HISTORY CHAMPIONS
February 26, 1945
February 21, 1966
Ole Miss achieves its 300th win in the last regular-sea-
Ole Miss basketball gets a new home in the Rebel
son game of the year with a 76-24 stomping of
Coliseum, later to be named after then-Athletics Director
Arkansas State. Three Rebels hit double-digit scoring
C.M. “Tad” Smith. However, Kentucky spoils the inaugu-
that night with M.C. McMullen collecting 20, Doug Krell
ral game by defeating the Rebels 108-65.
posting 13 and Bob McCain with 12. 1970-71 December 10, 1953
Forward Johnny Neumann earns All-America honors in
A new record is set for the Rebels as the team reaches
his first and only season as a Rebel, setting numerous
the most points scored by Ole Miss in a single game
school records along the way.
with a 118-82 win over Union. Cob Jarvis leads the way with 37 points on 13 field goals and 11 free throws.
December 7, 1974
Denver Brackeen follows close behind with 31 points.
The program collects its 600th victory by defeating Texas in Oxford 82-74. Four Rebels scored in double
B.L. “Country” Graham, who was the first All-American basketball player in school history, also stands as the all-time winningest coach in program annals with 144 wins from 1950-62. In the picture above, he runs through plays with pupil and future Ole Miss head coach Cob Jarvis.
January 17, 1955
digits with Bob Mahoney pacing the team with 21 points.
With former Rebel B.L. “Country” Graham as head
Herb Wright followed with 18 points while Dave Shepard
coach, Ole Miss records its 400th win in program histo-
had 15 and Walter Actwood 13.
ry by beating Vanderbilt 77-63. 1978-79 1954-55
After leading the SEC in scoring with 26.3 points per
While being chosen as UPI's SEC Player of the Year and
game, forward John Stroud receives All-America honor-
AP's SEC Most Valuable Player, center Denver Brackeen
able mention plaudits.
becomes the program's second player selected to AllAmerica honors. His 27.2 scoring average leads the league. 1956-57 After becoming only the second player in SEC history to average more than 30 points, forward Joe Gibbon is named to multiple All-America teams. February 22, 1958 Coach Graham once again makes Ole Miss history as he collects his 100th win as head coach, making him the first Ole Miss coach to reach the century mark. The Rebels helped accomplish this with an 83-68 victory over Tulane. 1963-64 A star on the court and on the baseball diamond, guard Don Kessinger is named an All-American after setting 18 He played just one season before turning pro, but in 197071 Johnny Neumann put up numbers that may never again be reached by a Rebel, or any other Southeastern Conference player. Neumann led the nation with a 40.1 scoring average, by far a school record and behind only Pete Maravich’s three legendary seasons in the league record books. Neumann still owns five of the top six single-game scoring marks in school history. Despite also being an Academic All-American, he left school after his sophomore season to join the Memphis Tams of the ABA, and enjoyed a seven-year career in the ABA and NBA.
Ole Miss basketball records. January 30, 1965 After edging out Tulane with a 62-60 win in Oxford, Ole Miss reaches the 500-win mark for the program's history. Two Rebels had double-doubles with Fred Stanley collecting 21 points and 12 rebounds and Jim Robbins posting 13 points and 10 rebounds. Jack Steinhart and James Bobe also greatly contributed with 17 rebounds and 11 points, respectively.
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Known among Rebel circles as “Mr. Clutch,” Carlos Clark finished his impressive Ole Miss career having buried four game-winning shots at the buzzer, including a 15-footer on March 6, 1980, that gave Ole Miss its first postseason win, 76-74, over Grambling in the NIT Clark’s freshman season. He went on to be drafted by the Boston Celtics, and helped them to the 1984 NBA Championship.