Ole Miss is making its first tournament appearance since 2019, the Tar Heels are making their 27th consecutive tournament appearance.
One of the Rebels’ main advantages is their turnover margin. Ole Miss finished as the top team in the SEC in turnover margin, forcing 5.4 more turnovers per game than they committed.
North Carolina is average on turnover margin, forcing 10.8 turnovers per game but also giving up 10.8 turnovers per game.
Another Ole Miss strength is its resume. As head coach Chris Beard pointed out earlier this week in response to Ole Miss being called “frauds,” Ole Miss has 11 losses on the year, losing only to teams selected to play in the NCAA Tournament.
They also made it out of fierce SEC competition with above a .500 record — a major feat considering 14 SEC teams gained NCAA Tournament bids. The Rebels secured signature wins against then-No. 4 Alabama on the road, then-No. 14 Kentucky and No. 4 Tennessee at home.
One of the main players to watch in this game is Davis, who leads North Carolina in points scored and minutes played. Davis also has March Madness experience and was a key player in the Tar Heels’ run in the 2023 tournament when they went to the Sweet Sixteen. In total, Davis has played in 10 NCAA Tournament games.
Ole Miss needs to win the turnover battle, try to keep up with rebounding and prevent North Carolina players, especially Davis, from getting hot.
There are not many other 11 seeds who carry the weight that the Tar Heels do, but Ole Miss’ upperclassmen lineup filled with seniors should make a competitive First Round game.
Women’s
With their best seeding in history, the Ole Miss Women’s Basketball team enters the NCAA Tournament as a five seed, facing 12 seed Ball State, on Friday at 5 p.m. at Foster Pavilion in Waco, Texas.
The Cardinals won the Mid-American Conference with a 27-7 record, losing only three conference games.
Ball State is led by forward Alex Richard, averaging 16.5 points per game. Four players average double digits, showcasing offensive prowess. They average 37.6 rebounds and 16.2 assists per game.
However, this is only the Cardinals’ second tournament appearance and first since 2009, a stark contrast to the Lady Rebels.
Ole Miss is making its fourth straight and 21st overall tournament appearance. The Lady Rebels secured another 20-win season, and despite an early SEC Tournament exit they had key wins over LSU, Kentucky and Vanderbilt.
Like Ball State, Ole Miss has four double-digit scorers. Madison Scott leads with 11.9 points per game. The Lady Rebels average 38.5 rebounds and 17 assists. Freshman Sira Thienou has been a breakout star, averaging 10.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.5 steals per game, anchoring the defense.
The matchup looks even on paper, but coaching and experience could be decisive. Ole Miss head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin is highly respected. Every returning Lady Rebel has played in March, where intensity rises. Ball State is talented but lacks experience.
A key factor will be Scott and Kennedy Todd-Williams controlling the game. When both perform well, Ole Miss is dominant. If one struggles, the offense can falter.
Overall, the Lady Rebels have the edge, but in March, anything can happen.
