Can Chris Beard, Ole Miss Reach 2025 NCAA Tournament? Bracketology High on Rebels

Can the Ole Miss Rebels reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019 this winter?

Mar 2, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Chris Beard talks with players in a time out against the Missouri Tigers during the first half at Mizzou Arena. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Most of the focus of the college sports world is on the College World Series and the upcoming football season, but the new basketball campaign will be here before we know it. Can Chris Beard and the Ole Miss Rebels reach the NCAA Tournament in year two of his tenure in Oxford?

There is still plenty of time before tip-off, but that hasn't stopped Joe Lunardi from updating some bracketology projections for the 2025 tournament, and he seems to be high on the Rebels and the SEC as a whole.

According to these projections, Ole Miss comes in as a seven-seed, set in the Raleigh group against No. 2 Duke, No. 10 Rutgers and No. 15 Akron. The one-seed on the Rebels' side of the bracket is none other than the reigning national champion UConn Huskies.

In total, Lunardi currently has a whopping 10 SEC teams reaching the NCAA Tournament, followed closely by the Big Ten and Big 12 with nine teams apiece.

Ole Miss may not be a perfect team when it hits the hardwood this year, but plenty of work has taken place to try and make the Rebels a tournament squad this offseason. Beard and his staff have raided the transfer portal to bring in some strong playmakers like guard Sean Pedulla (Virginia Tech) and forward Malik Dia (Belmont), and these additions will pair with returners like Jaylen Murray, Matthew Murrell and Jaemyn Brakefield for a crucial season in Oxford.

The Rebels have not reached the NCAA Tournament since 2019, Kermit Davis' first season as head coach, and since Beard is known for his formidable postseason teams, the expectation is that they return to the Big Dance sooner rather than later.

Can that happen in the 2025 edition of the tournament? Time will tell, but the noise Ole Miss has made this offseason has certainly attracted some attention.