Ole Miss' Aggression Takes Center Stage in Dominant Victory Over Central Arkansas

Ole Miss men's basketball followed up its strong start to the season, dominating Central Arkansas 90-62 at the Sandy and John Black Pavilion in Oxford on Friday.

Projected to finish first in the inaugural season of the United Athletic Conference, the Bears were expected to form stiff opposition to the Rebels early in the non-conference slate, though Ole Miss seemed to brush them off with ease.

Head coach Chris Beard has been vocal about his message to his team: play with aggression and run all forty minutes at full energy. In just two games, Ole Miss has more than lived up to the expectations of its coach.

Controlling the tempo of the game on both ends of the court and ceasing to subside pressure throughout the entire matchup, the Rebels look to build off this impressive start to the season and to atone for their shaky performances in the 2025-2026 season.

"Alpha" Mentality Through Beard's Ranks

Mar 14, 2026; Nashville, TN, USA; Mississippi Rebels guard Patton Pinkins (23) drives to the basket past Arkansas Razorbacks guard Meleek Thomas (1) during the second half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While aggression and intensity were clear, especially on the defensive end, Ole Miss's offensive work highlighted Beard's team mentality tonight against Central Arkansas.

Beard emphasized the push for aggression on both ends Monday night, sensing encouraging signs from his squad after just one game.

"I love coaching alphas," Beard said. "As a coach, I’d much rather pause guys, turn them down a little bit, than have to turn them up.

Sophomore guard Patton Pinkins built on his strong outside shooting performance from opening night, scoring 19 points and shooting 4-of-5 from beyond the arc, sinking four 3-pointers in just the first half.

Beard spoke on Pinkins' continuing development as a scorer in his second season in Oxford following the 99-58 victory over Alcorn State Monday night.

"You know, I thought he could have shot eight threes tonight. So he’s got the green light," Beard said. "We want him to shoot the ball when he’s open."

Pinkins was one of the very few bright spots in the Rebels' season-long struggles last campaign. Appearing as a silver lining during the down year and as a budding star in the strong SEC tournament run, Pinkins is well on his way to becoming a household name this season.

Transfer guard Budd Clark had a night to remember, compiling his 500th career assist in college basketball, split between his time at Merrimack, Seton Hall and now Ole Miss.

Clark excelled from the midrange against the Bears, executing set isolations well and capitalizing on pull-up jumpers on his way to a 13-point night. Clark also added six assists, four rebounds and a steal. With nine minutes remaining, Clark ran the length of the court, elevated, and seemed to float to the rim for a contact lay-in.

Pairing with returning guard Ilias Kamardine, Clark helps complete an encouraging starting backcourt tandem. Kamardine, who was forced to play out of his usual style last year, looks more comfortable when paired with a strong ball handler like Clark, helping bring out the French natives full potential in Oxford.

Continuing the trend of multinational excellence for the Rebels, Aussie newcomer duo Roman Sielupa and Ben Henshall had strong showings against the Bears, each excelling in different facets of the game for Ole Miss.

Sielupa, measuring 6 feet 7 inches, plays far beyond his size. With his 245-pound frame, the Brisbane native is an immense physical presence in the paint for Ole Miss, combining size with rare dexterity.

Henshall, on the other hand, is the closest thing the Rebels have to a true spot-up shooter. The Perth native guard was not afraid to let it fly from long range, and for good reason. Henshall shot 40% from beyond the arc in the first half, eventually totaling 13 points, highlighted by a midrange and-1 early in the second half to extend the Rebels' lead to 18.

Corey Stephenson has had a great start to his tenure in Oxford, adding high-flying dunks in each of the Rebels' first two matches. Immediately taking one away from the Bears after Clark's impressive lay-in, Stephenson broke away for a slam that brought the roof down in the Pavilion. The Florida International transfer described himself as an "everyday guy" in his first press availability at Ole Miss, and at this rate, the soaring wing will make an impact every time he steps foot on the court.

What's Next?

Ole Miss Basketball returns to action next Tuesday, November 10th, for a showdown with Southeastern Louisiana, slated for a 7:30 p.m. tip off on SEC Network+

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google