I'm not going to Tuscaloosa, but I'll have observations/notes/commentary/story after the game tomorrow night.
From UM Media Relations:
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Ole Miss men's basketball team is set to take on the No. 7 program for the second game in a row, as they face Alabama in their first conference road game on Tuesday, January 3 at 8 p.m. CT in the Coleman Coliseum.
TEAM FACTS
Ole Miss Rebels (8-5, 0-1 SEC)
Head Coach: Kermit Davis • 5th Season at Ole Miss (72-66) • 541-329 career record (28th Season)
#7 Alabama Crimson Tide (11-2, 1-0 SEC)
Head Coach: Nate Oats • 4th Season at Alabama (72-38) • 168-81 career record (8th Season)
ON THE AIR
Television/Online: SEC Network
Play-by-Play: Mike Morgan
Color: Daymeon Fishback
Sideline: Alyssa Lang
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: David Kellum
Color: Marc Dukes
SERIES HISTORY VS. ALABAMA
The 184th meeting between the Rebels and Crimson Tide (3rd-most played series in Ole Miss history) takes place in Tuscaloosa, Ala., with Alabama leading the series both overall at 125-58 and in Tuscaloosa at 74-11. The two programs began their series back in 1921, with Ole Miss winning eight of the first 11 contests. The series has been more balanced recently, with Alabama leading since the year 2000 22 games to 16.
LAST MEETING: February 9, 2022 (L, 83-97, Oxford, Miss., SJB Pavilion)
• Ole Miss led early, going up by as much as 11 after Matthew Murrell hit a three midway through the first half to make it 30-19.
• The Crimson Tide climbed back in before halftime, drawing it even at 36 with 4:12 on the clock before leading at the break 49-38.
• Ole Miss brought it back within two points early in the second half, before falling by 14.
• The Rebels shot 47.8% from the floor and hit 12 threes, but were outmatched by Alabama who shot 60.0% from the field and 63.6% from three.
• Ole Miss was led in scoring by Jarkel Joiner (33 points).
• Alabama's Jaden Shackelford scored 30 and hit eight three pointers, setting an SJB Pavilion record for makes by an opponent from beyond the arc.
SCOUTING THE CRIMSON TIDE
After beginning the season 5-0, Alabama traveled to the Phil Knight Invitational in Portland, Ore. where they opened the tournament with an 81-70 win over No. 12 Michigan State. After falling to Connecticut, then ranked 20th in the nation, the Tide took out No. 1 North Carolina in a four-overtime thriller 103-101. Up to No. 8 in the country in the week 5 AP Poll, Alabama took down No. 1 yet again with a 71-65 victory over Houston on the road. A win over Memphis, loss to No. 15 Gonzaga, and 20-point win over Jackson State set them up to begin their conference schedule on Dec. 28 against Mississippi State, taking down the No. 21 Bulldogs 78-67.
The Crimson Tide feature one of the best rebounding teams in the country, as they lead all of college basketball in rebounds per game (47.1) and defensive rebounds per game (32.8). They rank fourth in the NCAA in rebounding margin (+10.5) and sixth in offensive rebounds per game (14.3) as well.
Alabama doesn't shy away from letting it fly from deep, as their average of 29.4 three-point attempts per game leads the SEC and ranks ninth in the country. They average 10.1 makes from beyond the arc as well, best in the SEC and 13th nationwide.
Individually, they are led on offense by the SEC's leading scorer Brandon Miller, who averages 19.2 points per game. The team's leading rebounder as well at 8.8 boards per game, Miller has recorded three double-doubles to begin the season, including a 19-point and 11-rebound performance to help the Tide defeat Mississippi State last time out. One of the top prospects for the upcoming NBA Draft, Miller is Alabama's lead threat from deep as well, leading the SEC with 3.1 makes from three per game.
AN OLE MISS WIN WOULD...
...give Ole Miss their first win in Tuscaloosa since March 7, 2015 (won 82-74).
...be the first victory over a ranked opponent since a 76-72 win over No. 25 LSU on February 1, 2022, and first over a top-10 foe since an 80-59 win over No. 10 Missouri on February 8, 2021.
...be the fourth win over a top-10 team under head coach Kermit Davis.
...give the Rebels their highest opponent-ranked win since an 84-56 victory over No. 6 Alabama to close out the regular season on March 3, 2002.
ANOTHER ONE
With an average of 12.9 offensive rebounds per game, the Rebels have been among the best in the country in earning second chances on the glass, currently ranking 36th in the nation. The team is led by senior transfer Myles Burns with 34 offensive rebounds (2.6 per game, 7th in the SEC).
CAN'T BRAKE HIS COMPOSURE
In Ole Miss' last game against No. 7 Tennessee, Jaemyn Brakefield shot a perfect 4-4 from three-point range, setting a season-high with 18 points in the process. The junior from Jackson, Miss. became just the eighth Rebel in program history to remain perfect from deep in a game with a minimum of four attempts. The last to do so was Devontae Shuler on Dec. 10, 2020 against Jackson State when he went 5-5.
WHEN IT COUNTS
Ole Miss has been especially strong in the second half this season, shooting 47.0 percent overall in the back half while outscoring opponents 483-424 (37.2 points per second half, +4.5 scoring margin). Additionally, the Rebels have put up a +3.2 rebounding margin in the second half this season, while junior Matthew Murrell is averaging 8.5 points per second half this season. At the ESPN Events Invitational, Ole Miss shot a blistering 55 percent overall, led by 14.3 points per second half by Amaree Abram, who was also 5-of-6 from three and a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line in the back half.
DEEP POCKETS
The Rebels' depth has been on full display to begin the season, as the Ole Miss bench has accounted for over a third of the team's scoring through their first 13 games (37.7%, 339 of 899 points). The Rebs have topped their opponents in bench points in nine of 13 contests, and are outscoring their foes' benches by 129 on the year (339 to 210). Their 26.1 points per game off the bench rank fifth in the SEC.
TAKING THE FREE ONES
Junior Matthew Murrell is shooting an impressive 87.8% (36-41) from the free throw line to begin the season, which is tops in the SEC and ranks 46th in the country. As it stands, his current percentage would rank as the sixth-best free throw percentage in a single season at Ole Miss.
Ole Miss Men's Basketball - Free Throw Percentage in a Season
1. Chris Warren, 2011: 92.8%
2. Stefan Moody, 2015: 90.3%
3. David Rhodes, 1972: 90.1%
4. Marshall Henderson, 2013: 88.3%
5. Deandre Burnett, 2017: 88.1%
RENAISSANCE MAN
Senior transfer Myles Burns has made an immediate impact for the Rebels on both ends of the floor with a unique talent blend as a defensive force and a go-getter on the offensive glass. Burns ranks second in the SEC and No. 21 in the NCAA with 31 steals, while also ranking seventh in the conference at 2.6 offensive boards per game.
Prior to Ole Miss, Burns had an extraordinary career at Loyola New Orleans, where he was a four-time NAIA All-American and three-time SSAC Defensive Player of the Year. With the Wolf Pack, Burns played in 120 career games with 111 starts, while setting career averages of 15.3 points (1,852), 8.8 rebounds (1,069), 3.0 steals (358), 2.5 assists (298) and 1.0 blocks (116). In Loyola's record book, Burns ranks No. 1 in steals (358), No. 2 all-time in points (1,852), No. 2 in rebounds (1,069), No. 4 in blocks (116) and No. 7 in assists (298), with his 358 steals resting 163 more than any other player in Loyola history. Burns helped lead Loyola to the 2022 NAIA National Championship title, the first in school history since 1945, as the tournament MVP at 19.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and 5.2 steals with four double-doubles in six tournament games.
Burns is no stranger to dominating these two distinct statistical categories, as his 151 offensive rebounds and 152 steals in 2021-22 had no rival in all of college basketball, with the nearest Division I comparison being defending national player of the year Oscar Tshiebwe of Kentucky, who had 179 offensive rebounds and 60 steals last season. Furthermore, Burns' 152 steals last season earned him the 2022 Marques Haynes Award, which is given annually to the player with the most steals in all of college basketball, regardless of division.
BEST OF THE BEST
Ole Miss' four senior transfers are among some of the best returning big men in all of college basketball. Jayveous McKinnis stands as one of the best returners in the nation this year, currently fourth in total rebounds (1,054), fifth in total blocks (245), fifth in career double-doubles (38), ninth in rebounds per game (9.1), 10th in blocks per game (2.1) and 20th in field goal shooting (.612). McKinnis is one of just six active players in all of college basketball with 1,000 career rebounds alongside South Alabama's Kevin Samuel (1,167), North Carolina's Armando Bacot (1,147), Nicholls' Manny Littles (1,070), Lipscomb's Ahsan Asadullah (1,017), and Kentucky's Oscar Tshiebwe (1,016). He is also just one of five, alongside Samuel, Bacot, Asadullah, and Tshiebwe with 1,000 career points (1,133) and 1,000 career rebounds.
Ole Miss is one of two schools with multiple top-20 rebounders on the active career list alongside Texas Tech. McKinnis (1,054) and Josh Mballa (825; No. 20) combine for 1,879 career rebounds, the second-most among teammates behind Texas Tech's 1,883 from Kevin Obanor (965) and Fardaws Almaq (918).
Ole Miss also ranks highly on the career blocks list with two top-10 entries. McKinnis ranks fifth at 245 swats, while Theo Akwuba is 10th at 196. Ole Miss stands as one of just two schools with multiple top-25 active blockers alongside Gardner-Webb, but the Rebels are the only school with two within the top-10. The Rebel trio of McKinnis (38, No. 5), Mballa (29, No. 14) and Akwuba (17) combine for 84 career double-doubles, with McKinnis and Mballa owning the second-most by a pair of teammates at 67 behind Texas Tech's Almaq (41) and Obanor (36) at 77.
* Note: Myles Burns' 1,069 career rebounds while at NAIA Loyola New Orleans do not transfer over to the NCAA records lists, but he would rank second in the nation at 1,157 if they did and give Ole Miss a combined 4,380 boards between Burns (1,157), McKinnis (1,054), Mballa (825), Akwuba (675) and Robert Allen (669). Burns' combined career total of 1,943 points would also rank No. 18 among all NCAA divisions.
AIN'T WASTING TIME NO MORE
With eight new faces for Ole Miss this season, the Rebel newcomers are already seeing serious minutes.
Newcomer Splits:
Minutes: 53.2% (1,384 of 2,600)
Scoring: 47.9% (431 of 899)
Rebounding: 53.1% (260 of 490)
Assists: 47.9% (79 of 165)
Steals: 60.4% (64 of 106)
Blocks: 80.1% (50 of 62)
Newcomer Scoring:
vs. Alcorn State: 29 of 73 (39.7%)
vs. Florida Atlantic: 36 of 80 (45.0%)
vs. Chattanooga: 33 of 70 (47.1%)
vs. UT Martin: 35 of 72 (48.6%)
vs. Stanford: 48 of 72 (66.7%)
vs. Siena: 37 of 74 (50.0%)
vs. Stanford: 39 of 55 (70.1%)
at Memphis: 32 of 57 (56.1%)
vs. Valparaiso: 27 of 98 (27.6%)
vs. UCF: 38 of 61 (62.3%)
vs. Temple: 24 of 63 (38.1%)
vs. North Alabama: 26 of 65 (40.0%)
vs. Tennessee: 27 of 59 (45.8%)
WHAT'S BACK?
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 6/8
Starters Returning/Lost: 2/3
3-Pointers: 127 of 222 (57.2%) - 26.6% from Matthew Murrell
Points: 1,116 of 2,180 (51.2%) - 17.1% from Matthew Murrell
Assists: 198 of 422 (46.9%)
Steals: 104 of 227 (45.8%)
Rebounds: 403 of 1,070 (37.7%)
Blocks: 27 of 89 (30.3%)
EXPERIENCE FROM THE PORTAL
Ole Miss went into the portal looking for experienced big men, and came away with four of the most well-seasoned options available. Those four senior transfers -- F Theo Akwuba, F Myles Burns, F Josh Mballa and F Jayveous McKinnis -- hold an incredible combined career stat lines across their respective careers prior to Ole Miss:
Combined Career Stats (NAIA included for Burns):
• 475 games played
• 369 games started
• 4,935 points
• 3,711 rebounds
• 659 steals (389 from Burns alone)
• 640 blocks
BEWARE THE REBELS
Ole Miss has been a thorn in the side of nationally ranked teams, as the Rebels have notched five AP Top-25 victories over the 19 months after a 76-72 victory over No. 25 LSU -- Ole Miss' first win in Baton Rouge since 2013. Since a 52-50 win at home vs. No. 10 Tennessee on Feb. 2, 2021, Ole Miss has gone 5-3 against ranked squads. Under Kermit Davis, the Rebels have beaten seven top-25 opponents. Following its 67-63 upset over No. 18 Memphis on Dec. 4, Ole Miss notched its fourth consecutive Top-25 win for just the second time in school history. The other such occurrence came across the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons, when Ole Miss ripped off four in a row against No. 6 Florida on Feb. 16, 2002 (68-51), No. 6 Alabama on March 3, 2002 (84-56), at No. 23 LSU the following season on Jan. 18, 2003 (67-57), and three days later vs. No. 15 Alabama on Jan. 21, 2003 (76-57). The latest streak came against No. 10 Tennessee on Feb. 2, 2021 (52-50), No. 10 Missouri on Feb. 10, 2021 (80-59) and at No. 24 Missouri on Feb. 23, 2021 before the win vs. Memphis. This was also the first time since 2001 that Ole Miss won against four ranked teams within the same calendar year. That season the Rebels did so five times against No. 10 Tennessee on Feb. 10 (87-71), No. 20 Alabama on March 3 (105-71), No. 5 Florida in the SEC Tournament (74-69), No. 19 Notre Dame in the NCAA Tournament (59-56) and the following season against No. 22 Memphis on Dec. 7 (71-67).
2020-21 / 2021-22
Feb. 2, 2021 - vs. #10 Tennessee (52-50)
Feb. 10, 2021 - vs. #10 Missouri (80-59)
Feb. 23, 2021 - at #24 Missouri (60-53)
Dec. 4, 2021 - vs. #18 Memphis (67-63)
2001-02 / 2002-03
Feb. 16, 2002 - vs. #6 Florida (68-51)
March 3, 2002 - vs. #6 Alabama (84-56)
Jan. 18, 2003 - at #23 LSU (67-57)
Jan. 21, 2003 - vs. #15 Alabama (76-57)
From UM Media Relations:
| OLE MISS (8-5, 0-1 SEC) at #7 ALABAMA (11-2, 1-0 SEC) Tuesday, Jan. 3 • 8 p.m. CT • Tuscaloosa, Ala. Coleman Coliseum (14,474) 
| 
|
| Watch • Live Stats • Listen Ole Miss Game Notes • Alabama Game Notes • SEC Game Notes |
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Ole Miss men's basketball team is set to take on the No. 7 program for the second game in a row, as they face Alabama in their first conference road game on Tuesday, January 3 at 8 p.m. CT in the Coleman Coliseum.
TEAM FACTS
Ole Miss Rebels (8-5, 0-1 SEC)
Head Coach: Kermit Davis • 5th Season at Ole Miss (72-66) • 541-329 career record (28th Season)
#7 Alabama Crimson Tide (11-2, 1-0 SEC)
Head Coach: Nate Oats • 4th Season at Alabama (72-38) • 168-81 career record (8th Season)
ON THE AIR
Television/Online: SEC Network
Play-by-Play: Mike Morgan
Color: Daymeon Fishback
Sideline: Alyssa Lang
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: David Kellum
Color: Marc Dukes
SERIES HISTORY VS. ALABAMA
The 184th meeting between the Rebels and Crimson Tide (3rd-most played series in Ole Miss history) takes place in Tuscaloosa, Ala., with Alabama leading the series both overall at 125-58 and in Tuscaloosa at 74-11. The two programs began their series back in 1921, with Ole Miss winning eight of the first 11 contests. The series has been more balanced recently, with Alabama leading since the year 2000 22 games to 16.
LAST MEETING: February 9, 2022 (L, 83-97, Oxford, Miss., SJB Pavilion)
• Ole Miss led early, going up by as much as 11 after Matthew Murrell hit a three midway through the first half to make it 30-19.
• The Crimson Tide climbed back in before halftime, drawing it even at 36 with 4:12 on the clock before leading at the break 49-38.
• Ole Miss brought it back within two points early in the second half, before falling by 14.
• The Rebels shot 47.8% from the floor and hit 12 threes, but were outmatched by Alabama who shot 60.0% from the field and 63.6% from three.
• Ole Miss was led in scoring by Jarkel Joiner (33 points).
• Alabama's Jaden Shackelford scored 30 and hit eight three pointers, setting an SJB Pavilion record for makes by an opponent from beyond the arc.
SCOUTING THE CRIMSON TIDE
After beginning the season 5-0, Alabama traveled to the Phil Knight Invitational in Portland, Ore. where they opened the tournament with an 81-70 win over No. 12 Michigan State. After falling to Connecticut, then ranked 20th in the nation, the Tide took out No. 1 North Carolina in a four-overtime thriller 103-101. Up to No. 8 in the country in the week 5 AP Poll, Alabama took down No. 1 yet again with a 71-65 victory over Houston on the road. A win over Memphis, loss to No. 15 Gonzaga, and 20-point win over Jackson State set them up to begin their conference schedule on Dec. 28 against Mississippi State, taking down the No. 21 Bulldogs 78-67.
The Crimson Tide feature one of the best rebounding teams in the country, as they lead all of college basketball in rebounds per game (47.1) and defensive rebounds per game (32.8). They rank fourth in the NCAA in rebounding margin (+10.5) and sixth in offensive rebounds per game (14.3) as well.
Alabama doesn't shy away from letting it fly from deep, as their average of 29.4 three-point attempts per game leads the SEC and ranks ninth in the country. They average 10.1 makes from beyond the arc as well, best in the SEC and 13th nationwide.
Individually, they are led on offense by the SEC's leading scorer Brandon Miller, who averages 19.2 points per game. The team's leading rebounder as well at 8.8 boards per game, Miller has recorded three double-doubles to begin the season, including a 19-point and 11-rebound performance to help the Tide defeat Mississippi State last time out. One of the top prospects for the upcoming NBA Draft, Miller is Alabama's lead threat from deep as well, leading the SEC with 3.1 makes from three per game.
AN OLE MISS WIN WOULD...
...give Ole Miss their first win in Tuscaloosa since March 7, 2015 (won 82-74).
...be the first victory over a ranked opponent since a 76-72 win over No. 25 LSU on February 1, 2022, and first over a top-10 foe since an 80-59 win over No. 10 Missouri on February 8, 2021.
...be the fourth win over a top-10 team under head coach Kermit Davis.
...give the Rebels their highest opponent-ranked win since an 84-56 victory over No. 6 Alabama to close out the regular season on March 3, 2002.
ANOTHER ONE
With an average of 12.9 offensive rebounds per game, the Rebels have been among the best in the country in earning second chances on the glass, currently ranking 36th in the nation. The team is led by senior transfer Myles Burns with 34 offensive rebounds (2.6 per game, 7th in the SEC).
CAN'T BRAKE HIS COMPOSURE
In Ole Miss' last game against No. 7 Tennessee, Jaemyn Brakefield shot a perfect 4-4 from three-point range, setting a season-high with 18 points in the process. The junior from Jackson, Miss. became just the eighth Rebel in program history to remain perfect from deep in a game with a minimum of four attempts. The last to do so was Devontae Shuler on Dec. 10, 2020 against Jackson State when he went 5-5.
WHEN IT COUNTS
Ole Miss has been especially strong in the second half this season, shooting 47.0 percent overall in the back half while outscoring opponents 483-424 (37.2 points per second half, +4.5 scoring margin). Additionally, the Rebels have put up a +3.2 rebounding margin in the second half this season, while junior Matthew Murrell is averaging 8.5 points per second half this season. At the ESPN Events Invitational, Ole Miss shot a blistering 55 percent overall, led by 14.3 points per second half by Amaree Abram, who was also 5-of-6 from three and a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line in the back half.
DEEP POCKETS
The Rebels' depth has been on full display to begin the season, as the Ole Miss bench has accounted for over a third of the team's scoring through their first 13 games (37.7%, 339 of 899 points). The Rebs have topped their opponents in bench points in nine of 13 contests, and are outscoring their foes' benches by 129 on the year (339 to 210). Their 26.1 points per game off the bench rank fifth in the SEC.
TAKING THE FREE ONES
Junior Matthew Murrell is shooting an impressive 87.8% (36-41) from the free throw line to begin the season, which is tops in the SEC and ranks 46th in the country. As it stands, his current percentage would rank as the sixth-best free throw percentage in a single season at Ole Miss.
Ole Miss Men's Basketball - Free Throw Percentage in a Season
1. Chris Warren, 2011: 92.8%
2. Stefan Moody, 2015: 90.3%
3. David Rhodes, 1972: 90.1%
4. Marshall Henderson, 2013: 88.3%
5. Deandre Burnett, 2017: 88.1%
RENAISSANCE MAN
Senior transfer Myles Burns has made an immediate impact for the Rebels on both ends of the floor with a unique talent blend as a defensive force and a go-getter on the offensive glass. Burns ranks second in the SEC and No. 21 in the NCAA with 31 steals, while also ranking seventh in the conference at 2.6 offensive boards per game.
Prior to Ole Miss, Burns had an extraordinary career at Loyola New Orleans, where he was a four-time NAIA All-American and three-time SSAC Defensive Player of the Year. With the Wolf Pack, Burns played in 120 career games with 111 starts, while setting career averages of 15.3 points (1,852), 8.8 rebounds (1,069), 3.0 steals (358), 2.5 assists (298) and 1.0 blocks (116). In Loyola's record book, Burns ranks No. 1 in steals (358), No. 2 all-time in points (1,852), No. 2 in rebounds (1,069), No. 4 in blocks (116) and No. 7 in assists (298), with his 358 steals resting 163 more than any other player in Loyola history. Burns helped lead Loyola to the 2022 NAIA National Championship title, the first in school history since 1945, as the tournament MVP at 19.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and 5.2 steals with four double-doubles in six tournament games.
Burns is no stranger to dominating these two distinct statistical categories, as his 151 offensive rebounds and 152 steals in 2021-22 had no rival in all of college basketball, with the nearest Division I comparison being defending national player of the year Oscar Tshiebwe of Kentucky, who had 179 offensive rebounds and 60 steals last season. Furthermore, Burns' 152 steals last season earned him the 2022 Marques Haynes Award, which is given annually to the player with the most steals in all of college basketball, regardless of division.
BEST OF THE BEST
Ole Miss' four senior transfers are among some of the best returning big men in all of college basketball. Jayveous McKinnis stands as one of the best returners in the nation this year, currently fourth in total rebounds (1,054), fifth in total blocks (245), fifth in career double-doubles (38), ninth in rebounds per game (9.1), 10th in blocks per game (2.1) and 20th in field goal shooting (.612). McKinnis is one of just six active players in all of college basketball with 1,000 career rebounds alongside South Alabama's Kevin Samuel (1,167), North Carolina's Armando Bacot (1,147), Nicholls' Manny Littles (1,070), Lipscomb's Ahsan Asadullah (1,017), and Kentucky's Oscar Tshiebwe (1,016). He is also just one of five, alongside Samuel, Bacot, Asadullah, and Tshiebwe with 1,000 career points (1,133) and 1,000 career rebounds.
Ole Miss is one of two schools with multiple top-20 rebounders on the active career list alongside Texas Tech. McKinnis (1,054) and Josh Mballa (825; No. 20) combine for 1,879 career rebounds, the second-most among teammates behind Texas Tech's 1,883 from Kevin Obanor (965) and Fardaws Almaq (918).
Ole Miss also ranks highly on the career blocks list with two top-10 entries. McKinnis ranks fifth at 245 swats, while Theo Akwuba is 10th at 196. Ole Miss stands as one of just two schools with multiple top-25 active blockers alongside Gardner-Webb, but the Rebels are the only school with two within the top-10. The Rebel trio of McKinnis (38, No. 5), Mballa (29, No. 14) and Akwuba (17) combine for 84 career double-doubles, with McKinnis and Mballa owning the second-most by a pair of teammates at 67 behind Texas Tech's Almaq (41) and Obanor (36) at 77.
* Note: Myles Burns' 1,069 career rebounds while at NAIA Loyola New Orleans do not transfer over to the NCAA records lists, but he would rank second in the nation at 1,157 if they did and give Ole Miss a combined 4,380 boards between Burns (1,157), McKinnis (1,054), Mballa (825), Akwuba (675) and Robert Allen (669). Burns' combined career total of 1,943 points would also rank No. 18 among all NCAA divisions.
AIN'T WASTING TIME NO MORE
With eight new faces for Ole Miss this season, the Rebel newcomers are already seeing serious minutes.
Newcomer Splits:
Minutes: 53.2% (1,384 of 2,600)
Scoring: 47.9% (431 of 899)
Rebounding: 53.1% (260 of 490)
Assists: 47.9% (79 of 165)
Steals: 60.4% (64 of 106)
Blocks: 80.1% (50 of 62)
Newcomer Scoring:
vs. Alcorn State: 29 of 73 (39.7%)
vs. Florida Atlantic: 36 of 80 (45.0%)
vs. Chattanooga: 33 of 70 (47.1%)
vs. UT Martin: 35 of 72 (48.6%)
vs. Stanford: 48 of 72 (66.7%)
vs. Siena: 37 of 74 (50.0%)
vs. Stanford: 39 of 55 (70.1%)
at Memphis: 32 of 57 (56.1%)
vs. Valparaiso: 27 of 98 (27.6%)
vs. UCF: 38 of 61 (62.3%)
vs. Temple: 24 of 63 (38.1%)
vs. North Alabama: 26 of 65 (40.0%)
vs. Tennessee: 27 of 59 (45.8%)
WHAT'S BACK?
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 6/8
Starters Returning/Lost: 2/3
3-Pointers: 127 of 222 (57.2%) - 26.6% from Matthew Murrell
Points: 1,116 of 2,180 (51.2%) - 17.1% from Matthew Murrell
Assists: 198 of 422 (46.9%)
Steals: 104 of 227 (45.8%)
Rebounds: 403 of 1,070 (37.7%)
Blocks: 27 of 89 (30.3%)
EXPERIENCE FROM THE PORTAL
Ole Miss went into the portal looking for experienced big men, and came away with four of the most well-seasoned options available. Those four senior transfers -- F Theo Akwuba, F Myles Burns, F Josh Mballa and F Jayveous McKinnis -- hold an incredible combined career stat lines across their respective careers prior to Ole Miss:
Combined Career Stats (NAIA included for Burns):
• 475 games played
• 369 games started
• 4,935 points
• 3,711 rebounds
• 659 steals (389 from Burns alone)
• 640 blocks
BEWARE THE REBELS
Ole Miss has been a thorn in the side of nationally ranked teams, as the Rebels have notched five AP Top-25 victories over the 19 months after a 76-72 victory over No. 25 LSU -- Ole Miss' first win in Baton Rouge since 2013. Since a 52-50 win at home vs. No. 10 Tennessee on Feb. 2, 2021, Ole Miss has gone 5-3 against ranked squads. Under Kermit Davis, the Rebels have beaten seven top-25 opponents. Following its 67-63 upset over No. 18 Memphis on Dec. 4, Ole Miss notched its fourth consecutive Top-25 win for just the second time in school history. The other such occurrence came across the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons, when Ole Miss ripped off four in a row against No. 6 Florida on Feb. 16, 2002 (68-51), No. 6 Alabama on March 3, 2002 (84-56), at No. 23 LSU the following season on Jan. 18, 2003 (67-57), and three days later vs. No. 15 Alabama on Jan. 21, 2003 (76-57). The latest streak came against No. 10 Tennessee on Feb. 2, 2021 (52-50), No. 10 Missouri on Feb. 10, 2021 (80-59) and at No. 24 Missouri on Feb. 23, 2021 before the win vs. Memphis. This was also the first time since 2001 that Ole Miss won against four ranked teams within the same calendar year. That season the Rebels did so five times against No. 10 Tennessee on Feb. 10 (87-71), No. 20 Alabama on March 3 (105-71), No. 5 Florida in the SEC Tournament (74-69), No. 19 Notre Dame in the NCAA Tournament (59-56) and the following season against No. 22 Memphis on Dec. 7 (71-67).
2020-21 / 2021-22
Feb. 2, 2021 - vs. #10 Tennessee (52-50)
Feb. 10, 2021 - vs. #10 Missouri (80-59)
Feb. 23, 2021 - at #24 Missouri (60-53)
Dec. 4, 2021 - vs. #18 Memphis (67-63)
2001-02 / 2002-03
Feb. 16, 2002 - vs. #6 Florida (68-51)
March 3, 2002 - vs. #6 Alabama (84-56)
Jan. 18, 2003 - at #23 LSU (67-57)
Jan. 21, 2003 - vs. #15 Alabama (76-57)
