Beard’s Strategic Seating: Ole Miss coach brings veteran Rebels into NCAA Tournament spotlight
Chris Beard intentionally sat between Matthew Murrell and Jaemyn Brakefield at the NCAA Tournament Selection Show on Sunday.
The Rebels held a watch party at Funky’s on the Square and earned a 6-seed. They’ll face the winner of San Diego State and North Carolina on Friday.
Murrell and Brakefield are the longest-tenured Ole Miss basketball Rebels. Murrell’s is in his fifth season, all at Ole Miss, while Brakefield is in his fourth following a transfer from Duke.
Not until this season have they ever sniffed the NCAA Tournament.
“This is a day we’ve always visualized,” Beard said. “There hasn’t been a day this year I haven’t thought about those two guys and not wanting to let them down. Anything but playing in this tournament wouldn’t be what we all set out to do. Really happy for Matt and Brake today.”
Ole Miss is dancing for the first time since 2019 and just the 10th time ever in the program’s 115-year existence.
“It’s special, man,” Beard said. “Selection Show Sunday is one of those days you start talking about way back in the summer. Really happy for the players. Playing on Friday is always what we want. We’re going to play a really good team; that’s what the NCAA Tournament is all about. But I think we’re up for it.”
Ole Miss is in the South Region, which also features top overall seed Auburn and 4-seed Texas A&M.
Fourteen of the SEC’s 16 teams account for 20 percent of the overall field. The SEC had a collective 89 percent winning percentage in the non-conference, a first in college basketball history.
Tipoff in Milwaukee on Friday is approximately 3:05 CT on TNT. The Rebels would draw 3-seed Iowa State or 14-seed Lipscomb should they advance. Iowa State lead guard Keshon Gilbert has already been ruled out for the postseason with a groin injury.
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“I’ve never been in this situation,” Beard said. “Been to a lot of NCAA Tournaments but never played the winner of the play-in game. Not sure how I feel about that.”
Chris Beard gives his initial thoughts on Ole Miss making the NCAA Tournament live from @Funkys. https://t.co/CRi0YLEbzD pic.twitter.com/0pMopthUtR
— Billy Embody (@BillyEmbody) March 16, 2025
Ole Miss is one of just 26 schools in the country to make a bowl and reach the NCAA Tournament in the same season.
Rebel football won 10 games for the third time in four years, including a 56-20 win over Duke in the Gator Bowl.
The last time a Beard-coached team was in Milwaukee for the NCAA Tournament Texas picked up its first tournament win in eight years over Sean Pedulla and Virginia Tech.
Pedulla this season was an All-SEC selection and Ole Miss’ leading scorer.
“Days like today are all about the players and the amount of work that’s gone into this,” Beard said. “But these guys trusting and believing in Ole Miss in the recruiting process, both the guys that came back and the guys that chose us, we all did this on faith. We talked about what we could do. Just really happy for the players.
“We want to be us. We had a good season and earned the high seed that we got. We don’t want to show up to the tournament and try to be someone we’re not. Secondly, we want to enjoy the ride. Another week with the team. Great competition. Be us and smell the roses.”
The included photos from the watch party were provided by Ole Miss Athletics.
