Postseason conversations can wait. Ole Miss is focused on closing regular season on a high note
The first season under head coach Chris Beard is winding down for the Ole Miss men’s basketball team and the final destination was not the intended one back in November.
A struggle through Southeastern Conference play as the Rebels heading into Saturday’s regular season finale with Texas A&M trying to stay on the right side of a first round bye in next week’s SEC Tournament in Nashville.
Not much else is on the line after Ole Miss (20-10, 7-10 SEC) lost at Georgia on Tuesday and all but killed its chances ending the NCAA Tournament drought. A deep run, if not needing to win the whole SEC Tournament is now needed next week and not losing to the Aggies on Senior Day.
The next logical step would be a potential invitation to the NIT but discussion of declining said invitation to start focusing on next season’s roster build is not something Beard is ready to entertain.
When the question was asked to Beard during a media availability on Wednesday it was also framed that he set the bar for this season to make the NCAA Tournament, ending a five-year streak of missing it.
“I don’t think I’ve ever come in here and set the bar at the NCAA Tournament,” Beard said. “We came to Ole Miss to win the SEC. To win six games in the tournament. To do that there’s some steps along the way. We’ve accomplished some of those steps this season and we have some opportunity to continue accomplishing those steps this season.”
Saturday will see a few players end their Ole Miss careers and others hoping to create momentum heading into next season.
The two biggest question marks on the Rebels roster pertaining to their futures in Oxford were directed at Jaemyn Brakefield and Matthew Murrell.
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Two of the cornerstones in Beard’s rebuilding of a foundation at Ole Miss were Brakefield and Murrell. One will be back for the 2024-25 season while another is moving on to the next step in their career.
When both were asked on Wednesday Brakefield responded by saying Saturday will not be his last Ole Miss home game. Murrell confirmed his career playing in the SJB Pavilion will end on Saturday afternoon.
“It’s going to mean a lot,” Murrell said. “Been here four years. Last home game playing in the Pavilion. Obviously, that game holds a lot of weight but we’re just trying to make sure we go out here, do what we need to in order to get this win.”
Murrell is guaranteed two more games in an Ole Miss uniform with Saturday’s regular season finale and the first game in Nashville at the SEC Tournament, whether that ends up being next Wednesday or Thursday.
