Ole Miss: Basketball National Champions?

has ole miss ever won a national championship in basketball

The Mississippi Rebels men's basketball team represents the University of Mississippi in intercollegiate men's basketball. The team has participated in the NCAA Tournament several times, most recently in 2019, and has won the SEC Western Division five times. While the Rebels have had more success in Conference and Division Championships, they have only won one national championship in their history, in 1960. They have also achieved success in baseball, winning their first national title in 2022.

Characteristics Values
Number of National Championships won 1
Year of the win 1960
Opponent in the final Rice Owls
Score 14-6
Name of the Trophy Grantland Rice Trophy
Presenter of the Trophy Football Writers of America
Number of Conference Championships won 6
Years of Conference Championship wins 1947, 1954, 1955, 1960, 1962, and 1963

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Ole Miss Rebels men's basketball team history

The Ole Miss Rebels men's basketball team represents the University of Mississippi in basketball. The Rebels compete in the NCAA Division I and the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They started the 2015–16 season playing home games at Tad Smith Coliseum on the university's Oxford campus, but played their final game in that facility on December 22, 2015.

The Rebels have appeared in the NCAA tournament ten times, most recently in 2025. The Rebels made their deepest tournament run in school history at the 2001 NCAA tournament and the 2025 NCAA tournament, reaching the Sweet 16 both seasons. The Rebels have participated in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) 11 times.

Led by the senior trio of Clarence Sanders, Bam Doyne, and Todd Abernethy, the Ole Miss men finished the year with a 21–13 record, including a 16–1 record at home inside Tad Smith Coliseum. They advanced to the second round of the NIT before falling at Clemson. In his debut season with the Rebels, Kennedy was named the 2007 SEC Coach of the Year by the Associated Press after guiding Ole Miss, a preseason last-place pick in the SEC West, to its first division title and most wins since 2001. Kennedy was again named SEC Coach of the Year in 2013, becoming the all-time winningest coach at Ole Miss.

The Ole Miss Rebels football program has also seen success, representing the University of Mississippi in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as members of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The Rebels play their home games at Vaught–Hemingway Stadium on the university's campus in University, Mississippi. Founded in 1893 as the state's first football team, Ole Miss has won six Southeastern Conference titles, in 1947, 1954, 1955, 1960, 1962, and 1963. The team has been co-national champion once, with Minnesota in 1960 (the only time that Ole Miss has been acknowledged as national champion by the NCAA).

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The team's NCAA Tournament appearances

The Ole Miss Rebels men's basketball team has represented the University of Mississippi in intercollegiate men's basketball since 1974. The team has participated in the NCAA Tournament several times, with appearances in 1981, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2013, 2015, and 2019.

The Rebels have experienced varying levels of success in these tournaments, with their most notable achievements being their wins in the SEC Western Division in 1997, 1998, 2001, 2007, and 2010. The team also secured their first SEC tournament championship in 1981 and added a second one in 2013. The 1981 victory was particularly memorable as it marked the team's first-ever SEC tournament title.

In addition to their NCAA Tournament appearances, the Rebels have also made it to the National Invitation Tournament Semifinals at Madison Square Garden in 2008 and 2010. The team's success can be attributed to the leadership of their coaching staff, which has included renowned names such as Rod Barnes and Adrian Wiggins. During his tenure from 1999 to 2006, Barnes compiled an impressive record of 141-109.

The Ole Miss Rebels women's basketball team has also left its mark, appearing in the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship tournament an impressive seventeen times. This includes the inaugural 1982 tournament, showcasing the team's early dominance in the sport. The Rebels women's team has benefited from the guidance of legendary coaches such as Van Chancellor, who spent eighteen years as the head coach, amassing 439 wins and 154 losses. Chancellor's legacy extends beyond his own accomplishments, as he mentored several players-turned-coaches, including Jennifer Gillom and Carol Ross.

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The 1960 season

The 1960 unit is the only team to win a national championship that is recognised by the NCAA and the college football community at large. They were ranked first in the Associated Press poll for three weeks during the 1960 season and second in the final poll, behind the Minnesota Golden Gophers. The Rebels went on to defeat Rice 14–6 in the Sugar Bowl, while the Gophers lost to Washington in the Rose Bowl. This led the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) to vote Mississippi as national champions and present them with the Grantland Rice Trophy and the Grantland Rice Award.

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The Sugar Bowl Conference, 1961

The 1961 Sugar Bowl Conference was the 27th edition of the annual college football bowl game. It was played on January 2, 1961, in New Orleans, Louisiana, between the second-ranked Ole Miss Rebels and the unranked Rice Owls. The Rebels were the eventual winners of the game, with a final score of 14–6. This win earned them the title of national champion by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), although Minnesota was the pick of the AP and Coaches' Polls.

The game was a close contest, with Rice putting up a strong performance. In the first quarter, Rebels quarterback Jake Gibbs scored an 8-yard touchdown run, giving Ole Miss an early lead. Rice fought back in the third quarter, scoring a 2-yard run by Blume, but they missed the extra point, keeping the score at 7–6 in Ole Miss' favour. In the final quarter, the Rebels sealed their victory with a 3-yard touchdown run from Gibbs, making the final score 14–6. Despite Rice's strong statistical performance, their quarterback threw 4 interceptions, and the team made some crucial mistakes, which ultimately cost them the game. Jake Gibbs, with his two touchdown runs, was named the game's MVP.

This was the second appearance of the Ole Miss Rebels in the Sugar Bowl Conference. Their first appearance was after the 1952 season, where they faced Georgia Tech, who was then a member of the Southeastern Conference. Unfortunately for the Rebels, this game did not go their way, as Georgia Tech dominated after the first quarter, winning the game and going on to be named National Champion by five of the nation's polls.

The 1961 Sugar Bowl win was a significant achievement for the Ole Miss Rebels, as it earned them their first football national championship title in school history. This win added to an already impressive season for the Rebels, as they finished the 1960 season with a record of 10-0-1, with their lone tie coming against LSU in Oxford. The Rebels' performance in the Sugar Bowl Conference, along with their overall season record, solidified their place as one of the top college football teams in the nation.

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The team's head coaches

The Ole Miss Rebels men's basketball team has had several head coaches over the years, with the most notable being Rod Barnes and Lane Kiffin.

Rod Barnes coached the Rebels basketball team from 1999 to 2006 and compiled a record of 141-109 during his tenure. During his time as head coach, the Rebels won their first SEC tournament championship in 1981 and earned their second one in 2013.

Lane Kiffin is the current head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels football team. He was hired in 2019 as a 44-year-old with a wealth of coaching experience, including serving as head coach at USC, Tennessee, and the NFL's Oakland Raiders. In his first season at Ole Miss, Kiffin compiled a 5–5 record, including a win over Indiana in the Outback Bowl. In 2021, he led the Rebels to a 10–2 regular season, the best in school history, and finished 11th in both major polls. Kiffin has successfully recruited top players and built a strong team that is considered a serious contender for the national championship.

Another notable head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels is Van Chancellor, a Basketball Hall of Famer who led the women's team for eighteen years. During his tenure, Chancellor compiled a record of 439 wins and 154 losses and helped develop several players-turned-coaches, including Jennifer Gillom and Carol Ross.

Adrian Wiggins, who was hired in 2012, is also worth mentioning. He previously led Fresno State to five consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.

Frequently asked questions

No, Ole Miss has never won a national championship in basketball. However, they have participated in the NCAA Tournament several times, most recently in 2019.

Yes, the Ole Miss Rebels football team won a national championship in 1960. The team has also appeared in national championships in 1959 and 1962 but did not win.

Ole Miss has won six Southeastern Conference (SEC) championships in 1947, 1954, 1955, 1960, 1962, and 1963. They have also won two SEC tournament championships in men's basketball, in 1981 and 2013.

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