The Grove Report

LOOK: More Ole Miss Basketball Newcomers Introduced on Social Media

Chris Beard has overhauled his roster in preparation for year two as expectations take a step up.

Jackson Harris

Ole Miss Rebels newcomer Davon Barnes
Ole Miss Rebels newcomer Davon Barnes / Ole Miss Athletics
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The Ole Miss basketball program is primed for a run to March, and after the work Chris Beard put in during recent portal cycles, the team is ready to go.

The SEC landscape has shifted dramatically with coaching changes and portal surprises, but some things haven't changed with the SEC still being arguably the toughest league in the entire country. The Rebels most likely won't be picked to win the league, but they have gotten incrementally better after the firing of coach Kermit Davis.

Chris Beard gets the best out of his players, but at times last year, his team lost focus and made crucial mistakes in close games that cost the Rebels some wins down the stretch that would have been beneficial come tournament time.

That is now the past, and the Rebels appear to be looking towards the future. Ole Miss men's basketball went to social media this weekend to introduce some new faces on this 2024-25 Rebel squad.

You can view the posts below.

Davon Barnes is a 6-foot-5, 215-pound senior guard from Memphis who played his junior year at Sam Houston State. Barnes played his freshman and sophomore seasons at Texas Southern in Houston where he averaged 13.5 points in his second year.

Last season, in Sam Houston's trip back to the Tad Pad, Barnes dropped 22 points and helped fuel a Bearkats comeback that ended up falling just short. Look for Barnes to give lots of minutes off the bench and give the Rebels good, quality looks. Barnes was also an 83-percent free throw shooter, which was somewhat of an issue for Ole Miss last season.

Dre Davis is a 6-foot-6, 215 pound guard who played his freshman and sophomore years at Louisville before transferring to Seton Hall. Davis averaged 15 points last year at Seton Hall and was named to the 2024 NIT All-Tournament Team.

Davis, like Barnes, is a high-quality free throw shooter and also shot 35 percent from beyond the arc last season.

Ja'Von Benson makes his return to the Southeastern Conference after a season at Hampton University. He started his college career in his home state of South Carolina with the Gamecocks.

Benson is a 6-foot-8, 250 pound forward who averaged five boards and eight points last year at Hampton. Expect Benson to be an off-the-bench guy and maybe play the five with a smaller lineup on the floor.

Chris Beard has brought in this new talent paired with veteran returners, and he is looking to lead the Rebels back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019.

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Jackson Harris
JACKSON HARRIS

Harris, a native of Dallas, Texas, is a staff writer at The Grove Report, specializing in football and baseball coverage of the Ole Miss Rebels.

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