Honestly, if you aren't paying attention to the chaos that is Ole Miss LSU basketball, you’re missing out on the weirdest, most high-stakes chess match in the SEC right now. It isn't just about the standings. It’s about the "I-can’t-believe-that-just-happened" moments that seem to define every single time these two programs share a court.
Take last season's heart-breaker in Baton Rouge.
LSU was up by 11 points with less than three minutes to go. The PMAC was loud. Matt McMahon’s squad looked like they finally had Chris Beard’s number. Then, the wheels didn't just fall off; they disintegrated. Ole Miss went on a 13-0 run to close the game, punctuated by a Dre Davis tip-in at the buzzer. 72-70, Rebels. The silence in that arena was heavy enough to feel.
That’s the thing about this matchup. It’s rarely a blowout. It’s usually a fistfight in a phone booth.
The Transfer Portal Tug-of-War
We have to talk about Corey Chest.
It’s the kind of subplot that makes college sports so personal. Chest was a Tiger. He was a New Orleans kid playing for the home state team, grabbing 12 boards against Ole Miss in that collapse I just mentioned. Then, boom—he enters the portal and ends up in Oxford. Seeing him suit up in Rebel red against his former teammates adds a layer of "revenge game" energy that you just can't manufacture.
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It’s not just players, either. The recruiting trail for these two is a constant overlap. Whether it's Beard pulling in high-level transfers like AJ Storr or McMahon trying to rebuild through sheer volume—LSU has added roughly 30 portal pieces in the last year alone—they are fighting for the same oxygen in the deep south.
Coaching Philosophies: Beard vs. McMahon
You’ve basically got two totally different vibes here.
- Chris Beard is all about "The No-Middle Defense." It’s suffocating. It’s designed to make you hate your life for 40 minutes. He wants to force 15+ turnovers and win ugly.
- Matt McMahon wants to play with more pace, but he’s been hamstrung by a roster that’s been in a state of constant flux.
The contrast is wild. When Ole Miss visited the Pete Maravich Assembly Center recently, you could see the frustration on the LSU bench. The Tigers have the talent—Dedan Thomas Jr. is a absolute wizard with the ball—but Beard’s teams have this annoying habit of making talented players look human.
What Most People Get Wrong About the History
People call this a "football rivalry" that spills over into basketball. That’s sort of true, but it misses the point. This is the second-most played rivalry in Ole Miss history. We're talking about over 220 games dating back to 1910.
LSU leads the all-time series, but the gap is closing because the home-court advantage in this series is actually a bit of a myth lately. Ole Miss has been surprisingly comfortable in Baton Rouge, and LSU has shown they can spoil a party in Oxford when everyone expects them to fold.
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In 2025, Ole Miss pulled off the season sweep for the first time since 2011. That was a massive psychological hurdle. For years, LSU felt like the "big brother" in this specific sport, but the arrival of Beard has flipped the script.
Key Matchups to Watch Right Now
- The Point Guard Battle: Dedan Thomas Jr. (LSU) vs. whatever defensive specialist Beard throws at him. Thomas is averaging over 16 points and 7 assists. If he gets loose, LSU wins.
- The Glass: LSU’s Marquel Sutton is a walking double-double, but Ole Miss’s length with Malik Dia and James Scott makes the paint a crowded, miserable place to be.
- The "X-Factor": Keep an eye on Kezza Giffa. The High Point transfer has that "microwave" scoring ability that can change a game in a two-minute span.
The 2026 Outlook: Where Do They Go?
Right now, the SEC is a meat grinder. As of mid-January 2026, both teams are hovering around the middle of the pack, fighting for that crucial "Quadrant 1" win to bolster their March Madness resumes.
LSU is desperate for a signature win to prove the McMahon era has officially turned the corner. They've been close. They’ve led against top-tier teams only to crumble in the final four minutes. On the other side, Ole Miss is trying to prove that last year’s success wasn't a fluke.
The Rebels have a younger core than you might think, with freshmen like Niko Bundalo and Tylis Jordan starting to see real minutes. It’s a transition period disguised as a "win-now" season.
Actionable Insights for the Next Game
If you’re betting on this or just watching as a die-hard, look for the three-minute mark.
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These teams are notorious for late-game swings. If the spread is within five points with three minutes left, the "under" usually goes out the window as the fouling starts and the drama ramps up. Also, watch the turnover margin. Ole Miss typically wins when they force 14 or more. If LSU keeps it under 10, they usually walk away with the "W."
Don't buy into the "LSU is down" narrative. They play with a chip on their shoulder when the Rebels come to town. It’s personal, it’s loud, and it’s usually decided by a lucky bounce or a missed free throw.
Get to the arena early if you're going. The atmosphere in The Pavilion or the PMAC for this specific game is arguably better than when Kentucky comes to town, mostly because the fans actually genuinely dislike each other. That’s real college basketball.
Next Steps for Fans:
Check the updated SEC standings before tip-off, as a single win in this series currently represents a three-spot jump in the tournament seeding projections. If you're looking for tickets, the midweek games in Oxford usually have a better secondary market price than the weekend showdowns in Baton Rouge.