Maybe the Force can Help Mizzou Basketball Beat Ole Miss: How to Watch

With three games remaining the regular-season, the Tigers will host the Rebels, in hope of landing their first SEC win of 2023-24.

At least the promotions figure to be good at Mizzou Arena on Saturday night. 

Fans are being encouraged to wear black as Missouri basketball begins its final homestand of the 2023-24 men's basketball season. 

In addition to it being Star Wars Night, with the first 1,500 fans receiving a free lightsaber (and yes, the opponents are the Rebels from Ole Miss), the football team will be presented with the Cotton Bowl trophy at halftime.

It's also the ninth-annual Rally for Rhyan game, with all donations helping fight childhood cancer ($538,000 was raised during the first eight games).

Missouri basketball is sill looking for its first SEC win, and will close out the regular season against Auburn and at LSU next week. A loss against the Rebels will lock up last place in the conference standings for the Tigers. 

It's not exactly a matchup that screams "Squash the rebellion," but anything's worth a shot at this point.  

Who: Ole Miss Rebels (19-9, 6-9 SEC) at Missouri Tigers (8-20, 0-15 SEC)

Where: Mizzou Arena

When: Saturday, 7:30 pm. 

TV: SEC Network (announcers Kevin Fitzgerald and Pat Bradley)

Last meeting: They've already played this season, and obviously Ole Miss won at home. On Feb. 17, Missouri led by three at the half after holding the Rebels to 34.4 percent shooting from the floor, but the Rebels came back to pull off the 79-76 victory. Tigers were led by Sean East II, who scored 25 points and was a perfect 12-12 from the free throw line. Matthew Murrell topped all scores with 26 points thanks to six 3-pointers. Allen Flanigan had double-double with 16 points and 10 boards, while Jaylen Murray scored 16 and hit four 3-pointers. 

Series history: Ole Miss holds a 16-8 edge over Mizzou. The teams had never played before the Tigers joined the SEC in 2012. 

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