Ole Miss basketball rebuilds around two starters amid transfer influx
Coach Chris Beard seeks a return to the NCAA tournament after a 15-20 season, relying on guard Ilias Kamardine and forward Patton Pinkins to anchor a heavily altered roster.
By Yasmin Farouk ·
The 2025-26 campaign ended with a 15-20 record and a 4-14 conference mark, marking head coach Chris Beard's first losing season in 15 years. The program now faces a complete roster overhaul as it prepares for the upcoming fall.
Beard states that a return to postseason play is within reach for the revamped squad. The team is predicted to finish 14th in the 16-team SEC. The previous season ended with a Sweet 16 appearance in 2025, but the subsequent year lacked consistency from the returning core.
Ilias Kamardine and Patton Pinkins are the only two players expected to retain starting positions. The combo guard and the forward combined for more than 20 points per game last year. They also recorded 64 steals during the season. Their performance was key to the team's surprise run to the SEC Tournament semifinals.
The roster has been significantly altered by the departure of forwards AJ Storr, Malik Dia, and shooting guard Travis Perry. New arrivals include point guard Budd Clark from Seton Hall, who averaged 12 points and five assists. Small forward Roman Siulepa from Pitt led the ACC in offensive rebounds. Corey Stephenson from Florida International is a fifth-year transfer who averages 18 points and six rebounds.
The schedule begins on Nov. 2 at home against Alcorn State. The team will play seven games in the first 24 days of November. These early contests are scheduled at home to allow for experimentation with the new lineup. December includes neutral site games against Southern Mississippi in Biloxis on Dec. 22 and North Carolina State in Jackson on Dec. 29.
SEC play opens on Jan. 2 against Georgia at home. The conference slate concludes on March 6 at Mississippi State. The schedule includes two matchups each against Auburn, Kentucky, and Mississippi State. The team will face every other SEC opponent once.
Ole Miss finished 15th in the SEC in scoring last season with 75.9 points per game. The team ranked 12th in three-point attempts with 249 made. The three-point percentage stood at 33.2 percent. A 92-84 exhibition loss to Alabama featured ten regulars, including seven newcomers.
Source: Magnolia Tribune
