Chris Beard continues to add quality pieces ahead of first season at Ole Miss
Chris Beard’s hiring by Ole Miss men’s basketball was almost a sure-fire bet to help inject some much-needed juice into the Rebels’ oft-irrelevant program, although it came with plenty of controversy along the way. The former Texas head coach, who was ousted from the Longhorns back in January after being arrested on a domestic violence charge, is already bringing in quality talent to Oxford and looks to have Ole Miss on the verge of contending with the SEC’s best in 2023-24.
The latest addition to Beard’s roster for next season is former five-star Moussa Cisse, a 7-foot-1 center who began his college career at Memphis before transferring to Oklahoma State for the last two seasons. Back in the portal again this offseason, Cisse announced his second transfer to Ole Miss on Sunday morning. He will need a waiver from the NCAA to play immediately.
Cisse was once a former Kentucky target out of high school, even making his list of finalists, but he ultimately landed with Memphis in July 2020. The Wildcats did not reach out to Cisse once he entered the portal for the second time.
Coach Beard has now added four starting-caliber players from the portal so far this offseason. Along with Cisse, who is considered the 27th-best transfer portal prospect by On3, Ole Miss is bringing in Georgetown wing Brandon Murray, Arizona State point guard Austin Nunez, and Western Kentucky center Jamarion Sharp.
During his junior season at Oklahoma State, Cisse put together per-game averages of 6.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks in 22.6 minutes. He shot over 58 percent from the field, starting in 20 of the 32 games he appeared in.
Kentucky fans are most familiar with Sharp, who became well-known in the college basketball world as the country’s top shot blocker as a member of the Hilltoppers the last two seasons. The 7-foot-5 big man posted eight points, six rebounds, and seven blocks in just 25 minutes of action when WKU lost to Kentucky, 95-66, back in Dec. 2021 at Rupp Arena.
Sharp and Cisse will form one of the longest and most effective rim-protecting frontcourt duos in all of college basketball.
Murray is also a familiar face, having played for LSU during his freshman season in 2020-21 before transferring to Georgetown this past season. Coaching changes at both programs prompted those decisions, but he’ll look to stick with the Rebels. The 6-foot-5 Murray averaged 13.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game for the Hoyas this past season.
Lastly, Nunez was a role player as a freshman last year for Arizona State, averaging 4.5 points and 1.1 rebounds in 16.3 minutes per contest. He comes to Oxford with goals of a bigger role as a sophomore. Beard has also brought in three incoming freshmen, highlighted by four-star center Rashaud Marshall.
Ole Miss has lost five of its own players from last season’s roster to the transfer portal, but Beard has reloaded quickly and should have the Rebels ready to compete from the jump. Last season’s leading scorer Matthew Murrell (14.4 PPG) is back too, as is second-leading scorer Jaemyn Brakefield (11.1 PPG).
Kentucky and Ole Miss play once every year, with the 2023-24 showdown set to take place at Rupp Arena in Lexington. UK has won 13 of the last 14 matchups against the Rebels.
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