OXFORD — In a recent trip to an Oxford gas station, Ole Miss basketball coach Chris Beard heard someone shouting his way. His initial thought was one of concern, worried that he just cut off a driver or stole someone’s pump.
When he turned, neither of his concerns came to fruition. Instead, he found a Mississippi State fan giving him a hard time ahead of Tuesday’s rivalry matchup at the SJB Pavilion.
“He kind of winked at me at the end,” Beard said after an 86-82 victory over the Bulldogs. “I’ve only been here a few months, but I’m starting to understand this deal. It’s a great rivalry.”
The toxicity and pageantry of Mississippi State (14-7, 3-5 SEC) vs. Ole Miss (18-3, 5-3) has helped create one of the best rivalries in college athletics. From the late Mike Leach tugging at Lane Kiffin’s mask to Greg Knox riding out on a four-wheeler at Davis Wade Stadium prior to the 2023 Egg Bowl, the Magnolia State has put itself at the center of what rivalries should look like.
However, the hardwood has struggled to provide the same flare.
Nearly five years have passed since the last time Mississippi State and Ole Miss both made it to the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs won the previous three meetings heading into Tuesday’s game, but the victories lacked flare with the Rebels struggling to stay relevant in the SEC en route to the firing of coach Kermit Davis last February.
Any monotonous feeling of the rivalry went away Tuesday when 10,630 fans set a new attendance record at the SJB Pavilion. It was a raucous crowd, one that was treated to a game Jans wished he could watch as a neutral observer.
“If I wasn’t involved in it, it would be an awesome college basketball game to view or be apart of in some other capacity,” Jans said.
This season has been building toward this moment – one where the two programs could put basketball in Mississippi back in the spotlight.
Mississippi State has grown itself into a gritty program under Jans. MSU wins in ways that aren’t aesthetically pleasing, as the second-year coach likes to says, and the Bulldogs embrace it. State made the NCAA Tournament in his first season playing that way, and it has collected quality wins in his second campaign − taking down top-10 opponents Auburn and Tennessee.
Across the state, Ole Miss made a flashy, though controversial, hire last year bringing in Beard. He’s a coach who has experienced postseason success, and he’s wasted no time getting Ole Miss into the top half of the SEC.
The teams have been building their statures, proving themselves as tough teams to beat as March approaches. Finally, they got to square off, and they delivered.
“This is what rivalries feel like and sound like,” Jans said. “Like I told the team, if you’re not sky-high in anticipation of playing in a game like this, then you’re probably in the wrong locker room.”
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Mississippi is a state rich with football talent. Tune into the upcoming Super Bowl between the Chiefs and 49ers, and you’ll see proof of it.
It’s a state that has also taken college baseball to new heights, drawing record crowds and bringing College World Series trophies home in 2021 and 2022.
But it’s also a state that has the potential to be relevant in men’s college basketball. Mississippians have their picking of the Grizzlies, Pelicans or Hawks to root for, but there’s no NBA team within the borders. When athletic departments invest in the sport and fans buy in – two things that typically go hand-in-hand – there’s potential for nights like the one just witnessed via SEC Network in Oxford.
The return game in Starkville (Feb. 2, 8 p.m.) will be on ESPN2. It’ll be a Wednesday night with potential to again prove Mississippi can be the home to thrilling college basketball.
Stefan Krajisnik is the Mississippi State beat writer for the Clarion Ledger. Contact him at [email protected] or follow him on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, @skrajisnik3.