Ole Miss Basketball Secures Road Win Over Arkansas, Prepares for LSU

The No. 23-ranked Ole Miss Rebels (13-2, 2-0 SEC) secured a hard-fought 73-66 road victory over Arkansas (11-4, 0-2 SEC) on Wednesday night at Bud Walton Arena. This marked the Rebels’ first win in Fayetteville since 2015, as they overcame a shorthanded roster to start 2-0 in SEC play for the first time since 2019.

Ole Miss was led by a standout performance from Malik Dia, who scored 21 points, while Sean Pedulla added 16 and Jaemyn Brakefield contributed 10. The Rebels built a double-digit lead in the second half, thanks to a 17-7 run early in the period, and held off a late push from the Razorbacks. Arkansas struggled offensively, shooting just 22% from three-point range, with leading scorer Tramon Mark going 5-of-20 from the field.

The Rebels will return home to face LSU (11-4, 0-2 SEC) on Saturday at 5 p.m. CT. However, they will once again be without forward Moussa Cisse, who remains sidelined due to an undisclosed injury sustained in the SEC opener against Georgia. Cisse, a key transfer from UNC Greensboro, has been averaging 6.1 points and 2.2 rebounds per game this season.

LSU will also be shorthanded, as junior forward Derek Fountain is out for the season after tearing his ACL in December. Fountain had been a significant contributor, averaging 11.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game before his injury.

Despite the absences, Ole Miss enters the matchup as the favorite, with ESPN giving the Rebels a 77.4% chance to win. The Tigers are coming off consecutive losses to Vanderbilt and Missouri to open their SEC schedule.

The Rebels’ strong start to the season has bolstered their NCAA Tournament hopes, as they aim to return to the Big Dance for the first time since 2019. With a roster built for postseason success, Ole Miss looks to continue its momentum against LSU and beyond.