Two conference champions and a pair of at-large teams are preparing to battle in the Oxford Regional starting Friday at Ole Miss.

The Rebels, fresh off of their Southeastern Conference Tournament championship, will battle Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion Bethune-Cookman (30-25) in the second game Friday at 7 p.m.

In the opener, Tulane (41-19) and South Alabama (38-19) will go head-to-head in a battle of historical powerhouses.

For Bethune-Cookman, the only school in the bracket without much postseason experience, just making it was a reward.

&#8220We’ve got to play somebody, somewhere, so it doesn’t matter if it’s Mississippi or whoever,” catcher Jorge Mico told the Daytona Beach News-Journal. &#8220Just waiting to see who we were playing was nerve-wracking. Now, we’re ready to go.”

The Wildcats won the MEAC Tournament championship and carry a 30-25 record. Mico leads the team with a gaudy 21 doubles and is hitting .335.

They will battle host Ole Miss (40-20), which came within one win of reaching the College World Series last season. Ole Miss won its regional last year, then lost to eventual CWS champion Texas in the final game of a three-game set.

The Rebels enter the regional on a roll after dispatching four straight opponents in the SEC Tournament. The Rebels defeated Vanderbilt on Sunday to win the championship.

&#8220It was great for the team. Especially coming out here last year, it teaches you not to take anything for granted,” said Ole Miss outfielder Mark Wright. &#8220We’re peaking at the right point. We’re doing everything good right now.”

With a win over Bethune-Cookman, the Rebels will play either Tulane or South Alabama on Saturday.

The Green Wave finished third in Conference USA and lost in the semifinals to Houston. The Green Wave (41-19) are led by Warren McFadden with a .381 batting average.

The Green Wave played their home games at Zephyr Field, home of the Class AAA New Orleans Zephyrs, after the Wave’s home park, Turchin Stadium, was flooded following Hurricane Katrina.

This will be the Green Wave’s ninth straight regional appearance and second at Ole Miss in the last three years.

&#8220We won two out of three from South Alabama, but that was over two months ago,” Tulane coach Rick Jones said. &#8220I know they’re playing well, and so are we.”

South Alabama carries a 39-18 record and finished second to Troy in the Sun Belt.