Ole Miss Climbs NCAA Tournament Projections Ahead of Rivalry Game vs. Mississippi State

The Ole Miss Rebels are back in the race for the NCAA Tournament following back-to-back SEC victories.

OXFORD, Miss. -- The Ole Miss Rebels fell down the NCAA Tournament projections following back-to-back losses versus Southeastern Conference opponents, but two bounce back wins have them back in the thick race for the postseason.

The Rebels (17-3, 4-3 SEC) picked up a home win versus the Arkansas Razorbacks before beating the Texas A&M Aggies in College Station in Ole Miss' first SEC road victory of the season. For their recent efforts, the Rebels have climbed the latest bracketology projections by Joe Lunardi. You can view his full list here.

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According to Lunardi, if the season ended today, Ole Miss would be the No. 9 seed in the West Regional taking on the No. 8 Michigan State Spartans. Tom Izzo's Spartans currently hold a 12-8 overall record with a 4-5 record versus Big Ten opponents, and are rated No. 25 in the NET rankings.

A win over Michigan State would grant Ole Miss a matchup against either the No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels or the No. 16 Green Bay Phoenix. 

Ole Miss Basketball vs. Mississippi State: Preview, How To Watch, Betting Odds

The Rebels have a chance to continue to climb tournament projections on Tuesday night, as they are set to host the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the Sandy and John Black Pavilion. The Bulldogs own a 14-6 overall record with a 3-4 record versus conference opponents. Despite its losing record in the SEC, Mississippi State has proven to be a formidable opponent multiple times this season. The Bulldogs have so far upset the No. 5 Tennessee Volunteers and No. 8 Auburn Tigers.

Tip-off between Ole Miss and Mississippi State is set for 7:30 p.m. CT in the SJB Pavilion, and the rivalry game will be televised on SEC Network.