SEC Basketball: Alabama, Auburn leads way-too-early power rankings for 2024-25 season

7. Ole Miss Rebels

After starting the season 18-3, the Rebels cooled off in the final month of the season, losing nine of their last 11 games. Despite the uninspiring finish, the Rebels would finish the season with 20 wins, marking a solid foundation for Chris Beard to build upon entering his second year in Oxford.

Entering 2024-25, the Rebels will boast a blend of key returnees with proven veteran pieces from the transfer portal -- a recipe for success in a crowded SEC.

Chris Beard will return three, double-digit scoring starters in PG Jaylen Murray (13.8 PPG, 4 APG), stretch-forward Jaemyn Brakefield (12.9 PPG, 4.9 RPG) and most notably, G Matthew Murrell (16.2 PPG), who withdrew his name from the 2024 NBA Draft and opted to return to Oxford for a fifth season.

Where Ole Miss most notably went to work, however, was in the transfer portal. The Rebels will welcome sharpshooter and floor general Sean Pedulla (Virginia Tech) and Davon Barnes (Sam Houston State) to round out their backcourt. 

Dre Davis (Seton Hall), Mikeal Brown-Jones (UNC-Greensboro) and Malik Dia (Belmont) will headline the frontcourt -- all of whom were extremely talented assets at their previous stops.

Ja’Von Benson (Hampton) and 2024 McDonald’s All-American John Bol will add depth to their frontcourt, which can surely help solve the rebounding woes the Rebels faced last season.

An exciting year lies ahead in Oxford. The Rebels have the pieces to compete in the top half of the SEC as they will have a diverse array of scoring options to work with. If Ole Miss can get its defense back on track, this is the team to monitor in the SEC.