Retro Rebels: Stage is set for Ole Miss basketball’s Throwback Game in the Tad Pad
Chris Beard hasn’t even been at Ole Miss a year. Matthew Murrell is in his fourth Rebel season.
And yet’s it’s Beard who has the previous Tad Pad experience. Beard coached his Texas Tech Red Raiders against Andy Kennedy’s Ole Miss Rebels in the NIT in 2010. Ole Miss would be the fourth team he’s taken to the NCAA Tournament since 2016.
The Rebels came out on top in the game and advanced to the NIT semifinals at legendary Madison Square Garden in New York City.
“I think the winner of that game got to go to New York City,” Beard said Thursday. “A.K. was a personal friend of ours. Still is. My first time to Oxford.
“Lots of memories from that trip.”
Murrell, meanwhile, has spent all of his Ole Miss time in The Pavilion.
The Pavilion in 2016 replaced Tad Smith Coliseum as the home of Rebel basketball. Ever since, the Tad Pad has mostly been used as a university venue for graduations, etc.
Ole Miss spent 50 years and 700 games in the Tad Pad. The Rebels reached the NCAA Tournament eight times, including the Sweet 16 in 2001, which still holds as the greatest achievement in program history.
“Man, it’s a lot surrounding this game,” Murrell said. “The Tad Pad means so much to Ole Miss and us. It means a lot to our program. There would be no Pavilion without the Tad Pad, and it’s just so many emotions surrounding this game.
“It’s a great opportunity.”
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Ole Miss has practiced in the arena each of the last two days.
The Rebels (3-0) tip off against Sam Houston State (1-2) Friday at 8 p.m. CT. They’ll honor former Ole Miss head coach Rob Evans.
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Beard said the Rebels will practice in the Tad Pad once more on Thursday evening at 5 p.m.. The session is/was open to students.
“We did get the guys over there twice to kind of get used to the environment,” Beard said. “This morning we had a full-speed practice. Later tonight, we’ll get some shots up.”
Ole Miss had produced just one winning season in the previous nine years when Evans took over in 1993. Ole Miss earned back-to-back NCAA Tournament bids for the first time in 1997 and 1998. The consecutive 20-win seasons were the first for the Rebels since 1937 and 1938.
Evans was named SEC Coach of the Year. In all, he led six of his 14 teams to the postseason. He owns a 205-201 overall record as a college head coach.
“This is one of the real pioneers in our game,” Beard said. “He’s a legend. Great American. Opened many doors for many, many people. It’s much more than just basketball, but in terms of basketball, it’s really easy to talk about.
“He built the program here.”
