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Ole Miss Basketball Poaches Player From SEC Rival

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Levi Dombro | Last updated Apr 7, 2025 4:41 PM ET

The Ole Miss men's basketball program had quite the resurgence this season in the second year of the Chris Beard experiment. Not only did the team fend through the toughest conference in college basketball history and end up with a winning record, but they advanced to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in over 20 years.

Unfortunately, the Rebels relied heavily on seniors last season, and only forward Malik Dia will return next year from the main rotation. On Sunday, however, On3 Sports' Billy Embody reported that Ole Miss landed an SEC foe in the transfer portal, LSU forward Corey Chest.

Chest appeared in 26 games and made 19 starts for the Tigers last year during his freshman season, averaging 6.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. He shot 60.7% from the floor and recorded an impressive 12 rebounds against the Rebels in their second matchup.

As just a sophomore, Chest could be a vital part of Ole Miss' future under Coach Beard. If he can be more aggressive in scoring the ball and expand his range to beyond the three-point line, then Chest would be one of the most dangerous players in the SEC on both sides of the floor. It was no secret that the Rebels were going to be active in the transfer portal, and this is just the start of who Coach Beard will bring in before next season.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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