From UM Media Relations Notes:
GAME 27
Matchup: Georgia (10-16, 1-12 SEC) at RV/RV Ole Miss (18-8, 8-5 SEC)
Date: Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019
Time: 2:30 p.m. CT
Location: Oxford, Miss.
Arena: The Pavilion at Ole Miss (9,500)
Television: SEC Network
Kevin Fitzgerald, play-by-play
Dane Bradshaw, analyst
Radio: Ole Miss Sports Network (Sirius-94; XM-191)
David Kellum, play-by-play
Marc Dukes, analyst
Live Video: WatchESPN.com/ESPN app
Live Audio: OleMissSports.com/TuneIn app
Series: Georgia leads 73-43
Last Meeting: Ole Miss won 80-64
Feb. 9, 2019
Athens, Ga.
TIPOFF TIDBITS
- Ole Miss enters Saturday's game ranked No. 34 in the NET with four Quadrant 1 victories.
- The Rebels are receiving votes in both polls, including the USA TODAY Coaches Poll for the fourth consecutive week.
- Ole Miss won the first matchup of the season 80-64 (Feb. 9), winning in Athens for the first time since 2012.
- Breein Tyree scored a career-high 31 points against the Bulldogs two weeks ago, while becoming the 40th Rebel to join the 1,000-point club.
- The Rebels controlled the glass 38-32 at Georgia, outrebounding the SEC's best rebounding team and holding a 21-5 advantage in second chance points.
- Saturday's game features a battle between the two newest coaches in the SEC; Ole Miss head coach Kermit Davis and Georgia head coach Tom Crean are in their first season with their respective programs.
- The Rebels have their best record through 26 games since going 18-8 during the 2014-15 season, the last time they made the NCAA Tournament; the 8-5 mark through 13 SEC games is the best since going 9-4, also in 2014-15.
- Ole Miss is coming off a loss at South Carolina that snapped a four-game winning streak.
- Against the Gamecocks, the Rebels recorded a season-high nine blocks; it was the most in a game since tallying 10 versus Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Dec. 19, 2017).
- Over the last five games, the Rebels are averaging 9.6 steals per game and 21.6 points off turnovers.
- The Rebels lead the SEC and rank ninth nationally in free throw percentage (76.9); Ole Miss has shot over 85.0 percent from the free throw line in nine games this season, including 93.0 percent-or-better in three games.
- Breein Tyree is averaging 21.4 ppg over the last eight games, reaching the 20-point plateau in six of them.
- With 35.0 ppg in conference play, Breein Tyree and Terence Davis make up the highest scoring duo in the SEC.
- Terence Davis and Breein Tyree account for 44.6 percent of the Rebels' scoring on the season.
- Tyree is the only player in the SEC to rank in the conference's top 10 in scoring (3rd-18.4 ppg), free throw percentage (3rd-83.7), field goal percentage (5th-48.3) and three-pointers made (7th-2.2 per game).
- Kermit Davis is only the third coach in Ole Miss history to win at least 18 of his first 26 games as head coach.
MAKING THE MARCH TOWARDS MARCH MADNESS
In the first year under head coach Kermit Davis, the Rebels are making their presence known in 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 34th with four Quadrant 1 victories and three Quadrant 2 wins. The Rebels have played 11 Quadrant 1 games thus far. CBS Sports Bracketologist Jerry Palm has the Rebels as a No. 7 seed in his current NCAA Tournament projections (Feb. 18). According to ESPN Bracketlogoist Joe Lunardi, Ole Miss is a No. 8 seed (Feb. 22). Andy Katz of NCAA.com has Ole Miss projected to be a No. 9 seed come March (Feb. 20). The Rebels will look to remain on the right side of the bubble as March nears.
SEC LEADERS
- Ole Miss leads the SEC in free throw shooting (76.9 percent).
- Breein Tyree ranks second in playing time (33.9 minutes per game), third in scoring (18.4 ppg) and free throw percentage (83.7 percent) as well as fifth in field goal percentage (48.3 percent) and seventh in three-pointers made (2.2 per game).
- Tyree is the only player in the SEC to rank in the conference's top 10 in scoring, free throw percentage, field goal percentage and threes made.
- Tyree is one of two SEC players (Grant Williams-Tennessee) to rank in the conference's top five in scoring, field goal percentage and free throw percentage.
- In SEC games only, Tyree leads the SEC in playing time (36.0 minutes per game) and ranks second in scoring (19.2 ppg).
- Terence Davis ranks sixth in steals (1.7), seventh in scoring (15.7 ppg), eighth in field goal shooting (46.2 percent) as well as 10th in assists (3.4 per game).
- Averaging 35.0 ppg in conference games, Tyree (19.2 ppg) and Davis (15.8 ppg) combine for the highest scoring duo in SEC play.
- Devontae Shuler ranks fourth in steals (1.8 per game), sixth in assist/turnover ratio (1.8) and eighth in playing time (32.2 minutes per game).
REBELS RECEIVING VOTES
Ole Miss is receiving votes in both polls, including the USA TODAY Coaches Poll for the fourth consecutive week. The Rebels were ranked 20th in both polls Jan. 21, appearing in the top 20 for consecutive weeks for the first time since exactly 11 years ago during the 2007-08 season (Jan. 14, Jan. 21). With 10 straight wins, 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 (Jan. 14). Prior to that, Ole Miss last cracked the top 25 in 2013 (AP-Jan. 28; Coaches-Feb. 4).
SCOUTING GEORGIA
Georgia enters Saturday's game with a 10-16 record. After defeating Texas at home in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge, the Bulldogs have lost seven straight conference games to fall to 1-12 in SEC play. Georgia has used its size to become one of the best rebounding and shot-blocking teams in the nation. The Bulldogs rank 11th in the country with 5.0 blocks per game, while their 39.6 rebounds per game rank 20th nationally and lead the SEC. Sophomore Nicolas Claxton is the SEC's leader in blocks at 2.5 per game, a mark that places him 10th in the country. Claxton also paces the conference with 9.0 boards per game. He is the team's leading scorer at 12.7 ppg followed by fellow sophomore forward Rayshaun Hammonds (12.4 ppg). Tom Crean is in his first season as Georgia's head coach. Crean replaced Mark Fox, who spent six seasons at the helm of the program. Crean's previous stops include nine seasons at Indiana (2009-17) and nine seasons at Marquette (2000-08).
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's game will be the 117th meeting between the two schools, with Georgia holding a 73-43 lead in the series. The series has been close as of late with the Bulldogs having a slight 10-9 edge over the last 19 meetings. Ole Miss has a 27-23 advantage when facing Georgia in Oxford. The series is 1-1 in contests at The Pavilion. The Rebels beat the Bulldogs 72-71 in the second game ever played in The Pavilion (Jan. 9, 2016). Georgia claimed a 69-47 victory the last time the two conference foes met in Oxford (Jan. 11, 2017). With the Rebels winning the first matchup of the season 80-64 in Athens, they'll be looking to sweep Georgia for the first time in a home-and-home series since 1989.
LAST TIME WE MET
Breein Tyree broke the 1,000-point threshold en route to a career-high 31 points, leading Ole Miss to an 80-64 victory over Georgia (Feb. 9). The Rebels capped off a perfect week by winning in Athens for the first time in seven years. Ole Miss had three double-figure scorers including Tyree. Freshman Blake Hinson added 13 points of his own with three made three-pointers. Senior Terence Davis was all over the stat sheet for the second straight game, scoring 12 points with five rebounds, four assists and four steals. Bruce Stevens pulled down a season-high nine rebounds to go along with six points, including 4 of 4 from the line. Ole Miss was very active on the defensive end, grabbing 10 steals and forcing 20 turnovers that led to 19 points on the other end. With the help of 13 offensive rebounds, the Rebels held a 21-5 advantage in second chance points.
CRASHING THE GLASS
In the win over Georgia (Feb. 9), Ole Miss controlled the boards against the SEC's best rebounding team. The Rebels out-rebounded Georgia 38-32, including 13-9 on the offensive glass. The 13 offensive rebounds led to a 21-5 advantage in second chance points.
OLD SCHOOL AT NEW SCHOOLS
A pair of veteran head coaches will pace the sidelines on Saturday, but both are the newest coaches in the SEC. Ole Miss head coach Kermit Davis and Georgia head coach Tom Crean are in their first season as SEC head coaches. However, the two have combined for 853 wins over 43 seasons. Davis has 487 career wins with the majority coming in his 16 seasons at Middle Tennessee, where he is the winningest coach in school history. Crean compiled his victories in stops at Marquette and Indiana.
WHAT A WIN WOULD DO
- Ole Miss would remain fifth in the SEC standings and could move into a tie for fourth with a South Carolina loss.
- The Rebels would sweep Georgia in a season series for the first time since 1989.
- Ole Miss would win consecutive games over Georgia for the first time since taking matchups during the 2011-12 season and the 2012-13 season.
- Ole Miss would improve to 19-8, its best record through 27 games since going 19-8 in 2014-15 (last NCAA Tournament berth).
- The Rebels would move to 9-5 in SEC play, their best record through 14 conference games since going 10-4 during the 2014-15 season.
- Ole Miss would secure a conference record of .500-or-better for the seventh time in the last eight years.
WINNING STREAK ENDS AT SOUTH CAROLINA
Ole Miss saw its four-game winning streak come to an end Tuesday night, falling 79-64 on the road to South Carolina. The Rebels were led by Terence Davis who had 18 points and five rebounds on the night. Breein Tyree added 17 points of his own, 12 coming in the second half, and played all 40 minutes. Ole Miss registered a season-high nine blocks on the defensive end. South Carolina had four double-figure scorers, led by Chris Silva who had 18 points and four rebounds, including going 6 of 6 from the line. Hassani Gravett came off the bench and scored 15 points with a game-high four made three-pointers. As a team, the Gamecocks shot 47 percent from three (9 of 19).
REBELS BEAT MIZZOU FOR FOURTH STRAIGHT WIN
Converting 25 turnovers into 32 points on the other end of the floor, Ole Miss won its fourth straight game with a 75-65 victory over Missouri at The Pavilion (Feb. 16). The Rebels tallied 13 steals in the defensive effort, including a career-high five by sophomore Devontae Shuler. Ole Miss was led in scoring by a pair of Rebels coming off the bench. Senior forward Bruce Stevens scored a team-high 17 points, matching his season best, to go along with a trio of three-pointers. Freshman KJ Buffen added 14 points on 5 of 7 shooting with career highs in assists (4) and steals (3) through 32 minutes on the floor. The 31 points from Stevens and Buffen were the most points scored by the Ole Miss bench since tallying 32 in the season-opening win over Western Michigan (Nov. 10). The Rebels knocked down their free throws, a common theme throughout the season, going 20 of 23 (87.0 percent) from the stripe. Breein Tyree went to the line the most, making six of his eight attempts as part of his 14-point afternoon. Shuler added 12 points as the fourth Rebel to reach double figures. Jordan Geist tallied a game-high 23 points to pace Missouri in the loss.
TURNING DEFENSE INTO OFFENSE
Perhaps the biggest key to Ole Miss winning four of its last five games is the team's pressure defense that has forced a plethora of turnovers. Throughout the four victories, the Rebels forced 19.3 turnovers per game. They converted them into an average of 23.5 points off turnovers per game. Ole Miss began the winning streak by turning 12 Texas A&M miscues into 31 points. The Rebels forced 20 turnovers at Georgia (Feb. 9) and 14 more at Auburn (Feb. 13) to earn back-to-back road victories. In Saturday's win over Missouri, Ole Miss scored 32 points off 25 Tiger turnovers. It was the most turnovers forced by Ole Miss in a game since causing 25 turnovers in win over Bradley (Nov. 28, 2015). The last time the Rebels forced 25 turnovers in an SEC game was 12 years ago in an 82-59 win at Auburn (Feb. 3, 2007).
STEALS STAT
The Rebels have averaged 11.3 steals per game in their four victories through the last five games, well above their average of 7.3 spg through the first 21 games. Ole Miss recorded 14 steals in the win over the Aggies (Feb. 6), the most by the Rebels in an SEC game since Feb. 14, 2017 versus LSU. Senior Terence Davis led the way with a career-high seven steals, the first Rebel to reach that mark since Rasheed Brooks accomplished the feat during the 2017 Valentine's Day win over the Tigers. At Georgia (Feb. 9), Ole Miss forced 20 turnovers with the help of 10 steals, all of the swipes coming in the first half. Davis once again led the way with four steals. After tallying eight steals at Auburn (Feb. 13), the Rebels recorded 13 steals behind a career-high five from Devontae Shuler. Shuler sits fourth in the SEC with 1.8 steals per game, while Davis (1.7 steals per game) ranks sixth.
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 18.4 ppg to rank third in the SEC. Tyree is also second in scoring during conference play (19.2 ppg). He also ranks third in the conference in free throw percentage (83.7 percent) as well as fifth in field goal percentage (48.3 percent) and seventh in three-pointers made (2.2 per game), the only conference player to crack the SEC top 10 in scoring and those three shooting categories. The Somerset, New Jersey, native has scored at least 20 points in a team-high 14 games. Over the past eight games, Tyree has broken the 20-point plateau in six of them to average 21.4 ppg. He was the first Rebel to score 20 points in five consecutive games since Stefan Moody had 14 straight 20-point games from Nov. 25, 2015 to Jan. 28, 2016. Opening conference play, he exploded for a career-high 31 points against Vanderbilt (Jan. 5) to earn SEC Player of the Week honors for the first time in his career. He matched his career high in the win at Georgia (Feb. 9) to eclipse 1,000 points for his career.
ANOTHER 1,000-POINT SCORER
Although he didn't need all of his career-high 31 points to reach the milestone, Breein Tyree became the 40th Rebel to score 1,000 points at Ole Miss over Georgia (Feb. 9). Tyree now has 1,075 career points through 92 games, passing Jason Harrison (1,066) and Coolidge Ball (1,072) with 17 points at South Carolina (Feb. 19) to rank 35th on the all-time list. Teammate Terence Davis has already reached the historical mark, ranking 16th all-time with 1,419 points. Tyree and Davis are the first Ole Miss duo to take the court as 1,000-point scorers since Jarvis Summers (1,629) and Marshall Henderson (1,293) played together during the 2013-14 season. Last season, Markel Crawford surpassed 1,000 points for his career. However, he recorded the majority of his scoring at Memphis and joined Ole Miss as a graduate transfer for the 2017-18 season.
CONVERTING AT THE CHARITY STRIPE
Shooting 76.9 percent as a team, Ole Miss leads the SEC and ranks ninth nationally in free throw percentage. Seven of the 11 Rebels that have attempted free throws this season are shooting over 75 percent from the stripe. Ole Miss has shot over 85 percent in nine different games this season, including three games of 93 percent-or-better. Throughout the last eight games, Ole Miss is 82.7 percent (124 of 150) from the line. In the win over Texas A&M (Feb. 6), Ole Miss went 18 of 19 at the line (94.7 percent). 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). 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. 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. Breein Tyree is an 83.7 percent free throw shooter (108 of 129) to rank third in the SEC among qualifiers, while Devontae Shuler boasts an 83.3 percent clip (45 of 54).
DYNAMIC DUO
Senior Terence Davis and junior Breein Tyree have become a dynamic duo in the Ole Miss backcourt, averaging 44.6 percent of the Rebels' scoring this season. Tyree leads the way at 18.4 ppg to rank third in the SEC, while Davis' 15.7 ppg rank seventh. Combining for 35.0 ppg in conference games, the two Rebels are the highest scoring duo in SEC play. Earlier this week at South Carolina, Davis and Tyree tallied 35 of the team's 64 points (54.7 percent). The pair have recorded for 22 20-point games so far this season, including four games in which they both reached the 20-point plateau. They also have three 30-point games to their credit this season, all occurring away from home. Tyree scored a career-high 31 in SEC road victories at Vanderbilt (Jan. 5) and Georgia (Feb. 9), while 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 fifth in the conference at 48.3 percent, while Davis ranks eighth at 46.2 percent.
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. With a record of 18-8, the Rebels are off to their best start in four seasons. The 2014-15 team, the last Ole Miss team to make the NCAA Tournament, went 18-8 through the first 26 games. With a 8-5 mark, Ole Miss has its best record through 13 SEC games since the 2014-15 squad started 9-4. 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.
CLIMBING THE CHARTS
Through 114 career games, senior Terence Davis has 1,419 points to rank 16th in Ole Miss history. With a strong finish to the season, he could find himself in the top 10 to end his Rebel career. In his final year on campus, Davis is averaging 15.7 ppg to rank seventh in the conference and shooting at a 46.2 percent clip (eighth in the SEC). The Southaven, Mississippi, native also paces the team in assists (3.4 per game) and rebounding (6.1 per game). With eight points at Auburn (Feb. 13), Davis broke a tie with Jack Waters (1,384) at 17th. Next on his chase up the Ole Miss scoring chart are Eric Laird (1,421) and Ansu Sesay (1,428). John Stroud, one of the analysts for select games on the Ole Miss Sports Network (radio), is the Rebels' all-time scoring leader with 2,328 points. Davis also ranks seventh all-time in three-pointers attempted (475) and eighth in three-pointers made (159). He is three steals away from cracking the Ole Miss top 10 list.
STEPPING UP IN SEC PLAY
Several Rebels have stepped up their games at the beginning of conference action. Three Rebels in the regular rotation are scoring at their average or more in SEC play compared non-conference games.
Rebel Non-Conference SEC Season
Breein Tyree 17.7 ppg 19.2 ppg 18.4 ppg
Terence Davis 15.5 ppg 15.8 ppg 15.7 ppg
KJ Buffen 5.6 ppg 6.5 ppg 6.1 ppg
Tyree has played better in SEC games in all three seasons as a Rebel. This year, he ranks second in the SEC in scoring during conference play, averaging 19.2 ppg. Last year, he improved his scoring for the second straight year in conference action, going from 8.3 ppg in non-conference to 12.3 ppg in SEC play. As a freshman, Tyree emerged to rank fourth on the team in scoring at 9.3 ppg in SEC contests, up from his 2.1 ppg before the start of conference play.
With Tyree at the top, Davis ranks eighth in scoring during SEC play (15.8 ppg). Pulling down 5.6 defensive boards per SEC game, the senior ranks third in the conference. He is also fifth with 1.9 steals per conference game alongside teammate Devontae Shuler. Tyree leads the conference in playing time, averaging 36.0 minutes per game in SEC play.
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 become an important piece in the Ole Miss lineup. Starting 25 games at point guard, he has stuffed box scores by leading the Rebels in steals (1.8 per game). Shuler ranks in the SEC's top 10 in three categories, sitting at fourth in steals as well as sixth in assist/turnover ratio (1.8) and eighth in playing time (32.2 minutes per game). 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 Jackson, Shuler scored a team-high 19 points to lead the Rebels to a win over Southeastern Louisiana (Dec. 12). Last week at Auburn, he tied a career high by making four three-pointers en route to a 17-point night, his most points in an SEC game through this point of his career. Shuler followed that up with a career-high five steals in the win over Missouri (Feb. 16).
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 487 career wins (421 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.
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 was 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. Davis has won 18 of his first 26 games to this point, tying for the second-best record by an Ole Miss head coach through 26 games. While Hazel went 23-3, R.L. Sullivan (1920-25) also started 18-8.
NEXT ON THE HARDWOOD
Up next, Ole Miss remains at home and welcomes a top five team to Oxford for the first time in two seasons. A sold out Pavilion will see the Rebels square off against No. 5 Tennessee Wednesday night (Feb. 27). Tipoff against the SEC leaders is set for at 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
GAME 27
Matchup: Georgia (10-16, 1-12 SEC) at RV/RV Ole Miss (18-8, 8-5 SEC)
Date: Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019
Time: 2:30 p.m. CT
Location: Oxford, Miss.
Arena: The Pavilion at Ole Miss (9,500)
Television: SEC Network
Kevin Fitzgerald, play-by-play
Dane Bradshaw, analyst
Radio: Ole Miss Sports Network (Sirius-94; XM-191)
David Kellum, play-by-play
Marc Dukes, analyst
Live Video: WatchESPN.com/ESPN app
Live Audio: OleMissSports.com/TuneIn app
Series: Georgia leads 73-43
Last Meeting: Ole Miss won 80-64
Feb. 9, 2019
Athens, Ga.
TIPOFF TIDBITS
- Ole Miss enters Saturday's game ranked No. 34 in the NET with four Quadrant 1 victories.
- The Rebels are receiving votes in both polls, including the USA TODAY Coaches Poll for the fourth consecutive week.
- Ole Miss won the first matchup of the season 80-64 (Feb. 9), winning in Athens for the first time since 2012.
- Breein Tyree scored a career-high 31 points against the Bulldogs two weeks ago, while becoming the 40th Rebel to join the 1,000-point club.
- The Rebels controlled the glass 38-32 at Georgia, outrebounding the SEC's best rebounding team and holding a 21-5 advantage in second chance points.
- Saturday's game features a battle between the two newest coaches in the SEC; Ole Miss head coach Kermit Davis and Georgia head coach Tom Crean are in their first season with their respective programs.
- The Rebels have their best record through 26 games since going 18-8 during the 2014-15 season, the last time they made the NCAA Tournament; the 8-5 mark through 13 SEC games is the best since going 9-4, also in 2014-15.
- Ole Miss is coming off a loss at South Carolina that snapped a four-game winning streak.
- Against the Gamecocks, the Rebels recorded a season-high nine blocks; it was the most in a game since tallying 10 versus Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Dec. 19, 2017).
- Over the last five games, the Rebels are averaging 9.6 steals per game and 21.6 points off turnovers.
- The Rebels lead the SEC and rank ninth nationally in free throw percentage (76.9); Ole Miss has shot over 85.0 percent from the free throw line in nine games this season, including 93.0 percent-or-better in three games.
- Breein Tyree is averaging 21.4 ppg over the last eight games, reaching the 20-point plateau in six of them.
- With 35.0 ppg in conference play, Breein Tyree and Terence Davis make up the highest scoring duo in the SEC.
- Terence Davis and Breein Tyree account for 44.6 percent of the Rebels' scoring on the season.
- Tyree is the only player in the SEC to rank in the conference's top 10 in scoring (3rd-18.4 ppg), free throw percentage (3rd-83.7), field goal percentage (5th-48.3) and three-pointers made (7th-2.2 per game).
- Kermit Davis is only the third coach in Ole Miss history to win at least 18 of his first 26 games as head coach.
MAKING THE MARCH TOWARDS MARCH MADNESS
In the first year under head coach Kermit Davis, the Rebels are making their presence known in 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 34th with four Quadrant 1 victories and three Quadrant 2 wins. The Rebels have played 11 Quadrant 1 games thus far. CBS Sports Bracketologist Jerry Palm has the Rebels as a No. 7 seed in his current NCAA Tournament projections (Feb. 18). According to ESPN Bracketlogoist Joe Lunardi, Ole Miss is a No. 8 seed (Feb. 22). Andy Katz of NCAA.com has Ole Miss projected to be a No. 9 seed come March (Feb. 20). The Rebels will look to remain on the right side of the bubble as March nears.
SEC LEADERS
- Ole Miss leads the SEC in free throw shooting (76.9 percent).
- Breein Tyree ranks second in playing time (33.9 minutes per game), third in scoring (18.4 ppg) and free throw percentage (83.7 percent) as well as fifth in field goal percentage (48.3 percent) and seventh in three-pointers made (2.2 per game).
- Tyree is the only player in the SEC to rank in the conference's top 10 in scoring, free throw percentage, field goal percentage and threes made.
- Tyree is one of two SEC players (Grant Williams-Tennessee) to rank in the conference's top five in scoring, field goal percentage and free throw percentage.
- In SEC games only, Tyree leads the SEC in playing time (36.0 minutes per game) and ranks second in scoring (19.2 ppg).
- Terence Davis ranks sixth in steals (1.7), seventh in scoring (15.7 ppg), eighth in field goal shooting (46.2 percent) as well as 10th in assists (3.4 per game).
- Averaging 35.0 ppg in conference games, Tyree (19.2 ppg) and Davis (15.8 ppg) combine for the highest scoring duo in SEC play.
- Devontae Shuler ranks fourth in steals (1.8 per game), sixth in assist/turnover ratio (1.8) and eighth in playing time (32.2 minutes per game).
REBELS RECEIVING VOTES
Ole Miss is receiving votes in both polls, including the USA TODAY Coaches Poll for the fourth consecutive week. The Rebels were ranked 20th in both polls Jan. 21, appearing in the top 20 for consecutive weeks for the first time since exactly 11 years ago during the 2007-08 season (Jan. 14, Jan. 21). With 10 straight wins, 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 (Jan. 14). Prior to that, Ole Miss last cracked the top 25 in 2013 (AP-Jan. 28; Coaches-Feb. 4).
SCOUTING GEORGIA
Georgia enters Saturday's game with a 10-16 record. After defeating Texas at home in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge, the Bulldogs have lost seven straight conference games to fall to 1-12 in SEC play. Georgia has used its size to become one of the best rebounding and shot-blocking teams in the nation. The Bulldogs rank 11th in the country with 5.0 blocks per game, while their 39.6 rebounds per game rank 20th nationally and lead the SEC. Sophomore Nicolas Claxton is the SEC's leader in blocks at 2.5 per game, a mark that places him 10th in the country. Claxton also paces the conference with 9.0 boards per game. He is the team's leading scorer at 12.7 ppg followed by fellow sophomore forward Rayshaun Hammonds (12.4 ppg). Tom Crean is in his first season as Georgia's head coach. Crean replaced Mark Fox, who spent six seasons at the helm of the program. Crean's previous stops include nine seasons at Indiana (2009-17) and nine seasons at Marquette (2000-08).
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's game will be the 117th meeting between the two schools, with Georgia holding a 73-43 lead in the series. The series has been close as of late with the Bulldogs having a slight 10-9 edge over the last 19 meetings. Ole Miss has a 27-23 advantage when facing Georgia in Oxford. The series is 1-1 in contests at The Pavilion. The Rebels beat the Bulldogs 72-71 in the second game ever played in The Pavilion (Jan. 9, 2016). Georgia claimed a 69-47 victory the last time the two conference foes met in Oxford (Jan. 11, 2017). With the Rebels winning the first matchup of the season 80-64 in Athens, they'll be looking to sweep Georgia for the first time in a home-and-home series since 1989.
LAST TIME WE MET
Breein Tyree broke the 1,000-point threshold en route to a career-high 31 points, leading Ole Miss to an 80-64 victory over Georgia (Feb. 9). The Rebels capped off a perfect week by winning in Athens for the first time in seven years. Ole Miss had three double-figure scorers including Tyree. Freshman Blake Hinson added 13 points of his own with three made three-pointers. Senior Terence Davis was all over the stat sheet for the second straight game, scoring 12 points with five rebounds, four assists and four steals. Bruce Stevens pulled down a season-high nine rebounds to go along with six points, including 4 of 4 from the line. Ole Miss was very active on the defensive end, grabbing 10 steals and forcing 20 turnovers that led to 19 points on the other end. With the help of 13 offensive rebounds, the Rebels held a 21-5 advantage in second chance points.
CRASHING THE GLASS
In the win over Georgia (Feb. 9), Ole Miss controlled the boards against the SEC's best rebounding team. The Rebels out-rebounded Georgia 38-32, including 13-9 on the offensive glass. The 13 offensive rebounds led to a 21-5 advantage in second chance points.
OLD SCHOOL AT NEW SCHOOLS
A pair of veteran head coaches will pace the sidelines on Saturday, but both are the newest coaches in the SEC. Ole Miss head coach Kermit Davis and Georgia head coach Tom Crean are in their first season as SEC head coaches. However, the two have combined for 853 wins over 43 seasons. Davis has 487 career wins with the majority coming in his 16 seasons at Middle Tennessee, where he is the winningest coach in school history. Crean compiled his victories in stops at Marquette and Indiana.
WHAT A WIN WOULD DO
- Ole Miss would remain fifth in the SEC standings and could move into a tie for fourth with a South Carolina loss.
- The Rebels would sweep Georgia in a season series for the first time since 1989.
- Ole Miss would win consecutive games over Georgia for the first time since taking matchups during the 2011-12 season and the 2012-13 season.
- Ole Miss would improve to 19-8, its best record through 27 games since going 19-8 in 2014-15 (last NCAA Tournament berth).
- The Rebels would move to 9-5 in SEC play, their best record through 14 conference games since going 10-4 during the 2014-15 season.
- Ole Miss would secure a conference record of .500-or-better for the seventh time in the last eight years.
WINNING STREAK ENDS AT SOUTH CAROLINA
Ole Miss saw its four-game winning streak come to an end Tuesday night, falling 79-64 on the road to South Carolina. The Rebels were led by Terence Davis who had 18 points and five rebounds on the night. Breein Tyree added 17 points of his own, 12 coming in the second half, and played all 40 minutes. Ole Miss registered a season-high nine blocks on the defensive end. South Carolina had four double-figure scorers, led by Chris Silva who had 18 points and four rebounds, including going 6 of 6 from the line. Hassani Gravett came off the bench and scored 15 points with a game-high four made three-pointers. As a team, the Gamecocks shot 47 percent from three (9 of 19).
REBELS BEAT MIZZOU FOR FOURTH STRAIGHT WIN
Converting 25 turnovers into 32 points on the other end of the floor, Ole Miss won its fourth straight game with a 75-65 victory over Missouri at The Pavilion (Feb. 16). The Rebels tallied 13 steals in the defensive effort, including a career-high five by sophomore Devontae Shuler. Ole Miss was led in scoring by a pair of Rebels coming off the bench. Senior forward Bruce Stevens scored a team-high 17 points, matching his season best, to go along with a trio of three-pointers. Freshman KJ Buffen added 14 points on 5 of 7 shooting with career highs in assists (4) and steals (3) through 32 minutes on the floor. The 31 points from Stevens and Buffen were the most points scored by the Ole Miss bench since tallying 32 in the season-opening win over Western Michigan (Nov. 10). The Rebels knocked down their free throws, a common theme throughout the season, going 20 of 23 (87.0 percent) from the stripe. Breein Tyree went to the line the most, making six of his eight attempts as part of his 14-point afternoon. Shuler added 12 points as the fourth Rebel to reach double figures. Jordan Geist tallied a game-high 23 points to pace Missouri in the loss.
TURNING DEFENSE INTO OFFENSE
Perhaps the biggest key to Ole Miss winning four of its last five games is the team's pressure defense that has forced a plethora of turnovers. Throughout the four victories, the Rebels forced 19.3 turnovers per game. They converted them into an average of 23.5 points off turnovers per game. Ole Miss began the winning streak by turning 12 Texas A&M miscues into 31 points. The Rebels forced 20 turnovers at Georgia (Feb. 9) and 14 more at Auburn (Feb. 13) to earn back-to-back road victories. In Saturday's win over Missouri, Ole Miss scored 32 points off 25 Tiger turnovers. It was the most turnovers forced by Ole Miss in a game since causing 25 turnovers in win over Bradley (Nov. 28, 2015). The last time the Rebels forced 25 turnovers in an SEC game was 12 years ago in an 82-59 win at Auburn (Feb. 3, 2007).
STEALS STAT
The Rebels have averaged 11.3 steals per game in their four victories through the last five games, well above their average of 7.3 spg through the first 21 games. Ole Miss recorded 14 steals in the win over the Aggies (Feb. 6), the most by the Rebels in an SEC game since Feb. 14, 2017 versus LSU. Senior Terence Davis led the way with a career-high seven steals, the first Rebel to reach that mark since Rasheed Brooks accomplished the feat during the 2017 Valentine's Day win over the Tigers. At Georgia (Feb. 9), Ole Miss forced 20 turnovers with the help of 10 steals, all of the swipes coming in the first half. Davis once again led the way with four steals. After tallying eight steals at Auburn (Feb. 13), the Rebels recorded 13 steals behind a career-high five from Devontae Shuler. Shuler sits fourth in the SEC with 1.8 steals per game, while Davis (1.7 steals per game) ranks sixth.
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 18.4 ppg to rank third in the SEC. Tyree is also second in scoring during conference play (19.2 ppg). He also ranks third in the conference in free throw percentage (83.7 percent) as well as fifth in field goal percentage (48.3 percent) and seventh in three-pointers made (2.2 per game), the only conference player to crack the SEC top 10 in scoring and those three shooting categories. The Somerset, New Jersey, native has scored at least 20 points in a team-high 14 games. Over the past eight games, Tyree has broken the 20-point plateau in six of them to average 21.4 ppg. He was the first Rebel to score 20 points in five consecutive games since Stefan Moody had 14 straight 20-point games from Nov. 25, 2015 to Jan. 28, 2016. Opening conference play, he exploded for a career-high 31 points against Vanderbilt (Jan. 5) to earn SEC Player of the Week honors for the first time in his career. He matched his career high in the win at Georgia (Feb. 9) to eclipse 1,000 points for his career.
ANOTHER 1,000-POINT SCORER
Although he didn't need all of his career-high 31 points to reach the milestone, Breein Tyree became the 40th Rebel to score 1,000 points at Ole Miss over Georgia (Feb. 9). Tyree now has 1,075 career points through 92 games, passing Jason Harrison (1,066) and Coolidge Ball (1,072) with 17 points at South Carolina (Feb. 19) to rank 35th on the all-time list. Teammate Terence Davis has already reached the historical mark, ranking 16th all-time with 1,419 points. Tyree and Davis are the first Ole Miss duo to take the court as 1,000-point scorers since Jarvis Summers (1,629) and Marshall Henderson (1,293) played together during the 2013-14 season. Last season, Markel Crawford surpassed 1,000 points for his career. However, he recorded the majority of his scoring at Memphis and joined Ole Miss as a graduate transfer for the 2017-18 season.
CONVERTING AT THE CHARITY STRIPE
Shooting 76.9 percent as a team, Ole Miss leads the SEC and ranks ninth nationally in free throw percentage. Seven of the 11 Rebels that have attempted free throws this season are shooting over 75 percent from the stripe. Ole Miss has shot over 85 percent in nine different games this season, including three games of 93 percent-or-better. Throughout the last eight games, Ole Miss is 82.7 percent (124 of 150) from the line. In the win over Texas A&M (Feb. 6), Ole Miss went 18 of 19 at the line (94.7 percent). 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). 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. 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. Breein Tyree is an 83.7 percent free throw shooter (108 of 129) to rank third in the SEC among qualifiers, while Devontae Shuler boasts an 83.3 percent clip (45 of 54).
DYNAMIC DUO
Senior Terence Davis and junior Breein Tyree have become a dynamic duo in the Ole Miss backcourt, averaging 44.6 percent of the Rebels' scoring this season. Tyree leads the way at 18.4 ppg to rank third in the SEC, while Davis' 15.7 ppg rank seventh. Combining for 35.0 ppg in conference games, the two Rebels are the highest scoring duo in SEC play. Earlier this week at South Carolina, Davis and Tyree tallied 35 of the team's 64 points (54.7 percent). The pair have recorded for 22 20-point games so far this season, including four games in which they both reached the 20-point plateau. They also have three 30-point games to their credit this season, all occurring away from home. Tyree scored a career-high 31 in SEC road victories at Vanderbilt (Jan. 5) and Georgia (Feb. 9), while 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 fifth in the conference at 48.3 percent, while Davis ranks eighth at 46.2 percent.
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. With a record of 18-8, the Rebels are off to their best start in four seasons. The 2014-15 team, the last Ole Miss team to make the NCAA Tournament, went 18-8 through the first 26 games. With a 8-5 mark, Ole Miss has its best record through 13 SEC games since the 2014-15 squad started 9-4. 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.
CLIMBING THE CHARTS
Through 114 career games, senior Terence Davis has 1,419 points to rank 16th in Ole Miss history. With a strong finish to the season, he could find himself in the top 10 to end his Rebel career. In his final year on campus, Davis is averaging 15.7 ppg to rank seventh in the conference and shooting at a 46.2 percent clip (eighth in the SEC). The Southaven, Mississippi, native also paces the team in assists (3.4 per game) and rebounding (6.1 per game). With eight points at Auburn (Feb. 13), Davis broke a tie with Jack Waters (1,384) at 17th. Next on his chase up the Ole Miss scoring chart are Eric Laird (1,421) and Ansu Sesay (1,428). John Stroud, one of the analysts for select games on the Ole Miss Sports Network (radio), is the Rebels' all-time scoring leader with 2,328 points. Davis also ranks seventh all-time in three-pointers attempted (475) and eighth in three-pointers made (159). He is three steals away from cracking the Ole Miss top 10 list.
STEPPING UP IN SEC PLAY
Several Rebels have stepped up their games at the beginning of conference action. Three Rebels in the regular rotation are scoring at their average or more in SEC play compared non-conference games.
Rebel Non-Conference SEC Season
Breein Tyree 17.7 ppg 19.2 ppg 18.4 ppg
Terence Davis 15.5 ppg 15.8 ppg 15.7 ppg
KJ Buffen 5.6 ppg 6.5 ppg 6.1 ppg
Tyree has played better in SEC games in all three seasons as a Rebel. This year, he ranks second in the SEC in scoring during conference play, averaging 19.2 ppg. Last year, he improved his scoring for the second straight year in conference action, going from 8.3 ppg in non-conference to 12.3 ppg in SEC play. As a freshman, Tyree emerged to rank fourth on the team in scoring at 9.3 ppg in SEC contests, up from his 2.1 ppg before the start of conference play.
With Tyree at the top, Davis ranks eighth in scoring during SEC play (15.8 ppg). Pulling down 5.6 defensive boards per SEC game, the senior ranks third in the conference. He is also fifth with 1.9 steals per conference game alongside teammate Devontae Shuler. Tyree leads the conference in playing time, averaging 36.0 minutes per game in SEC play.
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 become an important piece in the Ole Miss lineup. Starting 25 games at point guard, he has stuffed box scores by leading the Rebels in steals (1.8 per game). Shuler ranks in the SEC's top 10 in three categories, sitting at fourth in steals as well as sixth in assist/turnover ratio (1.8) and eighth in playing time (32.2 minutes per game). 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 Jackson, Shuler scored a team-high 19 points to lead the Rebels to a win over Southeastern Louisiana (Dec. 12). Last week at Auburn, he tied a career high by making four three-pointers en route to a 17-point night, his most points in an SEC game through this point of his career. Shuler followed that up with a career-high five steals in the win over Missouri (Feb. 16).
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 487 career wins (421 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.
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 was 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. Davis has won 18 of his first 26 games to this point, tying for the second-best record by an Ole Miss head coach through 26 games. While Hazel went 23-3, R.L. Sullivan (1920-25) also started 18-8.
NEXT ON THE HARDWOOD
Up next, Ole Miss remains at home and welcomes a top five team to Oxford for the first time in two seasons. A sold out Pavilion will see the Rebels square off against No. 5 Tennessee Wednesday night (Feb. 27). Tipoff against the SEC leaders is set for at 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
