GAME 17
Matchup: #18/20 Ole Miss (13-3, 3-1 SEC) vs. Arkansas (10-6, 1-3 SEC)
Date: Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019
Time: 12 p.m. CT
Location: Oxford, Miss.
Arena: The Pavilion at Ole Miss (9,500)
Television: SEC Network
Richard Cross, play-by-play
Debbie Antonelli, analyst
Radio: Ole Miss IMG Sports Network (Sirius-135; XM-191)
David Kellum, play-by-play
Marc Dukes, analyst
Live Video: WatchESPN.com
Live Audio: OleMissSports.com
Series: Arkansas leads 47-32
Last Meeting: Arkansas won 75-64
Feb. 13, 2018 (Oxford, Miss.)
TIPOFF TIDBITS
- Ole Miss is ranked in the national polls (AP-18, Coaches-20) for the first time since 2013.
- Saturday's game is sold out, the second straight sellout and the sixth in the history of The Pavilion (opened January 2016).
- The Rebels are coming off their first conference loss of the season that also snapped a 10-game winning streak dating back to Nov. 24; it was the longest winning streak since winning 13 straight to begin the 2007-08 season.
- Ole Miss leads the series with Arkansas 19-7 for games played in Oxford.
- Senior guard Terence Davis has scored at least 24 points three different times versus Arkansas throughout his career.
- Last week, the Rebels knocked off a pair of top 15 teams in back-to-back games for the first time in school history.
- Ole Miss was named the national team of the week by the NABC (National Association of Basketball Coaches) and Andy Katz of NCAA.com.
- Terence Davis is the reigning SEC Player of the Week after averaging 19.5 ppg in victories over two top 15 teams; Davis has both of the Rebels' two double-doubles this season, both occurring over the last three games.
- Both SEC Players of the Week through the first two weeks of conference play have been Rebels (Breein Tyree was SEC Player of the Week last week).
- Freshman KJ Buffen was a perfect 5 of 5 from the floor versus LSU, the first Rebel to go perfect from the floor (minimum of five shots) since Marcanvis Hymon went 6 of 6 at Middle Tennessee last season (Dec. 9, 2017).
- Five Rebels are averaging more points per game in SEC play than in non-conference games.
- Making 144 three-pointers over his career, Terence Davis ranks 10th in school history; Davis also ranks 24th in Ole Miss history with 1,268 career points and has 20 career 20-point games.
- Kermit Davis is the first coach in school history to win his first three SEC games and only the second coach in school history to win 13 of his first 15 games at Ole Miss.
- With 482 career wins, Kermit Davis ranks 135th all-time and 31st among active Division I head coaches.
WHAT A WEEK
Ole Miss had quite the week last week, shining in the national spotlight by beating top 15 teams in back-to-back games for the first time in school history. The Rebels knocked off No. 10 Auburn 82-67 at home (Jan. 9) before going on their rivals' home floor and walking away with an 81-77 win over the No. 14 Bulldogs (Jan. 12). The performance had both the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and NCAA.com's Andy Katz tab the Rebels as their NCAA Team of the Week. It was the first time Ole Miss beat ranked teams in consecutive games since 2002-03 when the Rebels went to No. 23 LSU (Jan. 18, 2003) and won 67-57 before taking down No. 15 Alabama 76-57 at home (Jan. 21, 2003).
BACK IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
With 10 straight wins heading into the week, including back-to-back wins over top 15 teams, the Rebels found themselves back in the national rankings for the first time in six years. Ole Miss is ranked 18th in the AP Poll, appearing for the first time since being ranked 16th on Jan. 28, 2013. The Rebels are No. 20 in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll, cracking that top 25 for the first time since sitting at No. 23 (Feb. 4, 2013).
MAKING THE MARCH TOWARDS MARCH MADNESS
In the first year under head coach Kermit Davis, the Rebels are making their presence known in early conversations regarding the NCAA Tournament. In the new NET, a metric the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee looks at to determine at-large berths, Ole Miss is ranked 28th with two Quadrant 1 victories and two Quadrant 2 wins. CBS Sports Bracketologist Jerry Palm has the Rebels as a No. 4 seed in his current NCAA Tournament projections (Jan. 14). According to ESPN Bracketlogoist Joe Lunardi, Ole Miss is a No. 8 seed (Jan. 15). Andy Katz of NCAA.com has Ole Miss projected to be a No. 9 seed come March. The Rebels will look to remain on the right side of the bubble as March nears.
SEC LEADERS
- Ole Miss ranks second in the SEC in field goal percentage (49.3) and rebounding defense (30.6).
- Breein Tyree ranks third in scoring (17.2 ppg), fifth in playing time (32.4 minutes per game) and sixth in field goal percentage (50.0 percent).
- Devontae Shuler ranks fourth in playing time (32.9 minutes per game), fifth in steals (1.6 per game) and sixth in assist/turnover ratio (1.9).
- Terence Davis ranks seventh in field goal shooting (49.5 percent) and scoring (16.1 ppg), while ranking 10th in assists (3.5 per game).
SCOUTING ARKANSAS
Arkansas enters Saturday's matchup with a 10-6 record, including 1-3 in SEC play. After earning a victory at Texas A&M in the conference opener, the Razorbacks have dropped the past three games. Arkansas is one of the nation's best teams in defending the rim and sharing the ball, ranking 12th nationally in blocks per game (5.5) and 14th in assists per game (17.5). Daniel Gafford leads the team in blocks (33) as well as scoring (17.0 ppg) and rebounding (9.3 rpg) A threat in the post, he leads the SEC in field goal percentage at 65.8 percent (106 of 161, all two-point attempts). Mason Jones adds 15.0 ppg, while Isaiah Joe uses his SEC-best percentage from beyond the arc (44.3 percent) to tally 14.7 ppg. Dishing 103 assists compared to only 26 turnovers, Jalen Harris leads the SEC and ranks fifth in the country in assist/turnover ratio (4.0). Mike Anderson is in his eighth season as Arkansas head coach. He spent 18 seasons as an assistant for the Razorbacks, then went on to lead UAB (2002-06) and Missouri (2006-11) before returning to Arkansas.
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's game will be the 80th meeting between the two schools, with the Razorbacks holding an all-time series lead of 47-32. The series began in 1937 and Arkansas won 32 of the first 38 meetings, but Ole Miss has won 26 of the last 41 meetings and 11 of the last 18. Arkansas swept last season's series with a victory at home (97-93) before winning for the first time at The Pavilion (75-64). The Rebels have dominated the series at home, holding a 19-7 advantage in Oxford.
LAST TIME WE MET
The last time the two programs met, Ole Miss fell to Arkansas 75-64 (Feb. 13, 2018) at The Pavilion. Ole Miss jumped out to an early 18-13 lead behind nine early points from Deandre Burnett. The senior guard finished with 24 points on 6 of 15 shooting. Arkansas began to defend better over the course of the last eight minutes of the half and took a 34-23 lead into halftime despite the Rebels getting Razorback big man Daniel Gafford into foul trouble. The freshman forward sat most of the first half with two fouls. The deficit was trimmed in the early minutes of the second half. A 6-0 spurt from Burnett cut it to two at 36-34, despite the Rebels being just 9 of 37 from the field at the time. A Devontae Shulertriple cut the game to one point at 53-52 with just under nine minutes left, but Arkansas sealed the game with a 20-1 run over the next five minutes. Gafford spent much more time on the floor in the second half and recorded 14 points. He had 19 for the game and six rebounds.
TD AGAINST THE HOGS
Senior guard Terence Davis has faced Arkansas five times during his career. Take away playing less than a minute against the Razorbacks as a freshman, Davis is averaging 21.5 ppg against the conference foe. During his sophomore season, he scored 24 points in Fayetteville (Feb. 18, 2017) before tallying 26 in the SEC Tournament (March 10, 2017). Last year at Arkansas (Jan. 20, 2018), Davis went 10 of 15 from the floor for a season-high 30 points. The Razorbacks limited him to three points in the last meeting (Feb. 13, 2018), but Davis pulled down a career-high 13 rebounds.
WWWWWWWWWW
Starting at the end of November and running through the first three games of SEC play, the Rebels won 10 consecutive games for the first time since opening up the 2007-08 season with 13 straight victories. At the time, the winning streak was tied for the fourth-longest active winning streak in the country. Seven of the 10 Ole Miss wins during the streak were by double digits. During the Rebels' 10-game winning streak, they outscored the opposition by an average of 15.6 ppg (82.1-66.5). The Rebels shot 52.2 percent from the floor, while going 40.9 percent from beyond the arc. Ole Miss shared the basketball during the streak, averaging 17.5 assists per game.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE DAVIS
No Rebel recorded a double-double in any of the first 13 games of the season, but Terence Davis has emerged with a pair over the last three games. The Southaven, Mississippi, native tallied 27 points and 12 rebounds, both team highs, to lead Ole Miss past No. 10 Auburn 82-67 (Jan. 9). The next time Davis took Craddock Court at The Pavilion, he produced another double-double with 21 points and 10 boards against LSU (Jan. 15). Davis now has eight double-doubles for his career to pace the Rebels.
STREAK ENDS WITH LOSS TO LSU
Playing its first game as a ranked team in The Pavilion, in front of a sellout crowd, No. 18 Ole Miss saw its 10-game winning streak come to an end. Breaking a 31-31 tie at the half, LSU handed the Rebels their first loss in conference play 83-69. Senior guard Terence Davis posted his second double-double over the past three games with team highs in points (21) and rebounds (10). KJ Buffen added 13 points, five rebounds and a career-high three steals. Also reaching double figures was Breein Tyree, who scored all 12 of his points in the first half. As a team, Ole Miss shot 40.6 percent (26 of 64) from the field. However, the Rebels uncharacteristically struggled from beyond the arc (8 of 28) and at the free throw line (9 of 17). Ole Miss entered the game leading the SEC in free throw shooting, while ranking second in the conference in field goal percentage. LSU remained as one of three unbeatens in SEC play, led by huge nights from Tremont Waters (20 points, nine assists) and Kavell Bigby-Williams (14 points, 10 rebounds). The Tigers shot 47.4 percent from the floor (27 of 57) and beyond the arc (9 of 19), while recording 10 steals as part of forcing 16 Ole Miss turnovers.
PERFECTION FROM BUFFEN
Against LSU on Tuesday (Jan. 15), KJ Buffen scored 13 points on a perfect 5 of 5 shooting to become the first Rebel to go perfect from the floor (minimum of five shots) since Marcanvis Hymon went 6 of 6 at Middle Tennessee last season (Dec. 9, 2017). In 19 minutes off the bench, the freshman also pulled down five rebounds to go along with a career-high three steals.
TERENCE DAVIS EARNS SEC PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS
After averaging 19.5 ppg and leading the Ole Miss men's basketball team to a pair of victories over top 15 teams, senior guard Terence Davis was named SEC Player of the Week by the conference office. Through the first two weeks of conference play, both SEC Players of the Week have been Rebels. Breein Tyree earned his first career SEC Player of the Week honor last week following a career-high 31 points at Vanderbilt (Jan. 5). Davis collects his second weekly conference accolade after becoming SEC Player of the week as a sophomore (Jan. 23, 2017). Davis recorded team highs in points (27) and rebounds (12), earning the first double-double by a Rebel this season, as Ole Miss upset No. 10 Auburn 82-67 last week (Jan. 9). Going 9 of 15 from the floor, it was the 19th 20-point game of his career and moved Davis into the top 25 of the Ole Miss all-time scoring list. With the help of four three-pointers, the senior moved into the Ole Miss top 10 in threes made for a career as well (140 in 103 career games). He hit two more Saturday, going 5 of 10 from the floor for 12 points in the 81-77 victory at No. 14 Mississippi State (Jan. 12). The win marked the first time Ole Miss beat back-to-back ranked teams since the 2002-03 season.
FAST START FOR KERMIT DAVIS
With the victory over No. 14 Mississippi State (Jan. 12), head coach Kermit Davis became the first coach in program history to win his first three SEC games. He is also just the second coach in Ole Miss history to win 13 of his first 15 games guiding the Rebels. The Mississippi native joined the likes of former Ole Miss coach Homer Hazel (1926-30), who won 20 of his first 22 games. Hazel's run extended into his second season as head coach after going 16-2 during the entire 1925-26 campaign.
UNDERRATED REBELS
Coming off a season in which they finished 12-20 (5-13 SEC) and last in the conference, the Rebels were predicted to finish 14th in the SEC this year by the media. However, Ole Miss is used to being underrated before the season begins and only took 15 games to surpass last season's win total. The Rebels have finished above their preseason projection six of the last seven seasons since the league moved away from a divisional format, the outlier being the 2017-18 campaign.
DYNAMIC DUO
Senior Terence Davis and junior Breein Tyree have become a dynamic duo in the Ole Miss backcourt, averaging 42.0 percent of the Rebels' scoring this season. Tyree leads the way at 17.2 ppg to rank third in the SEC, while Davis' 16.1 ppg rank seventh. The pair have combined for 14 20-point games so far this season, including three games in which they both reached the 20-point plateau. They also have one 30-point game to each of their credit this season, both occurring away from home. Tyree scored a career-high 31 in the victory at Vanderbilt (Jan. 5), and Davis tallied his season high of 30 at Butler (Nov. 16). Both Rebels also crack the SEC's top 10 in field goal percentage. Tyree leads Ole Miss and is sixth in the conference at 50.0 percent, while Davis is seventh at 49.5 percent.
LET'S GO 3-0
Ole Miss started 3-0 in SEC play for just the fifth time in program history, including the third over the last 20 seasons. The Rebels also won their first three conference games during the 2012-13, 2005-06, 1997-98, 1973-74 and 1936-37 seasons. Three of those seasons (2012-13, 2000-01 and 1997-98) resulted in NCAA Tournament berths. Ole Miss captured the 2013 SEC Tournament title and advanced to the round of 32. A Sweet 16 appearance combined with an SEC Wester Division crown highlighted the 2000-01 campaign. During the 1997-98 season, The Rebels won SEC Western Division and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
STEPPING UP IN SEC PLAY
Several Rebels have stepped up their games at the beginning of conference action. Five Rebels are scoring at their average or more in SEC play compared non-conference games.
Rebel Non-Conference SEC Season
Terence Davis 15.5 ppg 17.8 ppg 16.1 ppg
Blake Hinson 8.5 ppg 12.3 ppg 9.4 ppg
Devontae Shuler 10.3 ppg 10.3 ppg 10.3 ppg
KJ Buffen 5.9 ppg 8.5 ppg 6.6 ppg
Dominik Olejniczak 5.9 ppg 8.0 ppg 6.4 ppg
TYREE ON A TEAR
Junior guard Breein Tyree is one the veteran leaders on the floor for Ole Miss. His consistency has allowed him to become the team's leading scorer, averaging 17.2 ppg to rank third in the SEC. He also ranks sixth in the conference in field goal percentage (50.0 percent). The Somerset, New Jersey, native has scored at least 20 points in seven games. In the semifinals of the Emerald Coast Classic (Nov. 23), he put up a 28 points to lead Ole Miss to a victory over Baylor. He followed that up with a team-high 22 points against San Diego (Nov. 28). Facing ULM (Dec. 1), Tyree led the Rebels once again with 20 points. He scored a game-high 22 points, including 17 in the second half, to help Ole Miss earn a hard-fought road win at Illinois State (Dec. 8). In a win over Chattanooga (Dec. 16), Tyree sparked a 28-0 run and scored 17 of his game-high 20 points in the second half. In Nashville, he tallied a team-high 24 points versus Middle Tennessee (Dec. 21) before exploding for a career-high 31 points against Vanderbilt (Jan. 5).
A NEW ERA OF OLE MISS BASKETBALL
The 2018-19 season is the dawn of a new era for Ole Miss Basketball. A new head coach took the reins of the program when Kermit Davis was hired on March 15, 2018. Davis, the winningest coach in Middle Tennessee history, returns to his home state with years of success. A native of Leakesville, Mississippi, Davis guided the Blue Raiders to league titles in seven of his last nine years in Murfreesboro, between Conference USA and the Sun Belt. Middle Tennessee was one of five programs he led to conference championships in 36 years as an assistant and head coach. An eight-time conference coach of the year, Davis is 31st among active Division I head coaches with 482 career wins (416 in Division I), including stints at MT, Idaho and Texas A&M. He ranks 11th nationally in winning percentage over the last three years and 13th over the last seven.
OLEJNICZAK'S OUTPUT
Junior center Dominik Olejniczak has emerged as a pleasant presence in the paint. After averaging 4.3 ppg in his first year on the court for Ole Miss a season ago, the seven-footer matched that scoring output through the first six games of this season. However, he's increased his average to 7.7 ppg over the last 10 contests with eight of those games being in the starting lineup. The Torun, Poland, native helped Ole Miss knock off No. 10 Auburn with season highs in points (11) and rebounds (7) last week.
CLIMBING THE CHARTS
Through 104 career games, senior Terence Davis has 1,268 points to rank 24th in Ole Miss history. He is on pace to land inside the top 20, and with a big year, could find himself in the top 10 to end his Rebel career. In his final year on campus, Davis is averaging 16.1 ppg to rank seventh in the SEC and shooting at a 49.5 percent clip (seventh in the SEC). The Southaven, Mississippi, native also paces the team in assists (3.5 per game), cracking the conference's top 10. With 21 points versus LSU (Jan. 15), Davis passed B.L. "Country" Graham (1,259). Next on his chase up the Ole Miss scoring chart are Sebastian Saiz (1,273), Zach Graham (1,274), Jason Smith (1,286) and Marshall Henderson (1,293). John Stroud, one of this year's analyst for games on the Ole Miss IMG Sports Network (radio), is the Rebels' all-time scoring leader with 2,328 points. Davis also ranks ninth all-time in three-pointers attempted (422) and 10th in three-pointers made (144).
REBELS DOWN RIVAL MSU BEHIND HINSON'S 26
In the most hostile environment yet this year, Ole Miss outlasted No. 14 Mississippi State at Humphrey Coliseum (Jan. 12). The Rebels clawed back into the game towards the end of the first half and controlled the game late against the Bulldogs en route to an 81-77 victory. Blake Hinson led the Rebels with a career-high 26 points on 8 of 16 shooting, including a career-high five made threes. The Rebels had four double-digit scorers. Breein Tyree, after going down with an injury early in the game, scored 19 points and was 8-of-9 from the free-throw line. Tyree added the game-winning bucket with less than a minute remaining. Terence Davis and Devontae Shuler had 12 and 10, respectively. Tying a season high with 12 made threes, the Rebels beat ranked opponents in back-to-back games for the first time since the 2002-03 season.
HINSON HIGHLIGHTS RIVALRY WIN
Blake Hinson saved his best game for his first taste of the rivalry with Mississippi State last week. Scoring a career-high 26 points, Hinson led Ole Miss to an 81-77 win over the No. 14 Bulldogs in Starkville. After recording a team-high 10 points in the first half to keep the Rebels within striking distance down two, he scored 11 of the team's first 12 second half points. Ole Miss trailed by nine early in the final period, and Hinson drilled three straight three-pointers. He connected on five from long range throughout the afternoon, the most by a Rebel since the second game of the season when Terence Davis hit six at Butler (Nov. 16). Hinson's 26 points were the most by an Ole Miss freshman in a game since Jarvis Summers scored 27 points at Penn State (Dec. 4, 2011). The game-high output was the most by a Rebel freshman in an SEC game since March 2, 2011 (30 by Dundrecous Nelson at Auburn).
MINUTE MONSTER
Averaging 32.9 minutes per game, sophomore guard Devontae Shuler leads the Rebels in playing time and ranks fourth in the SEC. He has played at least 30 minutes in 13 of the Rebels' 16 games, including a career-high 38 minutes in the win over Baylor (Nov. 23). He began the SEC portion of the schedule by logging 37 minutes at Vanderbilt, 35 minutes versus Auburn and 36 minutes at Mississippi State. As a freshman a season ago, Shuler averaged 18.8 minutes per game and only played 30 minutes once (33 minutes versus South Dakota State).
CONVERTING AT THE CHARITY STRIPE
While shooting 74.8 percent as a team, nine of the 11 Rebels that have attempted free throws this season are shooting over 70 percent from the stripe. In the Emerald Coast Classic championship game against Cincinnati (Nov. 24), Ole Miss converted 16 of 17 at the line for a 94.1 percent clip. It was the Rebels' best free throw percentage in a game since going 22 of 23 (95.7 percent) versus Baylor during the 2016-17 campaign (Jan. 28, 2017). The team followed that up by shooting 87.0 percent (20 of 23) from the stripe to help defeat San Diego (Nov. 28). After going 0 for 1 in the first half at Illinois State (Dec. 8), the Rebels went a perfect 14 of 14 over the final 20 minutes to finish the game at 93.3 percent. In the win at Vanderbilt (Jan. 5), Ole Miss went 14 of 15 in the second half to remain in front down the stretch. Devontae Shuler leads the Rebels as a 82.9 percent free throw shooter (34 of 41), while Breein Tyree follows at 81.8 percent (63 of 77).
STAT-STUFFING SHULER
Sometimes the biggest jumps are from one's freshman to sophomore year. After playing in all 32 games last year, primarily coming off the bench, sophomore Devontae Shuler has gotten off to a fast start this season. Through 16 games as a starting guard, he has stuffed box scores by leading the Rebels in minutes (32.9 per game) and steals (1.6 per game). Shuler ranks in the SEC's top 10 in three categories, sitting at fourth in playing time, fifth in steals and sixth in assist/turnover ratio (1.9). In the Emerald Coast Classic versus Cincinnati (Nov. 24), he tallied a career-high 24 points to best his previous high of 19 last season against South Dakota State. In the road win at Illinois State (Dec. 8), he matched his career high with four steals, the third time he's accomplished that feat. In Jackson, Shuler scored a team-high 19 points to lead the Rebels to a win over Southeastern Louisiana (Dec. 12).
HOT SHOT
Ole Miss has shot over 50 percent in eight games, surpassing last season's total. The Rebels eclipsed 50 percent from the field in five games throughout the entire 2017-18 season. The last time Ole Miss recorded at least eight games shooting better than 50 percent from the field also occurred during the 2012-13 campaign (nine times). Ole Miss ranks second in the SEC in field goal percentage (49.3), a mark that is 18th nationally.
BACK OVER .500
With an 13-3 start to the season, Ole Miss is back over .500 all-time (1,306-1,305). At the beginning of last season, the Rebels went over .500 for the first time since 1959 before ending the season nine games under .500 through 108 seasons of basketball (1,293-1,302).
NEXT ON THE HARDWOOD
After back-to-back home games this week, the Rebels return to the road. Ole Miss heads east, rolling into Tuscaloosa, Alabama to face the Crimson Tide (Jan. 22). The Tuesday night tipoff is slated for 8 p.m. CT on ESPNU. The Rebels will then take a break from conference play, returning to The Pavilion to host Iowa State in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge (Jan. 26, 11 a.m. CT). Like all Ole Miss men's basketball games, you can catch all of the action on the Ole Miss IMG Sports Network.
Matchup: #18/20 Ole Miss (13-3, 3-1 SEC) vs. Arkansas (10-6, 1-3 SEC)
Date: Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019
Time: 12 p.m. CT
Location: Oxford, Miss.
Arena: The Pavilion at Ole Miss (9,500)
Television: SEC Network
Richard Cross, play-by-play
Debbie Antonelli, analyst
Radio: Ole Miss IMG Sports Network (Sirius-135; XM-191)
David Kellum, play-by-play
Marc Dukes, analyst
Live Video: WatchESPN.com
Live Audio: OleMissSports.com
Series: Arkansas leads 47-32
Last Meeting: Arkansas won 75-64
Feb. 13, 2018 (Oxford, Miss.)
TIPOFF TIDBITS
- Ole Miss is ranked in the national polls (AP-18, Coaches-20) for the first time since 2013.
- Saturday's game is sold out, the second straight sellout and the sixth in the history of The Pavilion (opened January 2016).
- The Rebels are coming off their first conference loss of the season that also snapped a 10-game winning streak dating back to Nov. 24; it was the longest winning streak since winning 13 straight to begin the 2007-08 season.
- Ole Miss leads the series with Arkansas 19-7 for games played in Oxford.
- Senior guard Terence Davis has scored at least 24 points three different times versus Arkansas throughout his career.
- Last week, the Rebels knocked off a pair of top 15 teams in back-to-back games for the first time in school history.
- Ole Miss was named the national team of the week by the NABC (National Association of Basketball Coaches) and Andy Katz of NCAA.com.
- Terence Davis is the reigning SEC Player of the Week after averaging 19.5 ppg in victories over two top 15 teams; Davis has both of the Rebels' two double-doubles this season, both occurring over the last three games.
- Both SEC Players of the Week through the first two weeks of conference play have been Rebels (Breein Tyree was SEC Player of the Week last week).
- Freshman KJ Buffen was a perfect 5 of 5 from the floor versus LSU, the first Rebel to go perfect from the floor (minimum of five shots) since Marcanvis Hymon went 6 of 6 at Middle Tennessee last season (Dec. 9, 2017).
- Five Rebels are averaging more points per game in SEC play than in non-conference games.
- Making 144 three-pointers over his career, Terence Davis ranks 10th in school history; Davis also ranks 24th in Ole Miss history with 1,268 career points and has 20 career 20-point games.
- Kermit Davis is the first coach in school history to win his first three SEC games and only the second coach in school history to win 13 of his first 15 games at Ole Miss.
- With 482 career wins, Kermit Davis ranks 135th all-time and 31st among active Division I head coaches.
WHAT A WEEK
Ole Miss had quite the week last week, shining in the national spotlight by beating top 15 teams in back-to-back games for the first time in school history. The Rebels knocked off No. 10 Auburn 82-67 at home (Jan. 9) before going on their rivals' home floor and walking away with an 81-77 win over the No. 14 Bulldogs (Jan. 12). The performance had both the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and NCAA.com's Andy Katz tab the Rebels as their NCAA Team of the Week. It was the first time Ole Miss beat ranked teams in consecutive games since 2002-03 when the Rebels went to No. 23 LSU (Jan. 18, 2003) and won 67-57 before taking down No. 15 Alabama 76-57 at home (Jan. 21, 2003).
BACK IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
With 10 straight wins heading into the week, including back-to-back wins over top 15 teams, the Rebels found themselves back in the national rankings for the first time in six years. Ole Miss is ranked 18th in the AP Poll, appearing for the first time since being ranked 16th on Jan. 28, 2013. The Rebels are No. 20 in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll, cracking that top 25 for the first time since sitting at No. 23 (Feb. 4, 2013).
MAKING THE MARCH TOWARDS MARCH MADNESS
In the first year under head coach Kermit Davis, the Rebels are making their presence known in early conversations regarding the NCAA Tournament. In the new NET, a metric the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee looks at to determine at-large berths, Ole Miss is ranked 28th with two Quadrant 1 victories and two Quadrant 2 wins. CBS Sports Bracketologist Jerry Palm has the Rebels as a No. 4 seed in his current NCAA Tournament projections (Jan. 14). According to ESPN Bracketlogoist Joe Lunardi, Ole Miss is a No. 8 seed (Jan. 15). Andy Katz of NCAA.com has Ole Miss projected to be a No. 9 seed come March. The Rebels will look to remain on the right side of the bubble as March nears.
SEC LEADERS
- Ole Miss ranks second in the SEC in field goal percentage (49.3) and rebounding defense (30.6).
- Breein Tyree ranks third in scoring (17.2 ppg), fifth in playing time (32.4 minutes per game) and sixth in field goal percentage (50.0 percent).
- Devontae Shuler ranks fourth in playing time (32.9 minutes per game), fifth in steals (1.6 per game) and sixth in assist/turnover ratio (1.9).
- Terence Davis ranks seventh in field goal shooting (49.5 percent) and scoring (16.1 ppg), while ranking 10th in assists (3.5 per game).
SCOUTING ARKANSAS
Arkansas enters Saturday's matchup with a 10-6 record, including 1-3 in SEC play. After earning a victory at Texas A&M in the conference opener, the Razorbacks have dropped the past three games. Arkansas is one of the nation's best teams in defending the rim and sharing the ball, ranking 12th nationally in blocks per game (5.5) and 14th in assists per game (17.5). Daniel Gafford leads the team in blocks (33) as well as scoring (17.0 ppg) and rebounding (9.3 rpg) A threat in the post, he leads the SEC in field goal percentage at 65.8 percent (106 of 161, all two-point attempts). Mason Jones adds 15.0 ppg, while Isaiah Joe uses his SEC-best percentage from beyond the arc (44.3 percent) to tally 14.7 ppg. Dishing 103 assists compared to only 26 turnovers, Jalen Harris leads the SEC and ranks fifth in the country in assist/turnover ratio (4.0). Mike Anderson is in his eighth season as Arkansas head coach. He spent 18 seasons as an assistant for the Razorbacks, then went on to lead UAB (2002-06) and Missouri (2006-11) before returning to Arkansas.
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's game will be the 80th meeting between the two schools, with the Razorbacks holding an all-time series lead of 47-32. The series began in 1937 and Arkansas won 32 of the first 38 meetings, but Ole Miss has won 26 of the last 41 meetings and 11 of the last 18. Arkansas swept last season's series with a victory at home (97-93) before winning for the first time at The Pavilion (75-64). The Rebels have dominated the series at home, holding a 19-7 advantage in Oxford.
LAST TIME WE MET
The last time the two programs met, Ole Miss fell to Arkansas 75-64 (Feb. 13, 2018) at The Pavilion. Ole Miss jumped out to an early 18-13 lead behind nine early points from Deandre Burnett. The senior guard finished with 24 points on 6 of 15 shooting. Arkansas began to defend better over the course of the last eight minutes of the half and took a 34-23 lead into halftime despite the Rebels getting Razorback big man Daniel Gafford into foul trouble. The freshman forward sat most of the first half with two fouls. The deficit was trimmed in the early minutes of the second half. A 6-0 spurt from Burnett cut it to two at 36-34, despite the Rebels being just 9 of 37 from the field at the time. A Devontae Shulertriple cut the game to one point at 53-52 with just under nine minutes left, but Arkansas sealed the game with a 20-1 run over the next five minutes. Gafford spent much more time on the floor in the second half and recorded 14 points. He had 19 for the game and six rebounds.
TD AGAINST THE HOGS
Senior guard Terence Davis has faced Arkansas five times during his career. Take away playing less than a minute against the Razorbacks as a freshman, Davis is averaging 21.5 ppg against the conference foe. During his sophomore season, he scored 24 points in Fayetteville (Feb. 18, 2017) before tallying 26 in the SEC Tournament (March 10, 2017). Last year at Arkansas (Jan. 20, 2018), Davis went 10 of 15 from the floor for a season-high 30 points. The Razorbacks limited him to three points in the last meeting (Feb. 13, 2018), but Davis pulled down a career-high 13 rebounds.
WWWWWWWWWW
Starting at the end of November and running through the first three games of SEC play, the Rebels won 10 consecutive games for the first time since opening up the 2007-08 season with 13 straight victories. At the time, the winning streak was tied for the fourth-longest active winning streak in the country. Seven of the 10 Ole Miss wins during the streak were by double digits. During the Rebels' 10-game winning streak, they outscored the opposition by an average of 15.6 ppg (82.1-66.5). The Rebels shot 52.2 percent from the floor, while going 40.9 percent from beyond the arc. Ole Miss shared the basketball during the streak, averaging 17.5 assists per game.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE DAVIS
No Rebel recorded a double-double in any of the first 13 games of the season, but Terence Davis has emerged with a pair over the last three games. The Southaven, Mississippi, native tallied 27 points and 12 rebounds, both team highs, to lead Ole Miss past No. 10 Auburn 82-67 (Jan. 9). The next time Davis took Craddock Court at The Pavilion, he produced another double-double with 21 points and 10 boards against LSU (Jan. 15). Davis now has eight double-doubles for his career to pace the Rebels.
STREAK ENDS WITH LOSS TO LSU
Playing its first game as a ranked team in The Pavilion, in front of a sellout crowd, No. 18 Ole Miss saw its 10-game winning streak come to an end. Breaking a 31-31 tie at the half, LSU handed the Rebels their first loss in conference play 83-69. Senior guard Terence Davis posted his second double-double over the past three games with team highs in points (21) and rebounds (10). KJ Buffen added 13 points, five rebounds and a career-high three steals. Also reaching double figures was Breein Tyree, who scored all 12 of his points in the first half. As a team, Ole Miss shot 40.6 percent (26 of 64) from the field. However, the Rebels uncharacteristically struggled from beyond the arc (8 of 28) and at the free throw line (9 of 17). Ole Miss entered the game leading the SEC in free throw shooting, while ranking second in the conference in field goal percentage. LSU remained as one of three unbeatens in SEC play, led by huge nights from Tremont Waters (20 points, nine assists) and Kavell Bigby-Williams (14 points, 10 rebounds). The Tigers shot 47.4 percent from the floor (27 of 57) and beyond the arc (9 of 19), while recording 10 steals as part of forcing 16 Ole Miss turnovers.
PERFECTION FROM BUFFEN
Against LSU on Tuesday (Jan. 15), KJ Buffen scored 13 points on a perfect 5 of 5 shooting to become the first Rebel to go perfect from the floor (minimum of five shots) since Marcanvis Hymon went 6 of 6 at Middle Tennessee last season (Dec. 9, 2017). In 19 minutes off the bench, the freshman also pulled down five rebounds to go along with a career-high three steals.
TERENCE DAVIS EARNS SEC PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS
After averaging 19.5 ppg and leading the Ole Miss men's basketball team to a pair of victories over top 15 teams, senior guard Terence Davis was named SEC Player of the Week by the conference office. Through the first two weeks of conference play, both SEC Players of the Week have been Rebels. Breein Tyree earned his first career SEC Player of the Week honor last week following a career-high 31 points at Vanderbilt (Jan. 5). Davis collects his second weekly conference accolade after becoming SEC Player of the week as a sophomore (Jan. 23, 2017). Davis recorded team highs in points (27) and rebounds (12), earning the first double-double by a Rebel this season, as Ole Miss upset No. 10 Auburn 82-67 last week (Jan. 9). Going 9 of 15 from the floor, it was the 19th 20-point game of his career and moved Davis into the top 25 of the Ole Miss all-time scoring list. With the help of four three-pointers, the senior moved into the Ole Miss top 10 in threes made for a career as well (140 in 103 career games). He hit two more Saturday, going 5 of 10 from the floor for 12 points in the 81-77 victory at No. 14 Mississippi State (Jan. 12). The win marked the first time Ole Miss beat back-to-back ranked teams since the 2002-03 season.
FAST START FOR KERMIT DAVIS
With the victory over No. 14 Mississippi State (Jan. 12), head coach Kermit Davis became the first coach in program history to win his first three SEC games. He is also just the second coach in Ole Miss history to win 13 of his first 15 games guiding the Rebels. The Mississippi native joined the likes of former Ole Miss coach Homer Hazel (1926-30), who won 20 of his first 22 games. Hazel's run extended into his second season as head coach after going 16-2 during the entire 1925-26 campaign.
UNDERRATED REBELS
Coming off a season in which they finished 12-20 (5-13 SEC) and last in the conference, the Rebels were predicted to finish 14th in the SEC this year by the media. However, Ole Miss is used to being underrated before the season begins and only took 15 games to surpass last season's win total. The Rebels have finished above their preseason projection six of the last seven seasons since the league moved away from a divisional format, the outlier being the 2017-18 campaign.
DYNAMIC DUO
Senior Terence Davis and junior Breein Tyree have become a dynamic duo in the Ole Miss backcourt, averaging 42.0 percent of the Rebels' scoring this season. Tyree leads the way at 17.2 ppg to rank third in the SEC, while Davis' 16.1 ppg rank seventh. The pair have combined for 14 20-point games so far this season, including three games in which they both reached the 20-point plateau. They also have one 30-point game to each of their credit this season, both occurring away from home. Tyree scored a career-high 31 in the victory at Vanderbilt (Jan. 5), and Davis tallied his season high of 30 at Butler (Nov. 16). Both Rebels also crack the SEC's top 10 in field goal percentage. Tyree leads Ole Miss and is sixth in the conference at 50.0 percent, while Davis is seventh at 49.5 percent.
LET'S GO 3-0
Ole Miss started 3-0 in SEC play for just the fifth time in program history, including the third over the last 20 seasons. The Rebels also won their first three conference games during the 2012-13, 2005-06, 1997-98, 1973-74 and 1936-37 seasons. Three of those seasons (2012-13, 2000-01 and 1997-98) resulted in NCAA Tournament berths. Ole Miss captured the 2013 SEC Tournament title and advanced to the round of 32. A Sweet 16 appearance combined with an SEC Wester Division crown highlighted the 2000-01 campaign. During the 1997-98 season, The Rebels won SEC Western Division and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
STEPPING UP IN SEC PLAY
Several Rebels have stepped up their games at the beginning of conference action. Five Rebels are scoring at their average or more in SEC play compared non-conference games.
Rebel Non-Conference SEC Season
Terence Davis 15.5 ppg 17.8 ppg 16.1 ppg
Blake Hinson 8.5 ppg 12.3 ppg 9.4 ppg
Devontae Shuler 10.3 ppg 10.3 ppg 10.3 ppg
KJ Buffen 5.9 ppg 8.5 ppg 6.6 ppg
Dominik Olejniczak 5.9 ppg 8.0 ppg 6.4 ppg
TYREE ON A TEAR
Junior guard Breein Tyree is one the veteran leaders on the floor for Ole Miss. His consistency has allowed him to become the team's leading scorer, averaging 17.2 ppg to rank third in the SEC. He also ranks sixth in the conference in field goal percentage (50.0 percent). The Somerset, New Jersey, native has scored at least 20 points in seven games. In the semifinals of the Emerald Coast Classic (Nov. 23), he put up a 28 points to lead Ole Miss to a victory over Baylor. He followed that up with a team-high 22 points against San Diego (Nov. 28). Facing ULM (Dec. 1), Tyree led the Rebels once again with 20 points. He scored a game-high 22 points, including 17 in the second half, to help Ole Miss earn a hard-fought road win at Illinois State (Dec. 8). In a win over Chattanooga (Dec. 16), Tyree sparked a 28-0 run and scored 17 of his game-high 20 points in the second half. In Nashville, he tallied a team-high 24 points versus Middle Tennessee (Dec. 21) before exploding for a career-high 31 points against Vanderbilt (Jan. 5).
A NEW ERA OF OLE MISS BASKETBALL
The 2018-19 season is the dawn of a new era for Ole Miss Basketball. A new head coach took the reins of the program when Kermit Davis was hired on March 15, 2018. Davis, the winningest coach in Middle Tennessee history, returns to his home state with years of success. A native of Leakesville, Mississippi, Davis guided the Blue Raiders to league titles in seven of his last nine years in Murfreesboro, between Conference USA and the Sun Belt. Middle Tennessee was one of five programs he led to conference championships in 36 years as an assistant and head coach. An eight-time conference coach of the year, Davis is 31st among active Division I head coaches with 482 career wins (416 in Division I), including stints at MT, Idaho and Texas A&M. He ranks 11th nationally in winning percentage over the last three years and 13th over the last seven.
OLEJNICZAK'S OUTPUT
Junior center Dominik Olejniczak has emerged as a pleasant presence in the paint. After averaging 4.3 ppg in his first year on the court for Ole Miss a season ago, the seven-footer matched that scoring output through the first six games of this season. However, he's increased his average to 7.7 ppg over the last 10 contests with eight of those games being in the starting lineup. The Torun, Poland, native helped Ole Miss knock off No. 10 Auburn with season highs in points (11) and rebounds (7) last week.
CLIMBING THE CHARTS
Through 104 career games, senior Terence Davis has 1,268 points to rank 24th in Ole Miss history. He is on pace to land inside the top 20, and with a big year, could find himself in the top 10 to end his Rebel career. In his final year on campus, Davis is averaging 16.1 ppg to rank seventh in the SEC and shooting at a 49.5 percent clip (seventh in the SEC). The Southaven, Mississippi, native also paces the team in assists (3.5 per game), cracking the conference's top 10. With 21 points versus LSU (Jan. 15), Davis passed B.L. "Country" Graham (1,259). Next on his chase up the Ole Miss scoring chart are Sebastian Saiz (1,273), Zach Graham (1,274), Jason Smith (1,286) and Marshall Henderson (1,293). John Stroud, one of this year's analyst for games on the Ole Miss IMG Sports Network (radio), is the Rebels' all-time scoring leader with 2,328 points. Davis also ranks ninth all-time in three-pointers attempted (422) and 10th in three-pointers made (144).
REBELS DOWN RIVAL MSU BEHIND HINSON'S 26
In the most hostile environment yet this year, Ole Miss outlasted No. 14 Mississippi State at Humphrey Coliseum (Jan. 12). The Rebels clawed back into the game towards the end of the first half and controlled the game late against the Bulldogs en route to an 81-77 victory. Blake Hinson led the Rebels with a career-high 26 points on 8 of 16 shooting, including a career-high five made threes. The Rebels had four double-digit scorers. Breein Tyree, after going down with an injury early in the game, scored 19 points and was 8-of-9 from the free-throw line. Tyree added the game-winning bucket with less than a minute remaining. Terence Davis and Devontae Shuler had 12 and 10, respectively. Tying a season high with 12 made threes, the Rebels beat ranked opponents in back-to-back games for the first time since the 2002-03 season.
HINSON HIGHLIGHTS RIVALRY WIN
Blake Hinson saved his best game for his first taste of the rivalry with Mississippi State last week. Scoring a career-high 26 points, Hinson led Ole Miss to an 81-77 win over the No. 14 Bulldogs in Starkville. After recording a team-high 10 points in the first half to keep the Rebels within striking distance down two, he scored 11 of the team's first 12 second half points. Ole Miss trailed by nine early in the final period, and Hinson drilled three straight three-pointers. He connected on five from long range throughout the afternoon, the most by a Rebel since the second game of the season when Terence Davis hit six at Butler (Nov. 16). Hinson's 26 points were the most by an Ole Miss freshman in a game since Jarvis Summers scored 27 points at Penn State (Dec. 4, 2011). The game-high output was the most by a Rebel freshman in an SEC game since March 2, 2011 (30 by Dundrecous Nelson at Auburn).
MINUTE MONSTER
Averaging 32.9 minutes per game, sophomore guard Devontae Shuler leads the Rebels in playing time and ranks fourth in the SEC. He has played at least 30 minutes in 13 of the Rebels' 16 games, including a career-high 38 minutes in the win over Baylor (Nov. 23). He began the SEC portion of the schedule by logging 37 minutes at Vanderbilt, 35 minutes versus Auburn and 36 minutes at Mississippi State. As a freshman a season ago, Shuler averaged 18.8 minutes per game and only played 30 minutes once (33 minutes versus South Dakota State).
CONVERTING AT THE CHARITY STRIPE
While shooting 74.8 percent as a team, nine of the 11 Rebels that have attempted free throws this season are shooting over 70 percent from the stripe. In the Emerald Coast Classic championship game against Cincinnati (Nov. 24), Ole Miss converted 16 of 17 at the line for a 94.1 percent clip. It was the Rebels' best free throw percentage in a game since going 22 of 23 (95.7 percent) versus Baylor during the 2016-17 campaign (Jan. 28, 2017). The team followed that up by shooting 87.0 percent (20 of 23) from the stripe to help defeat San Diego (Nov. 28). After going 0 for 1 in the first half at Illinois State (Dec. 8), the Rebels went a perfect 14 of 14 over the final 20 minutes to finish the game at 93.3 percent. In the win at Vanderbilt (Jan. 5), Ole Miss went 14 of 15 in the second half to remain in front down the stretch. Devontae Shuler leads the Rebels as a 82.9 percent free throw shooter (34 of 41), while Breein Tyree follows at 81.8 percent (63 of 77).
STAT-STUFFING SHULER
Sometimes the biggest jumps are from one's freshman to sophomore year. After playing in all 32 games last year, primarily coming off the bench, sophomore Devontae Shuler has gotten off to a fast start this season. Through 16 games as a starting guard, he has stuffed box scores by leading the Rebels in minutes (32.9 per game) and steals (1.6 per game). Shuler ranks in the SEC's top 10 in three categories, sitting at fourth in playing time, fifth in steals and sixth in assist/turnover ratio (1.9). In the Emerald Coast Classic versus Cincinnati (Nov. 24), he tallied a career-high 24 points to best his previous high of 19 last season against South Dakota State. In the road win at Illinois State (Dec. 8), he matched his career high with four steals, the third time he's accomplished that feat. In Jackson, Shuler scored a team-high 19 points to lead the Rebels to a win over Southeastern Louisiana (Dec. 12).
HOT SHOT
Ole Miss has shot over 50 percent in eight games, surpassing last season's total. The Rebels eclipsed 50 percent from the field in five games throughout the entire 2017-18 season. The last time Ole Miss recorded at least eight games shooting better than 50 percent from the field also occurred during the 2012-13 campaign (nine times). Ole Miss ranks second in the SEC in field goal percentage (49.3), a mark that is 18th nationally.
BACK OVER .500
With an 13-3 start to the season, Ole Miss is back over .500 all-time (1,306-1,305). At the beginning of last season, the Rebels went over .500 for the first time since 1959 before ending the season nine games under .500 through 108 seasons of basketball (1,293-1,302).
NEXT ON THE HARDWOOD
After back-to-back home games this week, the Rebels return to the road. Ole Miss heads east, rolling into Tuscaloosa, Alabama to face the Crimson Tide (Jan. 22). The Tuesday night tipoff is slated for 8 p.m. CT on ESPNU. The Rebels will then take a break from conference play, returning to The Pavilion to host Iowa State in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge (Jan. 26, 11 a.m. CT). Like all Ole Miss men's basketball games, you can catch all of the action on the Ole Miss IMG Sports Network.
