Chris Beard, Ole Miss Basketball Bringing Back 'Tad Pad Game' in 2024-25 Season

The Ole Miss Rebels will play another game in Tad Smith Coliseum this season under head coach Chris Beard.

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

Last season, Chris Beard wanted to make a mark in his first year at the helm of the Ole Miss Rebels men's basketball program, and even though they failed to reach the NCAA Tournament, they did re-establish some team momentum.

One of the biggest hits of Beard's first year in Oxford was the team's "Throwback Game in the Tad Pad," revisting Ole Miss' former basketball home that still stands on campus. The Rebels played in Tad Smith Coliseum from 1965 to late 2015 before the opening of the SJB Pavilion just down the road on campus.

Ole Miss knocked off Sam Houston 70-67 in last year's "Throwback Game," and according to Beard, the program plans to return to the Tad Pad again in 2024.

Beard shared the news on a stop of the Rebel Road Trip in Memphis on Tuesday night, and it was reported by David Eckert of The Clarion Ledger. According to Beard, the Tad Pad game will be the third on Ole Miss' schedule, but the opponent and date have yet to be released.

The Rebels started off hot in non-conference play a year ago, jumping out to a 13-0 record before hitting SEC action. It was then that the wheels fell off for Ole Miss, finishing the year 20-12 overall (7-11 SEC) and failing to reach the postseason. Beard and his staff have made a big run in the portal this offseason with hopes of remedying that shortcoming, and they have also secured the return of key talent like guard Matthew Murrell and forward Jaemyn Brakefield.