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‘Anybody, Anywhere’: Ole Miss, NC State finalizing two-year neutral-site hoops series

Ben Garrettby: Ben Garrett06/23/25SpiritBen
NCAA Basketball: Mississippi State at Mississippi
Ole Miss head coach Chris Beard reacts after defeating the Mississippi State Bulldogs at The Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

Ole Miss and NC State are finalizing a two-year, neutral-site series, according to Jon Rothstein of College Hoops Today. 

The first meeting would be December 21 in Greensboro, North Carolina. The Wolfpack in 2026-27 would make a return trip at a location yet to be announced but closer to the Rebels’ home of Oxford, Mississippi.

“Not easier,” Beard said of putting together the Rebels’ schedule for next season. “It can get easier in some ways if you prove to be a worthy opponent of anybody, anywhere, anytime. You’ve got to be really good to get the schedule that we want at Ole Miss. 

“Sometimes you can’t be too good, though, so it kind of goes on both ends. I think we’re in a really good spot. We’re playing coach (Rick) Pitino and St. John’s in Madison Square Garden, which are the kind of games we crave for, we ask for [and] we work tirelessly all year to try to find. There’s a lot of work to scheduling. We have the responsibility to play really good games for our season-ticket holders. That’s a challenge as well. 

“But we’ll have Memphis coming back, which I think’s a great game for both teams. A lot of respect for Penny (Hardaway) and what they do. NCAA Tournament team, and the proximity of the two campuses, so that’s a good one.”

Ole Miss is three weeks into its summer workout program. 

The Rebels feature three returners from last season’s 24-win team. They signed three Top 100 recruits and eight transfers, including former Eurobasket MVP Ilias Kamardine. 

Ole Miss in 2024-25 matched the program’s greatest-ever single-season accomplishment and reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. The Rebels lost double-digit seniors but replenished their roster with transfers from, among others, Kentucky, LSU, Kansas, Butler, Louisville, St. John’s, Washington and Wisconsin.

NC State is in its first year under former LSU and McNeese State head coach Will Wade. Both teams have signed Top 30 transfer classes this off-season. Ole Miss is No. 21.

“I give those four returning players a lot of credit — they’ve tried to help their teammates get comfortable in Oxford,” Beard said. Walk-on Max Smith is back, too. “The new guys have come in here with a lot of courage. We’ve got some guys already making some strides in the weight room. A few guys academically off to a good start. 

“We’ve got this week and then next week [followed by] July 4th. We’re going to take a few days off. Just trying to get as much done as we can every day. But, again, also letting the guys enjoy Oxford. This is a great college town. It’s summertime. We all know what’s ahead here in a few months. It’s a fine line, for sure.”

RELATED: Augusto Cassia made it clear why he transferred to Ole Miss: ‘Can’t go wrong with coach Beard’

Ole Miss last week learned its home and away opponents for all its SEC games. 

Dates, times and broadcast designations will be revealed at a later date. Ole Miss plays three teams twice: Auburn, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt. Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, LSU, Missouri and South Carolina all come to town this season.

Additional road trips include Georgia, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M. The SEC produced a record 14 NCAA Tournament teams a year ago. The conference was responsible for half of the Elite Eight, as well as the eventual national champion in Florida.

“I’m desperate to play in the tournament,” Louisville transfer Koren Johnson told the Ole Miss Spirit. “Coach Beard emphasizes it every day. He wants to play on Monday and Monday is when the national championship is. We all have the same goal in mind and we’re just working to get there.”

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