The focus for coach Chris Beard and the Ole Miss Rebels men’s basketball program is currently on the upcoming 2024-25 season, but reports on Monday indicated that the team now also knows a key matchup for the 2026 schedule.
According to a report from Jon Rothstein, Ole Miss will be one of the eight teams participating in the 2026 Maui Invitational. Six of the other teams are known for the lineup: Arizona, Maryland, Notre Dame, Providence, BYU, and VCU.
The eighth team has yet to be announced, per the report.
The Maui Invitational began in 1984, and it takes place during the week of Thanksgiving each season, typically in Lahaina, Hawaii. The event is hosted by Chaminade University, an NCAA Division II school.
This year’s invitational field features Auburn, Colorado, Dayton, Iowa State, Memphis, Michigan State, North Carolina and UConn.
Ole Miss will participate in a different invitational this season, the Rady Children’s Invitational in San Diego on Nov. 28-29. The Rebels will first face the BYU Cougars and then take on either Purdue or NC State.
The Rebels’ 2024-25 season will open with an exhibition in Oxford on Oct. 27, and the campaign will officially begin with a home date against Long Island on Nov. 4. Ole Miss will then go through non-conference play before opening SEC action at home against the Georgia Bulldogs on Jan. 4.
