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2024-25 Ole Miss Rebels Basketball Predictions and Odds to Win the National Championship

by Ryan Cobbett - 10/16/2024

Ole Miss Rebels basketball predictions Matthew Murrell

The Ole Miss Rebels thrived last season with Chris Beard leading the way. Beard led Ole Miss to their first 20-win season since 2019 and he has now had another offseason to shape up the roster more to his liking. Ole Miss started the season winning 13 games in a row and was undefeated heading into conference play. Conference play was not as kind to the Rebels. They went just 7-11, which was the fifth worst conference record in the Southeastern Conference. It is also worth noting that Ole Miss went 0-7 against AP Top 25 teams.

As a team, the Rebels averaged 74.9 PPG, which was ninth best in the conference. The real strength came from beyond the arc, as they ranked third in the conference with a 36.5% 3P%. Defensively, the Rebels allowed 73.9 PPG on 44% shooting, and they ranked just 141st in defensive rating according to KenPom. Matthew Murrell led the team with 16.2 PPG, 1.6 SPG, and a 39.8% 3P%. Behind him, Allen Flanigan (14.8 PPG), Jaylen Murray (13.8 PPG), and Jaemyn Brakefield (12.9 PPG) all recorded double-digit points. As a guard, Flanigan led the team with 6.1 RPG while Murray led the team with 4 APG.

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Ole Miss Rebels Key Additions/Losses

After leading the team in rebounding and finishing second on the team in PPG, Allen Flanigan graduated, leaving a big hole in the backcourt while also leaving a lot of questions in the paint, as the Rebels were already one of the worst rebounding teams in the nation. Role pieces Moussa Cisse (4.5 PPG) transferred across the street to Memphis, while Brandon Murray (4.3 PPG) transferred to Michigan. Depth pieces Rashaud Marshall (Arkansas State) and Austin Nunez (Arizona State) found new homes over the offseason.

Despite the minimal losses from last year’s squad, Beard went to work and made this team much better. He brought in 7-foot-1 center John Bol, who ranked 71st nationally, to be an immediate upgrade in the paint for his Rebels. Staying in line with his colleague Lane Kiffin, Beard was also incredibly aggressive in the transfer portal, bringing it what is the 16th best transfer class. Sean Pedulla was one of the best additions to this Rebels squad after averaging 16.4 PPG with Virginia Tech last season. While Pedulla should fill the hole left by Flanigan, Beard also brought in guards Dre Davis (15 PPG & 5.9 RPG) from Seton Hall and Davon Barnes (13.5 PPG) from Sam Houston State as well as forwards Mikeal Brown-Jones (18.9 PPG & 7.5 RPG) from UNC-Greensboro and Malik Dia (16.9 PPG) from Belmont.

Ole Miss Rebels X-Factors

The New Guys- After a 20-win season, Ole Miss is much improved. Bol, Brown-Jones, and Dia should be a huge boost on the boards for the Rebels, while Davis and Pedulla join Murrell in what could be an incredible scoring trio. Brown-Jones, Barnes, and Dia should give Beard an incredible second team to run out on the court and they give the Rebels an incredible amount of offensive depth in the event of an injury. Like last season, the Rebels nonconference schedule is very easy, which should give everyone enough time to gel together before conference play.

Conference Road Games- Ole Miss was terrible away from home last season. And while that is usually the case in this sport, the Rebels need to avoid going 2-7 in conference road games. They have trips to ranked opponents like Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Arkansas, while they also have pitstops against unranked opponents in Vanderbilt, South Carolina, LSU, Missouri, and Mississippi State. If the Rebels want to make a run this season, they need to prove they can win away from home.

Ole Miss Rebels Notable Games

Home- #13 Texas A&M, #19 Texas, #11 Auburn, #23 Kentucky, #12 Tennessee

Away/Neutral- Louisville, #16 Arkansas, #2 Alabama, #11 Auburn, #21 Florida

Ole Miss Rebels Key Odds:

NCAA Champion: +7500

Final Four: +1700

Conference Winner: +3200

Wooden Award: Matthew Murrell +17000

AP Top 25- 24h

Andy Katz’s Power 37- 33rd

KenPom- 47th

Ole Miss Rebels Basketball Predictions

The Southeastern Conference is deep. Really deep. They have nine ranked teams in the AP Top 25 while having 10 teams inside of Andy Katz’s power 37 rankings. There is no doubt that Ole Miss improved offensively, but Beard has always had a reputation for posting some of the best defenses in the nation year in and year out. That was not the case last season, so it remains to be seen if the new transfers can improve the defense. Bol could be an absolute monster in the post, giving the Rebels something they didn’t have a year ago, while they also brought in multiple players who can give Ole Miss an edge on the boards. Murrell is one of the nation’s most underrated players and now has a lot of talent to compliment him on the floor. The conference road is going to be difficult, but come March the Rebels will be battle tested and ready for a run.

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