Ole Miss vs. Texas A&M: How to watch, start time, TV channel

Ole Miss lost for the first time in SEC play Saturday at in-state rival Mississippi State. 

But the Rebels weren’t negatively impacted rankings-wise. If anything, the loss, in overtime, further cemented their contender status. 

Ole Miss (15-3, 4-1 SEC) climbed five spots, to No. 16, in the newest Associated Press Top 25 poll. The SEC had eight teams in the Top 16, including top-ranked Auburn. Ole Miss and Auburn square off on ESPN at 1 p.m. CT on February 1.

Ole Miss picked up its first Top 5 road win in program history at No. 4 Alabama last week. The Crimson Tide remained held at No. 4 after rebounding with a win at Top 10 Kentucky. 

The Rebels are No. 13 in the NET rankings, their highest-ever standing, as well as No. 17 in
KenPom’s Top 25. KenPom also has Ole Miss projected to finish 22-9 overall and fifth in the SEC at 11-7.

KenPom gives the Rebels a 61 parent chance to beat No. 13 Texas A&M in Oxford on Wednesday at 8 p.m. CT. 

ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi has the Rebels a 4-seed in the NCAA Tournament, which would match their best seeding in history. 

“(State was) just a reminder for our team this is round five in the SEC,” second-year Ole Miss head coach Chris Beard said. “This wasn’t the first time we’ve had some adversity this year. Played against a really good team. 

“I hope what the reminder is for our players and what we’ll certainly emphasize our next practice is we’ve got to do what we say we’re going to do. Also known as discipline. You’re not going to make every shot in the game. You’re not going to get every game. But you’ve got to do, at some point, what you say you’re going to do.”

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HOW TO WATCH

Television/Online: ESPN2
Play-by-Play: Tom Hart
Color: Dane Bradshaw
Analyst: Alyssa Lang

HOW TO LISTEN

Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: David Kellum
Color: Marc Dukes

SERIES HISTORY

Ole Miss and Texas A&M first met in basketball in December of 1972. They wouldn’t face each other again until the Aggies joined the SEC for the 2012-13 season. They’ve played 17 all-time games. 

Texas A&M leads the series, 12-5. However, they’ve split (4-4) eight games in Oxford. The teams faced off three times last season, each picking up a win on their opponent’s home floor. Texas A&M eliminated Ole Miss from the SEC Tournament with an 80-71 win. Jaemyn Brakefield, one of just five returners from last season, had 23 points, seven rebounds, five assists, one block and a steal.

SCOUTING TEXAS A&M

Texas A&M is 14-4 (3-2 SEC) on the season and currently 10th in the SEC standings. The Aggies are No. 20 in the NET. 

They picked up notable non-conference wins over No. 21 Ohio State, No. 21 Creighton, Rutgers, Wake Forest, Texas Tech and No. 11 Purdue. The Boilermakers handed Ole Miss its first loss of the year back in the fall.

Texas A&M has SEC wins over Texas, No. 17 Oklahoma and LSU. The Aggies suffered losses to Alabama and No. 8 Kentucky.

SMU transfer Zhuric Phelps is averaging a team-best 15.6 points per game. Veteran returner Wade Taylor, IV, who had 20 points in the Aggies’ win over Ole Miss in the SEC Tournament, is averaging 15.4. Solomon Washington is grabbing an Aggie-high 6.0 rebounds per game.

Actually, Texas A&M, as guided by Washington, is No. 1 in the NCAA in offensive rebounding (16.6 per game). The Aggies are Top 10 in total rebounding (41.4), 11th in free-throw attempts (26.0), 14th in rebound margin (+8.5) and 24th in both free throws made (17.6) and bench points (30.5).

Buzz Williams is in his sixth season as Texas A&M head coach. The Aggies have won 20 or more games three seasons in a row. Williams is a two-time SEC Coach of the Year and came to Texas A&M from Virginia Tech (2014-19). He took the Hokies to the NCAA Tournament in each of his final three seasons. 

Williams also had an accomplished run at Marquette (2008-14). The Golden Eagles won 20 or more games in five of his six seasons, highlighted by a run to the Elite Eight in 2013. His first head coaching job was New Orleans in 2006.