Ole Miss Basketball: Grove Grinder, Whew, What A Bracket!

ST LOUIS, MO - MARCH 18: Head coach Kermit Davis of the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders reacts on the sideline in the first half against the Michigan State Spartans during the first round of the 2016 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Scottrade Center on March 18, 2016 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
ST LOUIS, MO - MARCH 18: Head coach Kermit Davis of the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders reacts on the sideline in the first half against the Michigan State Spartans during the first round of the 2016 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Scottrade Center on March 18, 2016 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Coach Kermit Davis and Ole Miss basketball are fixing to be put to a tough test in the NCAA Tourney and it begins Friday.

Coach Kermit Davis and No.8 seed Ole Miss basketball (20-12) in the 2019 NCAA Tourney this Friday and this could be their toughest test of the 2018-2019 Ole Miss basketball season. The Rebels will open the NCAA Tourney against the No.9 seed Oklahoma Sooners (19-13) in Columbia, South Carolina as part of the South Region.

When you look at the South Region you first notice Tennessee. The Rebels and Vols were two of seven SEC teams selected for the Big Dance but the only SEC schools playing in the South Region. Could the Rebels and Vols meet? We suppose anything is possible but there are other quality teams also in the South Region. The competition will be tough for both teams but especially for the Rebels.

The Challenge Ahead

Ole Miss Rebels
Ole Miss Rebels /

Ole Miss Rebels

Should the Rebels defeat the No.9 seed Oklahoma Sooners in their NCAA Tourney opener they will then have to face the winner between No.1 seed Virginia and No.16 seed Gardener-Webb. Should the Rebels win that game they would face one of four teams, No. 5 seed Wisconsin, No.12 seed Oregon, No.4 seed Kansas State or No.13 seed UC-Irvine.

The rest of the South Region is as equally tough with matchups between No.6 seed Villanova and No.11 seed Saint Mary’s, No.3 seed Purdue and No.14 seed Old Dominion, No.7 seed Cincinnati and No.10 seed Iowa and No. 2 seed Tennessee and No.15 seed Colgate. A Rebel run won’t be an easy one for coach Kermit Davis and Ole Miss basketball.

Other Notables

While the South Region looks tough the rest of the NCAA Tourney bracket is just as rough for the SEC. In the East Region there is No.5 seed Miss State who will open the tourney against No.12 seed Liberty and No.3 seed LSU who opens against No.14 seed Yale. In the West Region there is the No.10 seed Florida Gators who will open the tourney against No.7 seed Nevada.

Then there is the Midwest Region in which the No.2 seed Kentucky Wildcats will open against the No. 15 seed Abilene-Christian and No.5 seed Auburn who opens the tourney against No.12 seed New Mexico State. While some of these will be easy wins for the SEC there are those No.1 and upper seeds in each region which will be hurdles for the Rebels and the rest of the SEC teams in the field.

Next. Top Five Moments of AK Era. dark

So March Madness has begun and coach Kermit Davis and Ole Miss basketball are in the Big Dance. Now we see if the Rebels can have a postseason run. Please be sure to check back here at OHT for the OM/OU preview and other updates coming soon. Hotty Toddy!