Ole Miss Basketball Faces Texas Longhorns in SEC Tournament Opener

The Rebels look to pull off an upset against the Longhorns in the first round of the SEC Tournament in Nashville.

Mar. 11, 2026 at 8:18pm

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The Ole Miss men's basketball team will take on the Texas Longhorns in the first round of the 2026 SEC Tournament on Wednesday, March 11 at 6 p.m. in Bridgestone Arena. Ole Miss enters the tournament with a 12-19 overall record and a 4-14 mark in SEC play, while Texas finished the regular season 18-13 overall and 9-9 in conference. This will be the 18th all-time meeting between the two programs, with Texas holding a 10-7 advantage in the series.

Why it matters

The Rebels will be looking to pull off an upset and extend their season, while Texas is hoping to solidify its spot in the NCAA Tournament field. The winner of this matchup will advance to face the No. 2 seed in the SEC Tournament.

The details

Ole Miss is led by third-year head coach Chris Beard, who has a 56-43 record with the Rebels. Texas is in its first season under head coach Sean Miller, who previously had a successful run at Arizona. The Longhorns are paced by SEC Newcomer of the Year and Second Team All-SEC selection Dailyn Swain, who averages 17.7 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Center Matas Vokietaitis also contributes 15.7 points per contest for Texas.

  • The game will tip off at 6 p.m. CT on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
  • This will be the first meeting between Ole Miss and Texas in the SEC Tournament.

The players

Chris Beard

The third-year head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels, with a 56-43 record at the school and a 293-141 career mark in 14 seasons as a head coach.

Sean Miller

The first-year head coach of the Texas Longhorns, with a 455-209 career record in 21 seasons as a head coach, including a previous stint at Xavier.

Dailyn Swain

The SEC Newcomer of the Year and Second Team All-SEC selection for Texas, averaging 17.7 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.

Matas Vokietaitis

The Texas center who ranks second on the team with 15.7 points per game and is among the nation's best in getting to the free throw line.

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What they’re saying

“We must be ready to play our best basketball of the season if we want to advance in the SEC Tournament. Texas is a very talented team, and we'll need to bring our A-game to Nashville.”

— Chris Beard, Head Coach, Ole Miss Rebels (Ole Miss Rebels Basketball)

“This is a great opportunity for our team to make a statement and solidify our spot in the NCAA Tournament. We're excited for the challenge of facing Ole Miss in the first round.”

— Sean Miller, Head Coach, Texas Longhorns (Ole Miss Rebels Basketball)

What’s next

The winner of the Ole Miss-Texas matchup will advance to face the No. 2 seed in the SEC Tournament on Friday, March 13.

The takeaway

This first-round SEC Tournament clash between Ole Miss and Texas features two teams looking to extend their seasons, with the Rebels seeking an upset and the Longhorns aiming to bolster their NCAA Tournament resume. The winner will take a significant step towards postseason play.