Chris Beard details value of Ole Miss vs. NC State series

Last week, it was reported by CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein that Ole Miss and NC State were finalizing an agreement to play a neutral site game this season on December 21. According to Rothstein, the game will be played in Greensboro, NC and there will be a return game during the 2026-27 season at a yet to be determined location in Mississippi.

Ole Miss head coach Chris Beard, fresh off a run to the Sweet Sixteen last season, discussed his decision to set up the two-year series with the Wolfpack and detailed the value of playing such games.

“Just our quest to try and play the best teams in the country,” Beard said. “I’ve got a lot of respect for Will [Wade] and what he’s done along the way in his coaching spots, most recently with McNeese [State]. So proud of Brandon Murray and what he did there last season. It’s a chance to play a BCS opponent with a coaching staff that we have a lot of respect for with how they play the game. We know that they’ll be an NCAA Tournament team this year (in my opinion) kinda like the way I felt about Louisville last year.”

The Rebels traveled to Louisville for a non-conference clash with the Cardinals on December 3 of last season, where they came out on top 86-63. This would end up being a marquee win for Mississippi, setting it up with a No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Chris Beard is all for home-and-home series’

“Basically it just has to be neutral in the state of Mississippi,” Beard said when asked where the second game would be played. “It’s a complex thing. I much prefer those games to be on campus with a home-and-home, but it’s very challenging in today’s scheduling format. The criteria that you look at all year to get to the NCAA Tournament, there’s higher value placed on neutral site games. So that’s why you see that a lot in college. But in my opinion, something needs to be done with that. There’s got to be something where programs are rewarded for the old school home-and-home because you want your season ticket holders and students to enjoy that part of college basketball.”

“Now here in Oxford, we’re blessed whether we take that game to South Haven or Tupelo or Jackson, we’ve got some locations here with some great cities and great facilities, but I don’t know where that will be.”

Ole Miss is entering the third season of the Beard era, where he’s led the Rebels to a 44-24 (17-19) record. NC State is heading into the first season of the Will Wade era, as it poached the former VCU/LSU/McNeese State head coach this offseason. Over his 11-year career at four different schools (including Chattanooga), Wade boasts a 246-105 record with seven NCAA Tournament appearances.