From UM Media Relations:
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Ole Miss men's basketball team is set to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores on Saturday, February 4 at noon on SEC Network.
TEAM FACTS
Ole Miss Rebels (9-13, 1-8 SEC)
Head Coach: Kermit Davis • 5th Season at Ole Miss (73-74) • 542-337 career record (28th Season)
Vanderbilt Commodores (10-12, 3-6 SEC)
Head Coach: Jerry Stackhouse • 4th Season at Vanderbilt (49-66) • 49-66 career record (4th Season)
ON THE AIR
Television/Online: SEC Network
Play-by-Play: Richard Cross
Color: Richard Hendrix
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: David Kellum
Color: Marc Dukes
SERIES HISTORY VS. VANDERBILT
First meeting on February 8, 1925 in Oxford, Miss. when Vanderbilt defeated Ole Miss 19-18, the Commodores and Rebels have played in 126 games, with Vanderbilt leading the all-time series 78-48. The home team has gotten the better of their opponent throughout the 98 years they've played, with Vanderbilt leading in Nashville 48-9, and Ole Miss leading in Oxford 34-26. In neutral locations, the Rebels lead 5-4, with the series tied at four wins each during the postseason and in overtime games. The Rebels have taken the win in six of the last four meetings, owning a 3-2 record against Vandy under head coach Kermit Davis.
LAST MEETING: MARCH 5, 2022 (L, 61-63, OXFORD, MISS.)
• Last year's regular season schedule finale for each team ended with a narrow victory for the visiting Commodores.
• Ole Miss took a seven-point lead into the locker room at halftime, before Vandy came back to take the lead midway through the second half.
• Trailing by seven with just over four minutes left, the Rebels got within two on a three-pointer by Matthew Murrell with under a minute to go, before missing on a pair of attempts in the closing seconds.
• Murrell led the Rebels with 15 points while Austin Crowley scored 15 as well off the bench.
• Vanderbilt was led by Scotty Pippen Jr., who scored 22 and dished out six assists.
SCOUTING THE COMMODORES
Opening the season with losses to Memphis and Southern Miss at home, Vanderbilt jumped back to an even 2-2 record after defeating Temple and Morehead State. At the Wooden Legacy Tournament, they fell to Saint Mary's before taking down Fresno State, and concluded their November with a loss at VCU. Vanderbilt would go 4-2 in the month of December, defeating Wofford, Pitt, Alabama A&M, and Southeastern Louisiana, and falling to Grambling State and NC State. After beginning their SEC schedule with an overtime win over South Carolina, Vandy dropped matchups with Missouri and Tennessee. They have since lost to Tennessee, Alabama twice, Kentucky, and Texas A&M, picking up their other two conference wins over Arkansas and Georgia; entering their game with Ole Miss at 10-12 overall and 3-6 in conference.
Depth has been the strength of Vanderbilt this season, as they lead the SEC and rank sixth in the nation at 32.8 bench points per game. While attempting 25.0 three pointers per game (42nd in the NCAA and third in the SEC), they are shooting just 32.1% from beyond the arc on the year (280th in the NCAA and ninth in the SEC). They also rank among the top-100 as a team in blocks per game (4.5, 47th in NCAA), offensive rebounds per game (11.8, 62nd in NCAA), fewest turnovers per game (11.7, 81st in NCAA), and total rebounds per game (36.6, 96th in NCAA).
Forward Liam Robbins enters as their leading scorer on the season, averaging 13.0 points per game while leading the team in rebounds as well at 5.9 per contest. Standing at seven-feet tall, the senior also leads the team and ranks seventh in the nation at 2.78 blocks per game. Forward Myles Stute has been a threat from deep this season, ranking second in the SEC and 17th in the country with a 42.4% mark from three. He's connected on seven three pointers twice this season, against Temple on November 15 and January 28 at Texas A&M.
A DEFENSIVE GOAT
Recording a steal in the closing moments of the first half against Missouri, senior transfer Myles Burns collected the 400th steal of his collegiate career. Joining the Ole Miss program from Loyola New Orleans of the NAIA, Burns brought 358 steals from his four-time NAIA All-American career and has collected 48 since coming to Oxford. Counting his stats from the NAIA, Burns would become just the sixth person in NCAA men's basketball history across all divisions to collect 400 career steals. He is currently on pace to surpass 60 steals this season, and would become the first Rebel to hit that mark since Jason Smith had 73 in 1999.
400 Career NCAA Steals List
1. Calvin Cheek, New England Col. (III), 2017-22: 580 steals
2. Jacob Gilyard, Richmond (I), 2017-22: 466 steals
3. Tennyson Whitted, Ramapo (III), 1999-2003: 448 steals
4. Jonte Flowers, Winona St. (II), 2004-08: 414 steals
5. John Gallogly, Salve Regina (III), 1994-98: 413 steals
MB2K
Myles Burns also brought 1,852 points to Oxford from his four-time NAIA All-American career at Loyola New Orleans, giving him a collegiate total of 1,994 points entering Saturday's game at Vanderbilt. Once he surpasses the 2,000 collegiate points mark, he would be one of just five active players across all divisions in college basketball with at least 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds (if his NAIA stats transferred to NCAA). Other active student-athletes with at least 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds are Jayden Gardner (Virginia), KJ Williams (LSU), Kevin Obanor (Texas Tech), and Jordan Janssen (Wayne St. (NE)).
Burns would also be just one of two active players across all divisions with at least 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 100 steals, and 100 blocks in their career. Janssen of Wayne St. (NE) would be the only other active member of that club.
*Entering Saturday, Williams of LSU is two blocks away from meeting this criteria as well.
THROUGH THE FIRE
Ole Miss has faced off with some of the best competition college basketball has to offer, as the Rebels current strength of schedule ranks fifth in the nation. With a combined opponent record of 298-168 (0.639), they have taken on 12 foes with a current NET ranking in the top-100, including nine in the top-50 and two in the top-five.
BLOCK PARTY
The Ole Miss defense currently averages 67.7 points allowed per game, only letting their opponents top 70 points six times this year. A major part of their defensive identity has been enforcing the paint, as the Rebels rank 33rd in the country in blocks per game (4.6). They are led down low by senior transfers Theo Akwuba (26 total blocks, 1.2 per game) and Jayveous McKinnis (25 total blocks, 1.2 per game).
On January 3 at No. 7 Alabama, Akwuba and McKinnis combined for seven blocks, with Akwuba's four bringing his collegiate career total to 200 (now at 208). He and McKinnis (257 career blocks) are the only two teammates in college basketball with over 200 swats in their careers, and each rank among the top-10 in active career leaders.
ANOTHER ONE
With an average of 12.1 offensive rebounds per game, the Rebels have been among the best in the country in earning second chances on the glass, currently ranking 49th in the nation. The team is led by senior transfer Myles Burns with 49 offensive rebounds (2.2 per game).
THEM REBS MOVE FAST
Ole Miss has been quick to react on defensive rebounds and turnovers, outscoring their opponents on fast-break opportunities by 82 this season (235-153). The Rebels has recorded more fast-break points than the other team in 16 of their 22 games.
THE MAGIC NUMBER IS 20
Junior guard Matthew Murrell has scored 20 or more points six times this season, and averages 14.9 per game. A large part of his offense has come from deep, as he has made 38 threes on the year. Over a four-game stretch against Mississippi State, Auburn, Georgia, and South Carolina, Murrell averaged 19.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game, while shooting 44.1% from the field and connecting on 10 threes.
CAN'T BRAKE HIS COMPOSURE
In Ole Miss' game against No. 7 Tennessee, Jaemyn Brakefield shot a perfect 4-4 from three-point range, setting a season-high with 18 points in the process. The junior from Jackson, Miss. became just the eighth Rebel in program history to remain perfect from deep in a game with a minimum of four attempts. The last to do so was Devontae Shuler on Dec. 10, 2020 against Jackson State when he went 5-5.
AIN'T WASTING TIME NO MORE
With eight new faces for Ole Miss this season, the Rebel newcomers have been seeing serious minutes and contributing in all major stat categories.
Newcomer Splits:
Minutes: 52.7% (2,319 of 4,400)
Scoring: 46.9% (692 of 1,476)
Rebounding: 52.8% (423 of 801)
Assists: 45.9% (130 of 283)
Steals: 59.5% (91 of 153)
Blocks: 78.4% (80 of 102)
They've also accounted for at least half the scoring in seven games this season.
vs. Stanford: 48 of 72 (66.7%)
vs. Siena: 37 of 74 (50.0%)
vs. Stanford: 39 of 55 (70.1%)
at Memphis: 32 of 57 (56.1%)
vs. UCF: 38 of 61 (62.3%)
vs. Georgia: 31 of 58 (53.5%)
vs. Kentucky: 48 of 66 (72.7%)
BEST OF THE BEST
Ole Miss' four senior transfers are among some of the best returning big men in all of college basketball. Jayveous McKinnis stands as one of the best returners in the nation this year, currently fifth in total rebounds (1,100), fifth in total blocks (257), eighth in career double-doubles (39), 11th in rebounds per game (8.8), 12th in blocks per game (2.1) and 26th in field goal shooting (.612). McKinnis is one of just 11 active players in all of college basketball with 1,000 career rebounds alongside South Alabama's Kevin Samuel, North Carolina's Armando Bacot, Kentucky's Oscar Tshiebwe, Nicholls' Manny Littles, Lipscomb's Ahsan Asadullah, LSU's KJ Williams, Iowa's Filip Rebraca, San Diego's Eric Williams Jr., Texas Tech's Kevin Obanor, Virginia's Jayden Gardner, and Indiana's Trayce Jackson-Davis.. He is also just one of ten, alongside Samuel, Bacot, Tshiebwe, Asadullah, Williams, Rebraca, Obanor, Williams Jr., and Gardner with 1,000 career points (1,195) and 1,000 career rebounds.
Ole Miss ranks highly on the career blocks list with two top-10 entries. McKinnis ranks fifth at 257 swats, while Theo Akwuba is 10th at 208. Ole Miss stands as the only school with multiple top-10 active blockers and is the only school with two within the top-25. The Rebel trio of McKinnis (39, No. 8), Mballa (29, No. 17) and Akwuba (17) combine for 85 career double-doubles, with McKinnis and Mballa owning the second-most by a pair of teammates at 68 behind Texas Tech's Almaq (41) and Obanor (36) at 77.
* Note: Myles Burns' 1,069 career rebounds while at NAIA Loyola New Orleans do not transfer over to the NCAA records lists, but he would rank third in the nation at 1,206 if they did and give Ole Miss a combined 4,518 boards between Burns (1,206), McKinnis (1,100), Mballa (827), Akwuba (694) and Robert Allen (691). Burns' combined career total of 1,994 points would also rank No. 28 among all NCAA divisions.
RENAISSANCE MAN
Senior transfer Myles Burns has made an immediate impact for the Rebels on both ends of the floor with a unique talent blend as a defensive force and a go-getter on the offensive glass. Burns ranks 22nd in the NCAA with 46 steals, while also ranking 10th in the conference at 2.2 offensive boards per game.
Prior to Ole Miss, Burns had an extraordinary career at Loyola New Orleans, where he was a four-time NAIA All-American and three-time SSAC Defensive Player of the Year. With the Wolf Pack, Burns played in 120 career games with 111 starts, while setting career averages of 15.3 points (1,852), 8.8 rebounds (1,069), 3.0 steals (358), 2.5 assists (298) and 1.0 blocks (116). In Loyola's record book, Burns ranks No. 1 in steals (358), No. 2 all-time in points (1,852), No. 2 in rebounds (1,069), No. 4 in blocks (116) and No. 7 in assists (298), with his 358 steals resting 163 more than any other player in Loyola history.
Burns helped lead Loyola to the 2022 NAIA National Championship title, the first in school history since 1945, as the tournament MVP at 19.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and 5.2 steals with four double-doubles in six tournament games.
Burns is no stranger to dominating these two distinct statistical categories, as his 151 offensive rebounds and 152 steals in 2021-22 had no rival in all of college basketball, with the nearest Division I comparison being defending national player of the year Oscar Tshiebwe of Kentucky, who had 179 offensive rebounds and 60 steals last season. Furthermore, Burns' 152 steals last season earned him the 2022 Marques Haynes Award, which is given annually to the player with the most steals in all of college basketball, regardless of division.
EXPERIENCE FROM THE PORTAL
Ole Miss went into the portal looking for experienced big men, and came away with four of the most well-seasoned options available. Those four senior transfers -- F Theo Akwuba, F Myles Burns, F Josh Mballa and F Jayveous McKinnis -- hold an incredible combined career stat lines across their respective careers prior to Ole Miss:
Combined Career Stats (NAIA included for Burns):
• 507 games played
• 383 games started
• 5,073 points
• 3,827 rebounds
• 678 steals (406 from Burns alone)
• 667 blocks
| OLE MISS (9-13, 1-8 SEC) at VANDERBILT (10-12, 3-6 SEC) Saturday, Feb. 4 • 12:00 p.m. CT • Nashville, Tenn. Memorial Gymnasium (14,316) 
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| Watch • Live Stats • Listen Ole Miss Game Notes • Vanderbilt Game Notes • SEC Game Notes |
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Ole Miss men's basketball team is set to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores on Saturday, February 4 at noon on SEC Network.
TEAM FACTS
Ole Miss Rebels (9-13, 1-8 SEC)
Head Coach: Kermit Davis • 5th Season at Ole Miss (73-74) • 542-337 career record (28th Season)
Vanderbilt Commodores (10-12, 3-6 SEC)
Head Coach: Jerry Stackhouse • 4th Season at Vanderbilt (49-66) • 49-66 career record (4th Season)
ON THE AIR
Television/Online: SEC Network
Play-by-Play: Richard Cross
Color: Richard Hendrix
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: David Kellum
Color: Marc Dukes
SERIES HISTORY VS. VANDERBILT
First meeting on February 8, 1925 in Oxford, Miss. when Vanderbilt defeated Ole Miss 19-18, the Commodores and Rebels have played in 126 games, with Vanderbilt leading the all-time series 78-48. The home team has gotten the better of their opponent throughout the 98 years they've played, with Vanderbilt leading in Nashville 48-9, and Ole Miss leading in Oxford 34-26. In neutral locations, the Rebels lead 5-4, with the series tied at four wins each during the postseason and in overtime games. The Rebels have taken the win in six of the last four meetings, owning a 3-2 record against Vandy under head coach Kermit Davis.
LAST MEETING: MARCH 5, 2022 (L, 61-63, OXFORD, MISS.)
• Last year's regular season schedule finale for each team ended with a narrow victory for the visiting Commodores.
• Ole Miss took a seven-point lead into the locker room at halftime, before Vandy came back to take the lead midway through the second half.
• Trailing by seven with just over four minutes left, the Rebels got within two on a three-pointer by Matthew Murrell with under a minute to go, before missing on a pair of attempts in the closing seconds.
• Murrell led the Rebels with 15 points while Austin Crowley scored 15 as well off the bench.
• Vanderbilt was led by Scotty Pippen Jr., who scored 22 and dished out six assists.
SCOUTING THE COMMODORES
Opening the season with losses to Memphis and Southern Miss at home, Vanderbilt jumped back to an even 2-2 record after defeating Temple and Morehead State. At the Wooden Legacy Tournament, they fell to Saint Mary's before taking down Fresno State, and concluded their November with a loss at VCU. Vanderbilt would go 4-2 in the month of December, defeating Wofford, Pitt, Alabama A&M, and Southeastern Louisiana, and falling to Grambling State and NC State. After beginning their SEC schedule with an overtime win over South Carolina, Vandy dropped matchups with Missouri and Tennessee. They have since lost to Tennessee, Alabama twice, Kentucky, and Texas A&M, picking up their other two conference wins over Arkansas and Georgia; entering their game with Ole Miss at 10-12 overall and 3-6 in conference.
Depth has been the strength of Vanderbilt this season, as they lead the SEC and rank sixth in the nation at 32.8 bench points per game. While attempting 25.0 three pointers per game (42nd in the NCAA and third in the SEC), they are shooting just 32.1% from beyond the arc on the year (280th in the NCAA and ninth in the SEC). They also rank among the top-100 as a team in blocks per game (4.5, 47th in NCAA), offensive rebounds per game (11.8, 62nd in NCAA), fewest turnovers per game (11.7, 81st in NCAA), and total rebounds per game (36.6, 96th in NCAA).
Forward Liam Robbins enters as their leading scorer on the season, averaging 13.0 points per game while leading the team in rebounds as well at 5.9 per contest. Standing at seven-feet tall, the senior also leads the team and ranks seventh in the nation at 2.78 blocks per game. Forward Myles Stute has been a threat from deep this season, ranking second in the SEC and 17th in the country with a 42.4% mark from three. He's connected on seven three pointers twice this season, against Temple on November 15 and January 28 at Texas A&M.
A DEFENSIVE GOAT
Recording a steal in the closing moments of the first half against Missouri, senior transfer Myles Burns collected the 400th steal of his collegiate career. Joining the Ole Miss program from Loyola New Orleans of the NAIA, Burns brought 358 steals from his four-time NAIA All-American career and has collected 48 since coming to Oxford. Counting his stats from the NAIA, Burns would become just the sixth person in NCAA men's basketball history across all divisions to collect 400 career steals. He is currently on pace to surpass 60 steals this season, and would become the first Rebel to hit that mark since Jason Smith had 73 in 1999.
400 Career NCAA Steals List
1. Calvin Cheek, New England Col. (III), 2017-22: 580 steals
2. Jacob Gilyard, Richmond (I), 2017-22: 466 steals
3. Tennyson Whitted, Ramapo (III), 1999-2003: 448 steals
4. Jonte Flowers, Winona St. (II), 2004-08: 414 steals
5. John Gallogly, Salve Regina (III), 1994-98: 413 steals
MB2K
Myles Burns also brought 1,852 points to Oxford from his four-time NAIA All-American career at Loyola New Orleans, giving him a collegiate total of 1,994 points entering Saturday's game at Vanderbilt. Once he surpasses the 2,000 collegiate points mark, he would be one of just five active players across all divisions in college basketball with at least 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds (if his NAIA stats transferred to NCAA). Other active student-athletes with at least 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds are Jayden Gardner (Virginia), KJ Williams (LSU), Kevin Obanor (Texas Tech), and Jordan Janssen (Wayne St. (NE)).
Burns would also be just one of two active players across all divisions with at least 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 100 steals, and 100 blocks in their career. Janssen of Wayne St. (NE) would be the only other active member of that club.
*Entering Saturday, Williams of LSU is two blocks away from meeting this criteria as well.
THROUGH THE FIRE
Ole Miss has faced off with some of the best competition college basketball has to offer, as the Rebels current strength of schedule ranks fifth in the nation. With a combined opponent record of 298-168 (0.639), they have taken on 12 foes with a current NET ranking in the top-100, including nine in the top-50 and two in the top-five.
BLOCK PARTY
The Ole Miss defense currently averages 67.7 points allowed per game, only letting their opponents top 70 points six times this year. A major part of their defensive identity has been enforcing the paint, as the Rebels rank 33rd in the country in blocks per game (4.6). They are led down low by senior transfers Theo Akwuba (26 total blocks, 1.2 per game) and Jayveous McKinnis (25 total blocks, 1.2 per game).
On January 3 at No. 7 Alabama, Akwuba and McKinnis combined for seven blocks, with Akwuba's four bringing his collegiate career total to 200 (now at 208). He and McKinnis (257 career blocks) are the only two teammates in college basketball with over 200 swats in their careers, and each rank among the top-10 in active career leaders.
ANOTHER ONE
With an average of 12.1 offensive rebounds per game, the Rebels have been among the best in the country in earning second chances on the glass, currently ranking 49th in the nation. The team is led by senior transfer Myles Burns with 49 offensive rebounds (2.2 per game).
THEM REBS MOVE FAST
Ole Miss has been quick to react on defensive rebounds and turnovers, outscoring their opponents on fast-break opportunities by 82 this season (235-153). The Rebels has recorded more fast-break points than the other team in 16 of their 22 games.
THE MAGIC NUMBER IS 20
Junior guard Matthew Murrell has scored 20 or more points six times this season, and averages 14.9 per game. A large part of his offense has come from deep, as he has made 38 threes on the year. Over a four-game stretch against Mississippi State, Auburn, Georgia, and South Carolina, Murrell averaged 19.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game, while shooting 44.1% from the field and connecting on 10 threes.
CAN'T BRAKE HIS COMPOSURE
In Ole Miss' game against No. 7 Tennessee, Jaemyn Brakefield shot a perfect 4-4 from three-point range, setting a season-high with 18 points in the process. The junior from Jackson, Miss. became just the eighth Rebel in program history to remain perfect from deep in a game with a minimum of four attempts. The last to do so was Devontae Shuler on Dec. 10, 2020 against Jackson State when he went 5-5.
AIN'T WASTING TIME NO MORE
With eight new faces for Ole Miss this season, the Rebel newcomers have been seeing serious minutes and contributing in all major stat categories.
Newcomer Splits:
Minutes: 52.7% (2,319 of 4,400)
Scoring: 46.9% (692 of 1,476)
Rebounding: 52.8% (423 of 801)
Assists: 45.9% (130 of 283)
Steals: 59.5% (91 of 153)
Blocks: 78.4% (80 of 102)
They've also accounted for at least half the scoring in seven games this season.
vs. Stanford: 48 of 72 (66.7%)
vs. Siena: 37 of 74 (50.0%)
vs. Stanford: 39 of 55 (70.1%)
at Memphis: 32 of 57 (56.1%)
vs. UCF: 38 of 61 (62.3%)
vs. Georgia: 31 of 58 (53.5%)
vs. Kentucky: 48 of 66 (72.7%)
BEST OF THE BEST
Ole Miss' four senior transfers are among some of the best returning big men in all of college basketball. Jayveous McKinnis stands as one of the best returners in the nation this year, currently fifth in total rebounds (1,100), fifth in total blocks (257), eighth in career double-doubles (39), 11th in rebounds per game (8.8), 12th in blocks per game (2.1) and 26th in field goal shooting (.612). McKinnis is one of just 11 active players in all of college basketball with 1,000 career rebounds alongside South Alabama's Kevin Samuel, North Carolina's Armando Bacot, Kentucky's Oscar Tshiebwe, Nicholls' Manny Littles, Lipscomb's Ahsan Asadullah, LSU's KJ Williams, Iowa's Filip Rebraca, San Diego's Eric Williams Jr., Texas Tech's Kevin Obanor, Virginia's Jayden Gardner, and Indiana's Trayce Jackson-Davis.. He is also just one of ten, alongside Samuel, Bacot, Tshiebwe, Asadullah, Williams, Rebraca, Obanor, Williams Jr., and Gardner with 1,000 career points (1,195) and 1,000 career rebounds.
Ole Miss ranks highly on the career blocks list with two top-10 entries. McKinnis ranks fifth at 257 swats, while Theo Akwuba is 10th at 208. Ole Miss stands as the only school with multiple top-10 active blockers and is the only school with two within the top-25. The Rebel trio of McKinnis (39, No. 8), Mballa (29, No. 17) and Akwuba (17) combine for 85 career double-doubles, with McKinnis and Mballa owning the second-most by a pair of teammates at 68 behind Texas Tech's Almaq (41) and Obanor (36) at 77.
* Note: Myles Burns' 1,069 career rebounds while at NAIA Loyola New Orleans do not transfer over to the NCAA records lists, but he would rank third in the nation at 1,206 if they did and give Ole Miss a combined 4,518 boards between Burns (1,206), McKinnis (1,100), Mballa (827), Akwuba (694) and Robert Allen (691). Burns' combined career total of 1,994 points would also rank No. 28 among all NCAA divisions.
RENAISSANCE MAN
Senior transfer Myles Burns has made an immediate impact for the Rebels on both ends of the floor with a unique talent blend as a defensive force and a go-getter on the offensive glass. Burns ranks 22nd in the NCAA with 46 steals, while also ranking 10th in the conference at 2.2 offensive boards per game.
Prior to Ole Miss, Burns had an extraordinary career at Loyola New Orleans, where he was a four-time NAIA All-American and three-time SSAC Defensive Player of the Year. With the Wolf Pack, Burns played in 120 career games with 111 starts, while setting career averages of 15.3 points (1,852), 8.8 rebounds (1,069), 3.0 steals (358), 2.5 assists (298) and 1.0 blocks (116). In Loyola's record book, Burns ranks No. 1 in steals (358), No. 2 all-time in points (1,852), No. 2 in rebounds (1,069), No. 4 in blocks (116) and No. 7 in assists (298), with his 358 steals resting 163 more than any other player in Loyola history.
Burns helped lead Loyola to the 2022 NAIA National Championship title, the first in school history since 1945, as the tournament MVP at 19.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and 5.2 steals with four double-doubles in six tournament games.
Burns is no stranger to dominating these two distinct statistical categories, as his 151 offensive rebounds and 152 steals in 2021-22 had no rival in all of college basketball, with the nearest Division I comparison being defending national player of the year Oscar Tshiebwe of Kentucky, who had 179 offensive rebounds and 60 steals last season. Furthermore, Burns' 152 steals last season earned him the 2022 Marques Haynes Award, which is given annually to the player with the most steals in all of college basketball, regardless of division.
EXPERIENCE FROM THE PORTAL
Ole Miss went into the portal looking for experienced big men, and came away with four of the most well-seasoned options available. Those four senior transfers -- F Theo Akwuba, F Myles Burns, F Josh Mballa and F Jayveous McKinnis -- hold an incredible combined career stat lines across their respective careers prior to Ole Miss:
Combined Career Stats (NAIA included for Burns):
• 507 games played
• 383 games started
• 5,073 points
• 3,827 rebounds
• 678 steals (406 from Burns alone)
• 667 blocks
