Where does Ole Miss basketball land in the latest way-too-early rankings by ESPN

Year one under head coach Chris Beard was better than most expected but fell flat when it got to conference play. During his time as head coach of Texas Tech, Beard helped the program jump in performance in year two, and he hopes to do the same with Ole Miss in the 2024-25 season.

Looking at how the off-season has gone so far, Ole Miss basketball fans will be itching to see this team on the court with the talent they have. Basketball writer at ESPN, Jeff Borzello, agrees, expecting big things from the Rebels.

Borzello released his top 25 way-too-early college basketball rankings, with Ole Miss sneaking in. The Rebels were ranked No.20, moving up two spots from where they were ranked during the transfer portal. They moved above Florida and UCLA, with the Bruins dropping below Kentucky and Texas.

Ole Miss's ranking in the top 25 was mainly due to the talent Chris Beard had brought in via the transfer portal. Talented guards such as Sean Pedulla (Virginia Tech) and Dre Davis (Seton Hall) were big gets via the portal, while three other transfer players averaged double figures in scoring.

Matthew Murrell and Malik Dia returning to college was significant

When Ole Miss was ranked No.22 around a month ago, Matthew Murrell and transfer Malik Dia were uncertain returnees. When both declared they were returning to college, it boosted an already talented roster.

Murrell led the team in scoring last season, averaging 16.2 points per game. He also led in steals and was the difference in many of the Rebels' games. Adding other consistent scoring players could help Murrell's game even more next season.

Malik Dia, who transferred from Belmont, also decided to return to college for another year. Dia adds size to the roster and is projected as a starter for next season.

With the returning players and the transfer portal additions, Jeff Borzello said that Ole Miss has one of the most talented and experienced rotations in the SEC.