From UM Media Relations:
BATON ROUGE, La. – Ole Miss men’s basketball looks to carry over momentum from a Big 12/SEC Challenge win over Kansas State when the Rebels hit the road to take on No. 25 LSU on Tuesday night. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
TEAM FACTS
Ole Miss Rebels (11-10, 2-6 SEC)
Head Coach: Kermit Davis • 4th Season at Ole Miss (62-52) • 531-315 career record (27th Season)
#25 LSU Tigers (16-5, 4-4 SEC)
Head Coach: Will Wade • 5th Season at LSU (99-45) • 190-90 career record (9th Season)
ON THE AIR
Television/Online: SEC Network
Play-by-Play: Dave Neal
Color: Daymeon Fishback
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: David Kellum
Color: Marc Dukes
SiriusXM
XM: 389
SiriusXM App: 979
SERIES HISTORY VS. LSU
Ole Miss and LSU will meet for the 215th time on Tuesday night, the 111th time in Baton Rouge since the series began in 1910. LSU, which owns a 126-88 all-time lead, hosted the 15 meetings between the Rebels and Tigers, with the streak being broken up by a neutral site meeting in the SoCon Tournament in 1928 (W, 55-28) before the series finally coming to Oxford on Jan. 18, 1929 (W, 28-24). LSU holds an 81-29 edge in Baton Rouge, with the Rebels last win at the Maravich Center coming on March 9, 2013 (81-67). Ole Miss holds a 56-37 advantage in Oxford, but the Tigers lead elsewhere in neutral sites (7-4) and postseason (6-4), as well as overtime games (6-3). Over the last 10 meetings, LSU enjoys a 9-1 edge over the Rebels, with the last Ole Miss win coming in Oxford on Valentine’s Day 2017 (96-76).
SCOUTING LSU
LSU enters Tuesday at 16-5 overall and 4-4 in SEC play, and are coming off a 77-68 loss at TCU in the Big 12/SEC Challenge. The Tigers currently own the SEC’s fourth-best NET rating at No. 13, and they have spent a large portion of the 2021-22 season nationally ranked, rising as high as No. 13 in the Jan. 10 edition of the AP Top-25. LSU has played a crushingly difficult schedule that ranks third-toughest in the nation behind Alabama and Oklahoma State, posting a combined 9-5 record against Quad 1 (4-4) and Quad 2 (5-1), and a perfect 7-0 record against Quad 3 (3-0) and Quad 4 (4-0). LSU owns two ranked wins on the year against No. 16 Kentucky on Jan. 4 (65-60) and No. 18 Tennessee on Jan. 8 (79-67) which were part of a three-game winning streak before a three-game skid from Jan. 15-22.
The Tigers own a powerful defense that frustrates opposing offenses but also forces costly mistakes. LSU leads the nation in steals per game at 11.2 per contest and seventh in the NCAA in turnovers forced per game at 18.1 (No. 2 SEC), but it also stymies opposing offenses to the NCAA’s second-best field goal defense at 36.6 percent (No. 1 SEC) and sixth-best three-point defense at 27 percent (No. 1 SEC). This crushing defensive front helps the Tigers toward their SEC-leading scoring defense of just 59.2 points allowed per game (No. 22 NCAA) and the SEC’s third-best scoring margin of 13.7 points per game (No. 18 NCAA).
Leading the way for LSU is Tari Eason, who averages 15.9 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.6 steals, 1.1 assists and 1.0 blocks per game primarily off the bench while shooting 53.5 percent overall and 78.5 percent from the free throw line. Eric Gaines’ 2.1 steals per game ranks third in the SEC and 23rd in the NCAA. Other Tigers averaging double-digit scoring include Darius Days (13.1) and Xavier Pinson (10.3).
LAST MEETING: March 12, 2021 (L, 76-73, SEC Tournament Second Round)
• Held at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee
• Jarkel Joiner: Ole Miss career-high 26 points (21 in the second half)
• Joiner ignited 22-6 second-half Rebel run; scored 16 points in run with four threes, gave Rebels 51-46 lead with 11:17 left
• LSU responded with 17-5 run
• Romello White: 20 points, 13 rebounds
• Luis Rodriguez: 10 points, 6 rebounds
• LSU’s Trendon Watford (24), Darius Days (20), Cameron Thomas (18) combined for 62 points
LAST WIN: Feb. 14, 2017 (W, 96-76, in Oxford)
• Ole Miss trailed 47-44 at halftime
• Down 11 with 16 minutes to play, Rebels closed on 17-0 run after hitting 10 of final 11 shots
• Closed on a 42-12 total run, won second half 52-29, held LSU scoreless over final 4:32
• Rebels shot 54.1 percent overall, 56.7 percent in the second half
• Terence Davis: career-high 33 points (22 in second half)
• Deandre Burnett: 15 points, 5 assists, 3-of-6 3PT
• Sebastian Saiz: 15 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 1 block
• LSU’s Antonio Blakeney: 29 points, 10-of-17 FG, 5-of-7 3PT
LAST WIN IN BATON ROUGE: March 9, 2013 (W, 81-67)
• Regular season finale, win helped secure top-four seed for SEC Tournament
• Rebels would go on to beat No. 13 Florida in SEC title game, advance to Second Round of NCAA Tournament
• Marshall Henderson: 22 points
• Murphy Holloway: 16 points
LAST TIME OUT (vs. Kansas State: W, 67-56)
• First win for Ole Miss in Big 12/SEC Challenge, first win vs. K-State since 2009
• Ole Miss: shot 45.1 percent overall, held K-State to 30.2 percent shooting and 30.6 from three
• Rebels won rebounding battle, 43-33 (most since 57 vs. Rider on Nov. 30)
• Daeshun Ruffin: 17 points, career-high 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block
• Luis Rodriguez: 10 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block
• Five Rebels with 8+ points, five with 5+ rebounds
HISTORIC SHOWINGS AT THE FREE THROW LINE
Ole Miss has now recorded half of its perfect free throw shooting games with at least 10 attempts in this season alone following a perfect 15-of-15 showing against No. 4 Auburn on Jan. 15 and a follow-up 13-of-13 clip against Arkansas on Jan. 26. Those constitute just the third and fourth games in Ole Miss history to not miss a free throw attempt with at least 10 tries, joining a a school record 22-of-22 effort against South Alabama on Nov. 18, 2008 and a 10-of-10 performance against Mississippi State on Feb. 28, 1959. Both games stand as the best free throw performances in the SEC this season, and the 15-of-15 outing against Auburn ranks among just 11 perfect performances in the NCAA this season with at least 15 made free throws:
1. Villanova - 26-26 (vs. Howard, Nov. 16)
2. Long Beach State - 17-17 (vs. UC Santa Barbara, Jan. 13)
2. Montana - 17-17 (vs. Air Force, Dec. 8)
2. Detroit Mercy - 17-17 (vs. Hofstra, Nov. 27)
5. Villanova - 16-16 (vs. Georgetown, Jan. 22)
5. Grambling - 16-16 (vs. MVSU, Jan. 22)
5. Valparaiso - 16-16 (vs. Illinois State, Jan. 2)
5. Purdue Fort Wayne - 16-16 (vs. Wright State, Dec. 2)
9. Ole Miss - 15-15 (vs. Auburn, Jan. 15)
9. Miami (Ohio) - 15-15 (vs. Western Michigan, Jan. 15)
9. Charleston Southern - 15-15 (vs. Clemson, Nov. 26)
THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
After not getting to the line very often to start the season, the Rebels have been getting to the charity stripe and using it to great effect in the process. After starting the season just 17-of-31 (.548) from the free throw line amid three straight single-digit performances, Ole Miss has only been held to single digits five times in the succeeding 17 games at a combined line of 225-of-305 (.738) since playing Elon on Nov. 19 -- averaging 12.5 free throws made per game in that stretch. During its three-game winning streak that started on Nov. 26 vs. MVSU, Ole Miss went 54-of-76 (.711) -- which accounted for 25 percent of all Rebel scoring during the streak -- and over its last five wins over Middle Tennessee (13-20), Dayton (16-21), Mississippi State (13-18), Florida (16-20) and Kansas State (15-20), the Rebels have shot 73-of-99 (.737). In SEC play, Ole Miss ranks second in the conference at a clip of .769, and over its past three games vs. Florida (16-20), Arkansas (13-13) and Kansas State (15-20), the Rebels are shooting 44-of-53 (.830) from the charity stripe. At one point across those three games, Ole Miss had hit 25 straight free throws from 1:52 in the second half vs. Florida to 6:57 in the second half against K-State.
OLE MISS CAN’T MISS
The Rebels were absolutely on fire in the second half against Florida on Jan. 22, going 17-of-23 in the latter 20 minutes for a second-half clip of 73.9 percent. That stands as the first 70 percent second half by a Rebel team since shooting 72 percent (18-25) vs. San Diego on Nov. 28, 2018 and first vs. an SEC opponent since shooting 71.4 percent (15-21) vs. Auburn on Feb. 7, 2015. Furthermore, that stands as the best second-half percentage by a Rebel team since shooting 75 percent (21-28) vs. Centenary on Dec. 23, 2009, and the best in conference play since shooting 75 percent (18-24) vs. Alabama on March 1, 2008. The second half vs. Florida was the best back half by Ole Miss this season by more than 16 percentage points over its previous best of 57.5 vs. Charleston Southern on Nov. 12.
OFF THE LINE
It’s been difficult to damage the Rebels from distance this season, as Ole Miss has held eight of its last 15 opponents to 30 percent or lower from beyond the arc -- including four of eight SEC foes. In six of those seven wins of that stretch against Rider (2-of-13), No. 18 Memphis (2-of-11), Middle Tennessee (3-of-27), Dayton (4-18), Mississippi State (3-16) and Florida (4-29), Rebel opponents shot a combined 18-of-114 (.158), with the lone outlier a 30.6 percent outing from K-State on an 11-of-36 line. The Rebels rank 27th nationally and second in the SEC with a season opposing three-point clip of 29.3 percent, and Ole Miss also ranks fourth in the conference in SEC-only three-point defense at 29.1. In the Kermit Davis era, Ole Miss is 31-17 when holding opponents to 30 percent or lower and 50-27 when holding opponents below 40 percent from deep.
STEPPING UP
Ole Miss has been without senior stalwart Jarkel Joiner since Dec. 21 vs. Samford, and in the nine succeeding games several Rebels have stepped up to fill in for his sorely-missed presence and production. In that nine-game stretch, Matthew Murrell is leading with 15.0 points per game in addition to a 50 percent clip from the field, a 47.9 percent effort from beyond the arc, 2.6 threes, 3.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.0 steals per game. Murrell has also hit multiple threes in seven of those nine games, hitting three or more four times, four or more twice and a perfect 5-of-5 line vs. Mississippi State in a career-high 31-point outing on Jan. 8. Freshman Daeshun Ruffin, who has recorded all nine of his career starts in place of Joiner at the point guard position since his injury, has tallied 11.8 points, 3.9 assists, 2.6 steals and has shot 75 percent from the free throw line on a 30-of-40 clip. Nysier Brooks is also averaging double figures at 10.1 points and 8.2 boards per game, in addition to 1.6 blocks per contest.
FURIOUS STARTS FOR MURRELL
Sophomore Matthew Murrell has been a prolific scorer as of late for the Rebels, but he has been even more lethal from the jump in SEC play. In the first half during conference play, Murrell is averaging 9.3 points and 1.9 threes made while shooting lights-out clips of 57.8 percent overall, 60.0 from three and 77.8 from the free throw line. Murrell put together an absurd first half against Mississippi State on Jan. 8, dropping 23 of his eventual 31 points in the opening 20 minutes. That first half performance was the best by a Rebel against an SEC opponent since Stefan Moody poured in 24 in the opening frame against State on March 2, 2016.
SERIOUS MINUTES IN SEC PLAY
Ole Miss has received tremendous effort out of both Matthew Murrell and Nysier Brooks in SEC play, with both ranking within the top-10 in SEC-only minutes played. Murrell ranks second at 35.0 minutes per contest, while Brooks comes in at No. 7 at 33.0. Prior to SEC play starting, the duo combined for only 24 minutes per game, with Brooks averaging 25.9 and Murrell averaging 22.1.
FROM WAY DOWNTOWN
Doubling-down on that lockdown three-point defense, Ole Miss currently stands as one of two schools in the SEC to be ranked within the top-four of the SEC-only three-point shooting (No. 3, .352) and three-point defense (No. 4, .291) categories. Ole Miss has found its stroke from three-ball land again just in time for conference play, as their SEC-only three-point percentage has been helped greatly by 7.1 threes per game and a total 57-of-162 line. Ole Miss hit double-digit threes in each of its first two games of SEC season, going 11-of-22 at No. 18 Tennessee in a near-upset thriller that went into overtime before an 11-of-23 performance against in-state rival Mississippi State on Jan. 8. On the season, Ole Miss has hit double-digit threes made three times when including an 11-of-29 performance against Charleston Southern back on Nov. 12, the most such games since the Rebels tallied seven double-digit games during head coach Kermit Davis’ first season in 2018-19.
SEC CHECK-IN • INDIVIDUAL
Beyond the halfway mark of the season and eight games into the 18-game SEC slate, the Rebels hold several strong positions within the overall SEC single-game highs for individuals, both in overall play this season and within conference-only action.
Single-Game High • Points
1. Scotty Pippen Jr. (Vanderbilt) - 32 (vs. Kentucky)
2. Matthew Murrell (Ole Miss) - 31 (vs. MSU)
2. JD Notae (Arkansas) - 31 (vs. Texas A&M)
2. Quenton Jackson (Texas A&M) - 31 (vs. Cent. Ark.)
Single-Game High • 3PT Percentage
1. Matthew Murrell (Ole Miss) - 1.000 (5-5), vs. MSU
1. Justin Powell (Tennessee) - 1.000 (5-5), vs. Presbyterian
3. Kennedy Chandler (Tennessee) - 1.000 (4-4), vs. UT Martin
SEC-Only Single-Game High • 3PT Percentage
1. Matthew Murrell (Ole Miss) - 1.000 (5-5), vs. MSU
Nine others tied at 2-2
SEC-Only • 3PT Percentage
1. Matthew Murrell (Ole Miss) - .500
2. Santiago Vescovi (Tennessee) - .453
3. Noah Baumann (Georgia) - .397
SEC-Only • 3PT/Game
1. Santiago Vescovi (Tennessee) - 3.6
2. Noah Baumann (Georgia) - 2.9
3. Matthew Murrell (Ole Miss) - 2.8
3. Jaden Shackelford (Alabama) - 2.8
SEC-Only • Minutes/Game
1. Kellan Grady (Kentucky) - 36.3
2. Matthew Murrell (Ole Miss) - 35.0
3. Jaden Shackelford (Alabama) - 34.7
Overall • Offensive Rebounds
1. Oscar Tshiebwe (Kentucky) - 5.1
2. Colin Castleton (Florida) - 3.3
3. Nysier Brooks (Ole Miss) - 2.9
SEC-Only • Offensive Rebounds
1. Oscar Tshiebwe (Kentucky) - 4.8
2. Nysier Brooks (Ole Miss) - 3.5
3. Garrison Brooks (MSU) - 3.3
SEC-Only Single-Game High • Steals
1. Jaylin Williams (Arkansas) - 6 (vs. Texas A&M)
2. Daeshun Ruffin (Ole Miss) - 5 (vs. Tennessee)
Six others with 5
SEC-Only • Steals
1. Keon Ellis (Alabama) - 3.1
2. Daeshun Ruffin (Ole Miss) - 2.8
3. K.D. Johnson (Auburn) - 2.5
SEC CHECK-IN • TEAM
Likewise, the Rebels as an overall unit hold several impressive marks worth considering through 20 games played and eight within SEC play.
Overall 3PT Defense
1. LSU - .270
2. Ole Miss - .293
3. Vanderbilt - .298
Overall Single-Game High • FT Percentage
1. Ole Miss - 1.000 (15-15), vs. Auburn
2. Ole Miss - 1.000 (13-13), vs. Arkansas
3. Tennessee - 1.000 (10-10), vs. Tennessee Tech
Overall Single-Game High • Rebounds
1. South Carolina - 59, vs. Allen
2. Ole Miss - 57, Rider
SEC-Only FT Shooting
1. Georgia - .819
2. Ole Miss - .769
3. Missouri - .753
SEC-Only 3PT Shooting
1. Kentucky - .367
2. Vanderbilt - .357
3. Ole Miss - .352
SEC-Only Single-Game High • 3PT Made
1. Vanderbilt - 12 (vs. Georgia)
1. Vanderbilt - 12 (vs. Kentucky)
2. Ole Miss - 11 (vs. MSU)
2. Ole Miss - 11 (vs. Tennessee)
SEC-Only Single-Game High • FT Percentage
1. Ole Miss - 1.000 (15-15), vs. Auburn
2. Ole Miss - 1.000 (13-13), vs. Arkansas
3. Florida - 1.000 (9-9), at Tennessee
MURRELL GOES UNCONSCIOUS
Sophomore Matthew Murrell absolutely lit the net on fire against in-state rival Mississippi State on Jan. 8, dropping a career-high 31 points on an absurd 10-of-11 shooting performance that included a perfect 5-of-5 line from beyond the arc and a 6-of-6 clip from the free throw line. Murrell actually started the game 10-of-10 from the field before a late miss with 2:32 to play gave him his lone blemish on the night. Murrell stands as one of only three Rebels all-time to have gone 5-of-5 from three, joining Devontae Shuler’s performance vs. Jackson State on Dec. 10, 2020, and Joe Harvell’s 5-of-5 outing against Tennessee in the SEC Tournament on March 9, 1990 -- making Murrell’s the only such performance against an SEC opponent during the regular season. Murrell was unconscious in the first half, scoring 23 points in the opening frame alone, which had already beat his previous career-high of 19 points scored against No. 18 Memphis on Dec. 4. His 23 first-half points stands as the most scored by a Rebel against an SEC opponent since Stefan Moody dropped 24 against Mississippi State on March 2, 2016. To anyone paying attention lately, though, this was just the latest and greatest output from Murrell. Over his last nine games since SEC play began Jan. 5 at Tennessee, he is 23-of-48 (.479) from three and 46-of-92 (.500) overall, averaging 15.0 points per game in that stretch. Murrell started the season 2-of-10 (.200) from three across his first six games, but a 3-of-6 three-point performance against Rider and a 4-of-9 rip against the nationally-ranked Tigers helped spark a three-point line of 34-of-80 (.425) since across his last 15 games played since Nov. 30 against Rider. Murrell is the program’s highest rated recruit ever nationally, signing with Ole Miss ranked No. 39 overall by both ESPN and the 247Sports Composite in 2019-20.
CLEANING UP THE OFFENSIVE GLASS
Graduate transfer Nysier Brooks has been a beast on the offensive glass to start SEC play, ranking second in conference action at 3.5 offensive boards per game. Brooks hauled in a whopping eight offensive boards against Mississippi State to help lead to a career-high 16 rebounds, the most total boards by a Rebel since Sebastian Saiz hauled in 17 vs. Georgia Tech in the 2017 NIT. Brooks has had five or more offensive boards in four games this season, and he has had at least six rebounds in all but two games this season. Furthermore, Brooks has hit double-digit rebounds six times, including three in SEC play to average an SEC fourth-best average of 8.1 per game in conference play. Over his last 11 games since a 16-point, 11-rebound double-double vs. Dayton on Dec. 18, Brooks has grabbed an average of 8.4 boards per game to go along with 10.5 points and 1.4 blocks. Overall, Brooks ranks fifth in the SEC at 8.0 rebounds per game, and his overall offensive rebounding average of 2.9 per game ranks third in the conference. Brooks most recently recorded his third Rebel double-double and eighth of his career following a 15-point, 16 rebound performance against Mississippi State on Jan. 8.
WATCH YOUR BACK
Freshman guard Daeshun Ruffin has quickly become a force to reckon with defensively, averaging 2.3 steals per game in just 13 career contests. Ruffin has been particularly proficient at picking pockets lately, averaging an SEC second-best 2.8 steals per game in SEC play after a career-high five steal performance at No. 18 Tennessee and four more against Mississippi State, Missouri and Florida. At his current pace of 2.3 steals per game, Ruffin is on pace to break the Ole Miss freshman record for total steals of 47 set by Elston Turner in 27 games played in 1978. Ruffin missed eight games while sitting out one month due to breaking his right hand in the season opener vs. New Orleans on Nov. 9.
RUFFIN RETURNS IN A BIG SPOT
Ole Miss freshman Daeshun Ruffin returned from a four-week absence in dynamic fashion and has taken a prominent leadership role, averaging 12.8 points, 3.6 assists and 2.3 steals since returning from injury vs. Middle Tennessee on Dec. 15. His first three games back were a revelation, as Ruffin averaged 16.0 points, 4.0 assists, 2.6 steals and shot 41.7 percent overall and 70.8 percent from the free throw line against Middle Tennessee (Dec. 15), Dayton (Dec. 18) and Samford (Dec. 21). Ruffin is coming off his best game as a Rebel, a career-high 21 points vs. Florida that included a 9-of-10 free throw performance in addition to six assists and four steals. Ruffin suffered a fractured hand in the second half of the season opener against New Orleans, and missed the next four weeks of action. Ruffin first saw the floor again against Middle Tennessee on Dec. 15, scoring 12 points in just 12 minutes of action -- nine of which came in the first half as he came off the bench. Ruffin followed that up with a splendid showing against Dayton, scoring a then-career-high 19 points after a powerful 17-point second half to help lift the Rebels to victory. Ruffin hit 9-of-12 from the free throw line against the Flyers, and in his first two games back from injury his 13 free throws made accounted for 44.8 percent of all Rebel free throws made (29) in that stretch. Recently, Ruffin found success running the Rebel offense as well with a career-high eight assists against Mississippi State on Jan. 8 to go along with 17 points and a career-high three trifectas made. Ruffin topped his career-high with a 21-point effort against Florida on Jan. 24. Ruffin is the first McDonald’s All-American signee in program history following a storied career at Callaway High School in his native Jackson, Mississippi.
PROTECT THE BALL
Ole Miss has forced double-digit turnovers in all but two of their 21 contests so far this season, and have only turned the ball over more than its opponent five times this season. In the Kermit Davis era, the Rebels are 48-21 when having fewer turnovers than their opponents, and are 36-14 when forcing 15 turnovers or more.
HOMETOWN HERO
Senior Jarkel Joiner was named one of 60 men’s and women’s basketball student-athletes nationally named as candidates for the 2021-22 Senior CLASS Award on Dec. 7. Ole Miss women’s basketball senior Shakira Austin was also named a candidate, making Ole Miss the only SEC school to be represented on both lists and one of just four nationally alongside BYU, Michigan and Virginia Tech. To be eligible, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School ®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
In the classroom, Joiner holds a 3.13 GPA in multi-disciplinary studies, and is a staple in his hometown community. Joiner was named to the 2020-21 SEC Community Service Team, working closely with the Reading with the Rebels program in addition to the Stronger Together Mississippi initiative and Adopt-A-Basket, which helps feed local families during the holiday season.
The men’s and women’s candidates will be narrowed to two fields of ten finalists later in the season, and those names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, coaches and fans, who will then select one male candidate and one female candidate who best exemplifies excellence in the four C’s of community, classroom, character and competition. The Senior CLASS Award winners will be announced during the 2022 NCAA Men’s Final Four® and NCAA Women’s Final Four® this spring.
YEAR FOUR OF THE DAVIS ERA
Kermit Davis enters his fourth season at the helm of Ole Miss Basketball. Over his first three seasons, Davis led the Rebels to a pair of postseason appearances (2020 postseason was cancelled due to COVID-19). With 62 victories as head coach of the Rebels, Davis is one of only four coaches in Ole Miss history to rack up at least 50 wins over their first three seasons. A nine-time conference coach of the year, Davis is 38th among active Division I head coaches with 465 career wins over 24 seasons, including stints at Middle Tennessee, Idaho and Texas A&M. In 27 seasons as a college basketball head coach, he has amassed 531 wins.
DAVIS ERA TRENDS TO WATCH
• 52-17 when leading at half
• 5-0 when scoring 90+, 27-3 when scoring 80+, 47-20 when scoring 70+
• 43-18 when winning the rebounding battle
• 27-3 when at 50 percent shooting or better
• 17-7 when shooting 40 percent or better from three
• 59-30 when keeping opponents below 50 percent shooting (35-6 when below 40 percent)
| OLE MISS (11-10, 2-6 SEC) at #25 LSU (16-5, 4-4 SEC) Tuesday, February 1 • 8 p.m. CT • Baton Rouge, La. Maravich Center (13,215) 
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| Watch • Live Stats • Listen Ole Miss Game Notes • LSU Game Notes • SEC Game Notes |
TEAM FACTS
Ole Miss Rebels (11-10, 2-6 SEC)
Head Coach: Kermit Davis • 4th Season at Ole Miss (62-52) • 531-315 career record (27th Season)
#25 LSU Tigers (16-5, 4-4 SEC)
Head Coach: Will Wade • 5th Season at LSU (99-45) • 190-90 career record (9th Season)
ON THE AIR
Television/Online: SEC Network
Play-by-Play: Dave Neal
Color: Daymeon Fishback
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: David Kellum
Color: Marc Dukes
SiriusXM
XM: 389
SiriusXM App: 979
SERIES HISTORY VS. LSU
Ole Miss and LSU will meet for the 215th time on Tuesday night, the 111th time in Baton Rouge since the series began in 1910. LSU, which owns a 126-88 all-time lead, hosted the 15 meetings between the Rebels and Tigers, with the streak being broken up by a neutral site meeting in the SoCon Tournament in 1928 (W, 55-28) before the series finally coming to Oxford on Jan. 18, 1929 (W, 28-24). LSU holds an 81-29 edge in Baton Rouge, with the Rebels last win at the Maravich Center coming on March 9, 2013 (81-67). Ole Miss holds a 56-37 advantage in Oxford, but the Tigers lead elsewhere in neutral sites (7-4) and postseason (6-4), as well as overtime games (6-3). Over the last 10 meetings, LSU enjoys a 9-1 edge over the Rebels, with the last Ole Miss win coming in Oxford on Valentine’s Day 2017 (96-76).
SCOUTING LSU
LSU enters Tuesday at 16-5 overall and 4-4 in SEC play, and are coming off a 77-68 loss at TCU in the Big 12/SEC Challenge. The Tigers currently own the SEC’s fourth-best NET rating at No. 13, and they have spent a large portion of the 2021-22 season nationally ranked, rising as high as No. 13 in the Jan. 10 edition of the AP Top-25. LSU has played a crushingly difficult schedule that ranks third-toughest in the nation behind Alabama and Oklahoma State, posting a combined 9-5 record against Quad 1 (4-4) and Quad 2 (5-1), and a perfect 7-0 record against Quad 3 (3-0) and Quad 4 (4-0). LSU owns two ranked wins on the year against No. 16 Kentucky on Jan. 4 (65-60) and No. 18 Tennessee on Jan. 8 (79-67) which were part of a three-game winning streak before a three-game skid from Jan. 15-22.
The Tigers own a powerful defense that frustrates opposing offenses but also forces costly mistakes. LSU leads the nation in steals per game at 11.2 per contest and seventh in the NCAA in turnovers forced per game at 18.1 (No. 2 SEC), but it also stymies opposing offenses to the NCAA’s second-best field goal defense at 36.6 percent (No. 1 SEC) and sixth-best three-point defense at 27 percent (No. 1 SEC). This crushing defensive front helps the Tigers toward their SEC-leading scoring defense of just 59.2 points allowed per game (No. 22 NCAA) and the SEC’s third-best scoring margin of 13.7 points per game (No. 18 NCAA).
Leading the way for LSU is Tari Eason, who averages 15.9 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.6 steals, 1.1 assists and 1.0 blocks per game primarily off the bench while shooting 53.5 percent overall and 78.5 percent from the free throw line. Eric Gaines’ 2.1 steals per game ranks third in the SEC and 23rd in the NCAA. Other Tigers averaging double-digit scoring include Darius Days (13.1) and Xavier Pinson (10.3).
LAST MEETING: March 12, 2021 (L, 76-73, SEC Tournament Second Round)
• Held at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee
• Jarkel Joiner: Ole Miss career-high 26 points (21 in the second half)
• Joiner ignited 22-6 second-half Rebel run; scored 16 points in run with four threes, gave Rebels 51-46 lead with 11:17 left
• LSU responded with 17-5 run
• Romello White: 20 points, 13 rebounds
• Luis Rodriguez: 10 points, 6 rebounds
• LSU’s Trendon Watford (24), Darius Days (20), Cameron Thomas (18) combined for 62 points
LAST WIN: Feb. 14, 2017 (W, 96-76, in Oxford)
• Ole Miss trailed 47-44 at halftime
• Down 11 with 16 minutes to play, Rebels closed on 17-0 run after hitting 10 of final 11 shots
• Closed on a 42-12 total run, won second half 52-29, held LSU scoreless over final 4:32
• Rebels shot 54.1 percent overall, 56.7 percent in the second half
• Terence Davis: career-high 33 points (22 in second half)
• Deandre Burnett: 15 points, 5 assists, 3-of-6 3PT
• Sebastian Saiz: 15 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 1 block
• LSU’s Antonio Blakeney: 29 points, 10-of-17 FG, 5-of-7 3PT
LAST WIN IN BATON ROUGE: March 9, 2013 (W, 81-67)
• Regular season finale, win helped secure top-four seed for SEC Tournament
• Rebels would go on to beat No. 13 Florida in SEC title game, advance to Second Round of NCAA Tournament
• Marshall Henderson: 22 points
• Murphy Holloway: 16 points
LAST TIME OUT (vs. Kansas State: W, 67-56)
• First win for Ole Miss in Big 12/SEC Challenge, first win vs. K-State since 2009
• Ole Miss: shot 45.1 percent overall, held K-State to 30.2 percent shooting and 30.6 from three
• Rebels won rebounding battle, 43-33 (most since 57 vs. Rider on Nov. 30)
• Daeshun Ruffin: 17 points, career-high 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block
• Luis Rodriguez: 10 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block
• Five Rebels with 8+ points, five with 5+ rebounds
HISTORIC SHOWINGS AT THE FREE THROW LINE
Ole Miss has now recorded half of its perfect free throw shooting games with at least 10 attempts in this season alone following a perfect 15-of-15 showing against No. 4 Auburn on Jan. 15 and a follow-up 13-of-13 clip against Arkansas on Jan. 26. Those constitute just the third and fourth games in Ole Miss history to not miss a free throw attempt with at least 10 tries, joining a a school record 22-of-22 effort against South Alabama on Nov. 18, 2008 and a 10-of-10 performance against Mississippi State on Feb. 28, 1959. Both games stand as the best free throw performances in the SEC this season, and the 15-of-15 outing against Auburn ranks among just 11 perfect performances in the NCAA this season with at least 15 made free throws:
1. Villanova - 26-26 (vs. Howard, Nov. 16)
2. Long Beach State - 17-17 (vs. UC Santa Barbara, Jan. 13)
2. Montana - 17-17 (vs. Air Force, Dec. 8)
2. Detroit Mercy - 17-17 (vs. Hofstra, Nov. 27)
5. Villanova - 16-16 (vs. Georgetown, Jan. 22)
5. Grambling - 16-16 (vs. MVSU, Jan. 22)
5. Valparaiso - 16-16 (vs. Illinois State, Jan. 2)
5. Purdue Fort Wayne - 16-16 (vs. Wright State, Dec. 2)
9. Ole Miss - 15-15 (vs. Auburn, Jan. 15)
9. Miami (Ohio) - 15-15 (vs. Western Michigan, Jan. 15)
9. Charleston Southern - 15-15 (vs. Clemson, Nov. 26)
THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
After not getting to the line very often to start the season, the Rebels have been getting to the charity stripe and using it to great effect in the process. After starting the season just 17-of-31 (.548) from the free throw line amid three straight single-digit performances, Ole Miss has only been held to single digits five times in the succeeding 17 games at a combined line of 225-of-305 (.738) since playing Elon on Nov. 19 -- averaging 12.5 free throws made per game in that stretch. During its three-game winning streak that started on Nov. 26 vs. MVSU, Ole Miss went 54-of-76 (.711) -- which accounted for 25 percent of all Rebel scoring during the streak -- and over its last five wins over Middle Tennessee (13-20), Dayton (16-21), Mississippi State (13-18), Florida (16-20) and Kansas State (15-20), the Rebels have shot 73-of-99 (.737). In SEC play, Ole Miss ranks second in the conference at a clip of .769, and over its past three games vs. Florida (16-20), Arkansas (13-13) and Kansas State (15-20), the Rebels are shooting 44-of-53 (.830) from the charity stripe. At one point across those three games, Ole Miss had hit 25 straight free throws from 1:52 in the second half vs. Florida to 6:57 in the second half against K-State.
OLE MISS CAN’T MISS
The Rebels were absolutely on fire in the second half against Florida on Jan. 22, going 17-of-23 in the latter 20 minutes for a second-half clip of 73.9 percent. That stands as the first 70 percent second half by a Rebel team since shooting 72 percent (18-25) vs. San Diego on Nov. 28, 2018 and first vs. an SEC opponent since shooting 71.4 percent (15-21) vs. Auburn on Feb. 7, 2015. Furthermore, that stands as the best second-half percentage by a Rebel team since shooting 75 percent (21-28) vs. Centenary on Dec. 23, 2009, and the best in conference play since shooting 75 percent (18-24) vs. Alabama on March 1, 2008. The second half vs. Florida was the best back half by Ole Miss this season by more than 16 percentage points over its previous best of 57.5 vs. Charleston Southern on Nov. 12.
OFF THE LINE
It’s been difficult to damage the Rebels from distance this season, as Ole Miss has held eight of its last 15 opponents to 30 percent or lower from beyond the arc -- including four of eight SEC foes. In six of those seven wins of that stretch against Rider (2-of-13), No. 18 Memphis (2-of-11), Middle Tennessee (3-of-27), Dayton (4-18), Mississippi State (3-16) and Florida (4-29), Rebel opponents shot a combined 18-of-114 (.158), with the lone outlier a 30.6 percent outing from K-State on an 11-of-36 line. The Rebels rank 27th nationally and second in the SEC with a season opposing three-point clip of 29.3 percent, and Ole Miss also ranks fourth in the conference in SEC-only three-point defense at 29.1. In the Kermit Davis era, Ole Miss is 31-17 when holding opponents to 30 percent or lower and 50-27 when holding opponents below 40 percent from deep.
STEPPING UP
Ole Miss has been without senior stalwart Jarkel Joiner since Dec. 21 vs. Samford, and in the nine succeeding games several Rebels have stepped up to fill in for his sorely-missed presence and production. In that nine-game stretch, Matthew Murrell is leading with 15.0 points per game in addition to a 50 percent clip from the field, a 47.9 percent effort from beyond the arc, 2.6 threes, 3.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.0 steals per game. Murrell has also hit multiple threes in seven of those nine games, hitting three or more four times, four or more twice and a perfect 5-of-5 line vs. Mississippi State in a career-high 31-point outing on Jan. 8. Freshman Daeshun Ruffin, who has recorded all nine of his career starts in place of Joiner at the point guard position since his injury, has tallied 11.8 points, 3.9 assists, 2.6 steals and has shot 75 percent from the free throw line on a 30-of-40 clip. Nysier Brooks is also averaging double figures at 10.1 points and 8.2 boards per game, in addition to 1.6 blocks per contest.
FURIOUS STARTS FOR MURRELL
Sophomore Matthew Murrell has been a prolific scorer as of late for the Rebels, but he has been even more lethal from the jump in SEC play. In the first half during conference play, Murrell is averaging 9.3 points and 1.9 threes made while shooting lights-out clips of 57.8 percent overall, 60.0 from three and 77.8 from the free throw line. Murrell put together an absurd first half against Mississippi State on Jan. 8, dropping 23 of his eventual 31 points in the opening 20 minutes. That first half performance was the best by a Rebel against an SEC opponent since Stefan Moody poured in 24 in the opening frame against State on March 2, 2016.
SERIOUS MINUTES IN SEC PLAY
Ole Miss has received tremendous effort out of both Matthew Murrell and Nysier Brooks in SEC play, with both ranking within the top-10 in SEC-only minutes played. Murrell ranks second at 35.0 minutes per contest, while Brooks comes in at No. 7 at 33.0. Prior to SEC play starting, the duo combined for only 24 minutes per game, with Brooks averaging 25.9 and Murrell averaging 22.1.
FROM WAY DOWNTOWN
Doubling-down on that lockdown three-point defense, Ole Miss currently stands as one of two schools in the SEC to be ranked within the top-four of the SEC-only three-point shooting (No. 3, .352) and three-point defense (No. 4, .291) categories. Ole Miss has found its stroke from three-ball land again just in time for conference play, as their SEC-only three-point percentage has been helped greatly by 7.1 threes per game and a total 57-of-162 line. Ole Miss hit double-digit threes in each of its first two games of SEC season, going 11-of-22 at No. 18 Tennessee in a near-upset thriller that went into overtime before an 11-of-23 performance against in-state rival Mississippi State on Jan. 8. On the season, Ole Miss has hit double-digit threes made three times when including an 11-of-29 performance against Charleston Southern back on Nov. 12, the most such games since the Rebels tallied seven double-digit games during head coach Kermit Davis’ first season in 2018-19.
SEC CHECK-IN • INDIVIDUAL
Beyond the halfway mark of the season and eight games into the 18-game SEC slate, the Rebels hold several strong positions within the overall SEC single-game highs for individuals, both in overall play this season and within conference-only action.
Single-Game High • Points
1. Scotty Pippen Jr. (Vanderbilt) - 32 (vs. Kentucky)
2. Matthew Murrell (Ole Miss) - 31 (vs. MSU)
2. JD Notae (Arkansas) - 31 (vs. Texas A&M)
2. Quenton Jackson (Texas A&M) - 31 (vs. Cent. Ark.)
Single-Game High • 3PT Percentage
1. Matthew Murrell (Ole Miss) - 1.000 (5-5), vs. MSU
1. Justin Powell (Tennessee) - 1.000 (5-5), vs. Presbyterian
3. Kennedy Chandler (Tennessee) - 1.000 (4-4), vs. UT Martin
SEC-Only Single-Game High • 3PT Percentage
1. Matthew Murrell (Ole Miss) - 1.000 (5-5), vs. MSU
Nine others tied at 2-2
SEC-Only • 3PT Percentage
1. Matthew Murrell (Ole Miss) - .500
2. Santiago Vescovi (Tennessee) - .453
3. Noah Baumann (Georgia) - .397
SEC-Only • 3PT/Game
1. Santiago Vescovi (Tennessee) - 3.6
2. Noah Baumann (Georgia) - 2.9
3. Matthew Murrell (Ole Miss) - 2.8
3. Jaden Shackelford (Alabama) - 2.8
SEC-Only • Minutes/Game
1. Kellan Grady (Kentucky) - 36.3
2. Matthew Murrell (Ole Miss) - 35.0
3. Jaden Shackelford (Alabama) - 34.7
Overall • Offensive Rebounds
1. Oscar Tshiebwe (Kentucky) - 5.1
2. Colin Castleton (Florida) - 3.3
3. Nysier Brooks (Ole Miss) - 2.9
SEC-Only • Offensive Rebounds
1. Oscar Tshiebwe (Kentucky) - 4.8
2. Nysier Brooks (Ole Miss) - 3.5
3. Garrison Brooks (MSU) - 3.3
SEC-Only Single-Game High • Steals
1. Jaylin Williams (Arkansas) - 6 (vs. Texas A&M)
2. Daeshun Ruffin (Ole Miss) - 5 (vs. Tennessee)
Six others with 5
SEC-Only • Steals
1. Keon Ellis (Alabama) - 3.1
2. Daeshun Ruffin (Ole Miss) - 2.8
3. K.D. Johnson (Auburn) - 2.5
SEC CHECK-IN • TEAM
Likewise, the Rebels as an overall unit hold several impressive marks worth considering through 20 games played and eight within SEC play.
Overall 3PT Defense
1. LSU - .270
2. Ole Miss - .293
3. Vanderbilt - .298
Overall Single-Game High • FT Percentage
1. Ole Miss - 1.000 (15-15), vs. Auburn
2. Ole Miss - 1.000 (13-13), vs. Arkansas
3. Tennessee - 1.000 (10-10), vs. Tennessee Tech
Overall Single-Game High • Rebounds
1. South Carolina - 59, vs. Allen
2. Ole Miss - 57, Rider
SEC-Only FT Shooting
1. Georgia - .819
2. Ole Miss - .769
3. Missouri - .753
SEC-Only 3PT Shooting
1. Kentucky - .367
2. Vanderbilt - .357
3. Ole Miss - .352
SEC-Only Single-Game High • 3PT Made
1. Vanderbilt - 12 (vs. Georgia)
1. Vanderbilt - 12 (vs. Kentucky)
2. Ole Miss - 11 (vs. MSU)
2. Ole Miss - 11 (vs. Tennessee)
SEC-Only Single-Game High • FT Percentage
1. Ole Miss - 1.000 (15-15), vs. Auburn
2. Ole Miss - 1.000 (13-13), vs. Arkansas
3. Florida - 1.000 (9-9), at Tennessee
MURRELL GOES UNCONSCIOUS
Sophomore Matthew Murrell absolutely lit the net on fire against in-state rival Mississippi State on Jan. 8, dropping a career-high 31 points on an absurd 10-of-11 shooting performance that included a perfect 5-of-5 line from beyond the arc and a 6-of-6 clip from the free throw line. Murrell actually started the game 10-of-10 from the field before a late miss with 2:32 to play gave him his lone blemish on the night. Murrell stands as one of only three Rebels all-time to have gone 5-of-5 from three, joining Devontae Shuler’s performance vs. Jackson State on Dec. 10, 2020, and Joe Harvell’s 5-of-5 outing against Tennessee in the SEC Tournament on March 9, 1990 -- making Murrell’s the only such performance against an SEC opponent during the regular season. Murrell was unconscious in the first half, scoring 23 points in the opening frame alone, which had already beat his previous career-high of 19 points scored against No. 18 Memphis on Dec. 4. His 23 first-half points stands as the most scored by a Rebel against an SEC opponent since Stefan Moody dropped 24 against Mississippi State on March 2, 2016. To anyone paying attention lately, though, this was just the latest and greatest output from Murrell. Over his last nine games since SEC play began Jan. 5 at Tennessee, he is 23-of-48 (.479) from three and 46-of-92 (.500) overall, averaging 15.0 points per game in that stretch. Murrell started the season 2-of-10 (.200) from three across his first six games, but a 3-of-6 three-point performance against Rider and a 4-of-9 rip against the nationally-ranked Tigers helped spark a three-point line of 34-of-80 (.425) since across his last 15 games played since Nov. 30 against Rider. Murrell is the program’s highest rated recruit ever nationally, signing with Ole Miss ranked No. 39 overall by both ESPN and the 247Sports Composite in 2019-20.
CLEANING UP THE OFFENSIVE GLASS
Graduate transfer Nysier Brooks has been a beast on the offensive glass to start SEC play, ranking second in conference action at 3.5 offensive boards per game. Brooks hauled in a whopping eight offensive boards against Mississippi State to help lead to a career-high 16 rebounds, the most total boards by a Rebel since Sebastian Saiz hauled in 17 vs. Georgia Tech in the 2017 NIT. Brooks has had five or more offensive boards in four games this season, and he has had at least six rebounds in all but two games this season. Furthermore, Brooks has hit double-digit rebounds six times, including three in SEC play to average an SEC fourth-best average of 8.1 per game in conference play. Over his last 11 games since a 16-point, 11-rebound double-double vs. Dayton on Dec. 18, Brooks has grabbed an average of 8.4 boards per game to go along with 10.5 points and 1.4 blocks. Overall, Brooks ranks fifth in the SEC at 8.0 rebounds per game, and his overall offensive rebounding average of 2.9 per game ranks third in the conference. Brooks most recently recorded his third Rebel double-double and eighth of his career following a 15-point, 16 rebound performance against Mississippi State on Jan. 8.
WATCH YOUR BACK
Freshman guard Daeshun Ruffin has quickly become a force to reckon with defensively, averaging 2.3 steals per game in just 13 career contests. Ruffin has been particularly proficient at picking pockets lately, averaging an SEC second-best 2.8 steals per game in SEC play after a career-high five steal performance at No. 18 Tennessee and four more against Mississippi State, Missouri and Florida. At his current pace of 2.3 steals per game, Ruffin is on pace to break the Ole Miss freshman record for total steals of 47 set by Elston Turner in 27 games played in 1978. Ruffin missed eight games while sitting out one month due to breaking his right hand in the season opener vs. New Orleans on Nov. 9.
RUFFIN RETURNS IN A BIG SPOT
Ole Miss freshman Daeshun Ruffin returned from a four-week absence in dynamic fashion and has taken a prominent leadership role, averaging 12.8 points, 3.6 assists and 2.3 steals since returning from injury vs. Middle Tennessee on Dec. 15. His first three games back were a revelation, as Ruffin averaged 16.0 points, 4.0 assists, 2.6 steals and shot 41.7 percent overall and 70.8 percent from the free throw line against Middle Tennessee (Dec. 15), Dayton (Dec. 18) and Samford (Dec. 21). Ruffin is coming off his best game as a Rebel, a career-high 21 points vs. Florida that included a 9-of-10 free throw performance in addition to six assists and four steals. Ruffin suffered a fractured hand in the second half of the season opener against New Orleans, and missed the next four weeks of action. Ruffin first saw the floor again against Middle Tennessee on Dec. 15, scoring 12 points in just 12 minutes of action -- nine of which came in the first half as he came off the bench. Ruffin followed that up with a splendid showing against Dayton, scoring a then-career-high 19 points after a powerful 17-point second half to help lift the Rebels to victory. Ruffin hit 9-of-12 from the free throw line against the Flyers, and in his first two games back from injury his 13 free throws made accounted for 44.8 percent of all Rebel free throws made (29) in that stretch. Recently, Ruffin found success running the Rebel offense as well with a career-high eight assists against Mississippi State on Jan. 8 to go along with 17 points and a career-high three trifectas made. Ruffin topped his career-high with a 21-point effort against Florida on Jan. 24. Ruffin is the first McDonald’s All-American signee in program history following a storied career at Callaway High School in his native Jackson, Mississippi.
PROTECT THE BALL
Ole Miss has forced double-digit turnovers in all but two of their 21 contests so far this season, and have only turned the ball over more than its opponent five times this season. In the Kermit Davis era, the Rebels are 48-21 when having fewer turnovers than their opponents, and are 36-14 when forcing 15 turnovers or more.
HOMETOWN HERO
Senior Jarkel Joiner was named one of 60 men’s and women’s basketball student-athletes nationally named as candidates for the 2021-22 Senior CLASS Award on Dec. 7. Ole Miss women’s basketball senior Shakira Austin was also named a candidate, making Ole Miss the only SEC school to be represented on both lists and one of just four nationally alongside BYU, Michigan and Virginia Tech. To be eligible, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School ®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
In the classroom, Joiner holds a 3.13 GPA in multi-disciplinary studies, and is a staple in his hometown community. Joiner was named to the 2020-21 SEC Community Service Team, working closely with the Reading with the Rebels program in addition to the Stronger Together Mississippi initiative and Adopt-A-Basket, which helps feed local families during the holiday season.
The men’s and women’s candidates will be narrowed to two fields of ten finalists later in the season, and those names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, coaches and fans, who will then select one male candidate and one female candidate who best exemplifies excellence in the four C’s of community, classroom, character and competition. The Senior CLASS Award winners will be announced during the 2022 NCAA Men’s Final Four® and NCAA Women’s Final Four® this spring.
YEAR FOUR OF THE DAVIS ERA
Kermit Davis enters his fourth season at the helm of Ole Miss Basketball. Over his first three seasons, Davis led the Rebels to a pair of postseason appearances (2020 postseason was cancelled due to COVID-19). With 62 victories as head coach of the Rebels, Davis is one of only four coaches in Ole Miss history to rack up at least 50 wins over their first three seasons. A nine-time conference coach of the year, Davis is 38th among active Division I head coaches with 465 career wins over 24 seasons, including stints at Middle Tennessee, Idaho and Texas A&M. In 27 seasons as a college basketball head coach, he has amassed 531 wins.
DAVIS ERA TRENDS TO WATCH
• 52-17 when leading at half
• 5-0 when scoring 90+, 27-3 when scoring 80+, 47-20 when scoring 70+
• 43-18 when winning the rebounding battle
• 27-3 when at 50 percent shooting or better
• 17-7 when shooting 40 percent or better from three
• 59-30 when keeping opponents below 50 percent shooting (35-6 when below 40 percent)
