Ole Miss men’s basketball hosts No. 22 Vanderbilt in SJB Pavilion Tuesday night

Ole Miss men’s basketball returns to the SJB Pavilion on Tuesday night to host No. 22 Vanderbilt. The Rebels are coming off a win at Auburn and hope to extend their momentum in front of their home crowd.

Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m., and the game will be streamed on SEC Network+. Ole Miss, with a 12-17 overall record and 4-12 in SEC play, looks to upset the higher-ranked Commodores, who hold a 22-7 record and a 9-7 mark in conference games.

The two teams have a long history, meeting 130 times since 1925. Vanderbilt leads the all-time series 81-49, but Ole Miss has a winning record at home in Oxford, 34-24. Their most recent meeting was a close 71-68 loss in Nashville on January 31.

Vanderbilt is led by second-year coach Mark Byington. The Commodores feature four players averaging double figures, with guard Tyler Tanner leading at 18.5 points per game. The team ranks among the nation’s top offenses in scoring and assists, bolstered by sharpshooter Tyler Nickel’s 40.9 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

Ole Miss, coached by Chris Beard in his third season, emphasizes limiting turnovers. The Rebels average 9.5 turnovers per game, ranking 20th nationally. Senior guard AJ Storr has been a key contributor off the bench, averaging 18.7 points over the last 15 games and providing significant scoring for the team’s reserves.

Ole Miss’s defense has been a strength, averaging 4.2 blocks per game, with James Scott leading the team with 32 blocks this season. Freshman Patton Pinkins has emerged as a scoring threat, recording a career-high 25 points in the SEC opener against Oklahoma and hitting key game-winning shots this season.

The Rebels also recently announced two new signees for their 2026 recruiting class, small forward Jaron Saulsberry and combo guard Yohance Connor, indicating a bright future ahead for the program.

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