Ole Miss basketball is coming off one of its best seasons in a long time, making the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2001. Going into this year under head coach Chris Beard, the buzz around the program is consistent.
Since Beard's arrival, he has talked about creating opportunities. That comes the way of the nonconference schedule, with SEC play knowingly difficult. However, it has been reported that they are making an opportunity by playing a quality Big East Conference team.
Zach Braziller with the New York Post reported that the Rebels will face St. John's at the iconic Madison Square Garden on December 6. It has not been confirmed by anybody around the program or media close to Ole Miss, but it would be a fantastic matchup between two 2025 NCAA Tournament teams.
During the 2024-25 season, St. John's finished with a 31-5 overall record and went 18-2 in the Big East. After beating Omoha in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, they lost to Arkansas in the second round.
As mentioned, Beard wants to face good teams before SEC play, putting them in good stead in the hardest college basketball conferences. That showed last season when 14 SEC schools made the tournament, setting a record. Preparation for that results in facing tough schools, something St. John's 100% are.
In nonconference play in the 2024-25 season, the Rebels played BYU, Purdue, Louisville, and Memphis, going 2-2 in those games against four solid Tournament teams. They also faced Colorado State and won.
Beard is currently looking at building his roster for the 2025-26 season, and alongside the return of Malik Dia, they have brought in several top transfers to go along with the 2025 recruits. It should be another good season for the Rebels.