Mississippi State and Ole Miss men’s basketball gearing up for the NCAA Tournament following Selection Sunday

The NCAA Tournament bracket is officially here, and the state of Mississippi is well represented throughout the opening round as Mississippi State and Ole Miss made it to this year’s big dance.

The Ole Miss Rebels have punched their ticket to the tournament for the first time since the 2018-2019 season. They are a six seed in the south region and will open tournament play on Friday, March 21 against the winner of the play-in game between San Diego State University and the University of North Carolina.

This is a loaded region that includes the number one overall seeded Auburn Tigers, Big East tournament champion Creighton Bluejays, Big Ten tournament champion Michigan Wolverines, and Big Ten regular season champion Michigan State Spartans. It is safe to say it will be difficult for the Rebels to see the second weekend of the tournament, but it’s a challenge that they are up for.

Head coach Chris Beard has found success in the tournament, an overall record of 11-5 and is a perfect 5-0 in the opening round of 64. Beard also led the Texas Tech Red Raiders to a national championship appearance in 2019.

Their first-round contest against the play-in winner will tip off in Milwaukee on Friday at 3:05 on TNT.

Selection Sunday was good for the SEC as a tournament record 14 teams were selected to the madness. Another Magnolia State team that heard their name called was the Mississippi State Bulldogs, led by third-year head coach Chris Jans.

The Bulldogs head to the NCAA Tournament with a 21-12 record and find themselves as an eight seed in the east region of the big dance. Jans and his team, led by sophomore standout Josh Hubbard, will face a Big 12 opponent in the Baylor Bears in the round of 64. The Alabama Crimson Tide and Wisconsin Badgers also headline the east region of this year’s tournament.

MSU was bounced in the first round of last year’s tournament and is looking to right the wrongs of their performance in 2024. To win games in March you have to have a player who can go and get a basket when your team needs it most and the Bulldogs have that in Josh Hubbard who is one of, if not the most, talented guards in the country.

Mississippi’s first-round game against Baylor will take place in Raleigh, North Carolina on Friday at 11:15 A.M.