OXFORD, Miss. – With March looming, the No. 24 Ole Miss men's basketball team is prepared for a big road game on Saturday, February 22, as they face Vanderbilt in Memorial Coliseum at 2:30 p.m. on the SEC Network.
TEAM FACTS
No. 24 Ole Miss Rebels (Record: 19-7, 8-5 SEC)
Head Coach: Chris Beard • 2nd Season at Ole Miss (39-19) • 276-117 career record (13th Season)
Vanderbilt Commodores (Record: 17-9, 5-8 SEC)
Head Coach: Mark Byington • 1st Season at Vanderbilt (17-9) • 237-146 career record (13th Season)
ON THE AIR
Television/Online: SEC Network
Play-by-Play: Dave Neal
Analyst: Pat Bradley
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: David Kellum
Analyst: Marc Dukes
SERIES HISTORY VS. VANDERBILT
The two schools will meet on the basketball court for the 129th time, dating back to 1925 when Vandy defeated the Rebels 19-18 on January 8. While the Commodores own the all-time series lead 79-49 and 51-11 in Nashville, Ole Miss holds a slight edge 6-4 over the past 10 meetings.
LAST MEETING: January 13, 2024 (W, 69-56, Nashville, Tenn.)
• Ole Miss jumped out to an early lead, shooting nearly 60 percent from the field in the first half to lead by nine at the half.
• Matthew Murrell (Ole Miss): 24 points, six 3PFG made, six rebounds, two assists, two steals.
• Tyrin Lawrence (Vanderbilt): 14 points, six rebounds, three steals.
SCOUTING THE COMMODORES
Vanderbilt currently owns a record of 17-9 on the season and 5-8 in conference play. Earlier this season, the Commodores earned key non-conference victories over California, Seton Hall, Virginia Tech, and TCU. Their SEC wins have come over LSU, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Texas. They currently sit in 10th in the SEC standings, and own a NET Ranking of No. 44 in the nation.
Ranked sixth in the SEC in points per game, North Texas transfer Jason Edwards leads Vanderbilt offensively with a scoring average of 17.6. The guard is shooting an efficient 45.3 percent from the field this season, the ninth-best clip in the conference. The Commodores are led on the glass by Devin McGlockton with an average of 7.9 rebounds per game. A.J. Hoggard facilitates the offense with an average of 4.6 assists per outing, the third-best average in the SEC.
The Commodores have hung their hat on taking care of the ball on offense and defense this year, ranking second in the SEC (Ole Miss in first) and 11th in the nation with a turnover margin of +4.6. They force an average of 14.6 turnovers per contest while committing just 10.0 on average themselves, ranking 33rd and 25th in the nation, respectively. Vanderbilt's forced turnovers have been boosted by an average of 9.2 steals per game (3rd in SEC, 20th in NCAA), led by Tyler Tanner (1.96 SPG) and Chris Manon (1.58 SPG).
First-year head coach Mark Byington has gotten off to a hot start in Nashville, taking a team that was picked to finish last in the SEC by the media preseason to a current 10th-place position, with big wins over No. 6 Tennessee and No. 9 Kentucky already under his belt. Prior to joining the Commodores, Byington spent four years at James Madison, highlighted by a 32-4 season in 2023-24 where he was one of three teams to begin the season 13-0 in the nation (also Ole Miss) and finished it off with an upset over No. 5 seed Wisconsin in the NCAA Tournament. Before his time at James Madison, he was the head coach of Georgia Southern for seven seasons, after getting his first action at the helm as an interim head coach at College of Charleston in 2011-12.
MAGIC NUMBER IN SIGHT
With 19 wins on the season, Ole Miss has their eyes set on a 20-win campaign for the second year in a row, a feat last accomplished in the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons. A win on Saturday against Vanderbilt would tie for the fourth-fastest to the 20-win-mark (27 games), after Ole Miss reached that point in 24 games during 2000-01, and 25 games in both 1997-98 and 1936-37. While just the 19th 20-win season in program history, it would be the 14th since the year 2000.
LET'S PLAY DEFENSE
A staple of success for head coach Chris Beard has always been his team's defensive play, and it's been evident on this year's Ole Miss roster to start the season. With a turnover margin of +6.0, the Rebels own the third-best average in all of college basketball, forcing 14.8 per game (No. 28 in the NCAA) while committing just 8.8 to lead the NCAA.
With a scoring margin on +9.0 points per game, they own the 49th-best clip in the country. Ole Miss holds a record of 15-2 in two years under Beard when holding the opposition to under 40 percent from the field. Ole Miss ranks among the top teams in the nation in steals per game at 9.1, the 23rd-best clip in college basketball, and blocks per game at 4.4 to rank 51st.
BATTLE TESTED
The schedule for Ole Miss has been, and continues to be, one of the most difficult in the nation. As of February 16, they own the nation's second-toughest remaining strength of schedule according to ESPN's Basketball Power Index. Their past opposition's win percentage of 63.4 ranks as the 10th-highest in the nation, while their remaining opponent's win percentage of 78.4 is the second-highest in all of college basketball. Their cumulative strength-of-schedule win percentage of 65.9 is the fourth highest in the country.
GIANT KILLER
Ole Miss is one of just four schools in the country that has taken down a top-10 opponent in football, men's basketball, and women's basketball, joined by Ohio State, Penn State, and Tennessee. On the gridiron, the Rebels took down No. 3 Georgia in a historic 28-10 win in early November in Oxford. Women's hoops recently picked up a massive victory over No. 8 Kentucky 66-57 on February 10, while the men's basketball program toppled No. 4 Alabama in Tuscaloosa 74-64 in January.
"HIGH TIDE GUYS, HIGH TIDE"
On January 14, No. 21 Ole Miss traveled to Tuscaloosa to face No. 4 Alabama in Coleman Coliseum, coming out of a battle with a 74-64 victory. Holding the Tide to under 70 points for the first time in 54 games, the Rebels defense forced 21 turnovers with 14 steals. The win marked the first victory in 10 seasons in Tuscaloosa for Ole Miss, their fourth win ever over an AP top four team, and the first-ever road win over an AP top five team in school history.
I'LL TAKE THAT, PLEASE
Sean Pedulla has had a big impact for the Rebels on defense, forcing 52 steals for an average of 2.00 per game. The senior guard has collected a steal in 23 of 26 games during the 2024-25 season, grabbing multiple swipes in 15 games this year with a season-best of five against Oral Roberts. He currently ranks 40th in the NCAA in steals per game and 40th in total steals. The senior guard is nearing the top-10 for most steals in a single season in Ole Miss history, needing 55 to enter the list.
"POLL" POSITION
In the latest top-25 polls released this past Monday, Ole Miss ranks No. 24 in the AP Poll. Their current run of 13 straight weeks in the AP Top 25 is the longest streak since the 1997-98 season, when the Rebels held a ranking the entire season. Ranked No. 15 in the Coaches Poll on December 9, it was the highest ranking in a national poll since the Rebels were No. 14 in the AP Poll on January 4, 2010, and the highest position in the Coaches Poll since they sat in 15th on January 21 in 2008.
LUNARDI SAYS "DANCE"
Updated each Tuesday and Friday, the latest bracketology from ESPN's Joe Lunardi has Ole Miss as a six seed in the South Region. They are projected to face 11-seed UC San Diego in Milwaukee, Wis., paired with three-seeded Wisconsin vs. 14th-seeded Towson. The highest seed for the Ole Miss program came in the 2001 tournament, when they were set as a three seed and reached the Sweet 16. Lunardi's latest projections has 13 teams from the SEC earning a ticket to the 2025 NCAA Tournament, a number that would be the most for a single conference all time.
PROGRAM POINT PRESIDENTS
Seniors Matthew Murrell and Jaemyn Brakefield have each surpassed the 1,000-point mark during their careers here in Oxford, and continue to climb the program leaderboard. Here's a snapshot of where they lie among the career points list at Ole Miss:
...
6. Breein Tyree - 1,797
7. Justin Reed - 1,785
8. Matthew Murrell - 1,695
9. Keith Carter - 1,682
...
21. Devontae Shuler - 1,319
22. Cob Jarvis - 1,313
23. Jaemyn Brakefield - 1,308
24. Stefan Moody - 1,294
NETWORKING
The 2024-25 NET Rankings made their debut on Monday, December 2 and Ole Miss has since climbed their way to No. 24 in the nation. Since the ranking's first iteration at the conclusion of the 2018-19 season, their ranking of 13th on January 20 is the highest-ever NET Ranking for the Ole Miss program.
As of February 13, the entire SEC is ranked among the top 100, with 13 of the 16 programs sitting inside the top 50, eight in the top 25, and four in the top 10.
RECORD BOOK WRECKER
Senior guard Matthew Murrell enters his fifth season with Ole Miss and continues to put his name up and down the program record book. The Memphis native currently ranks eighth in school history in career points with 1,695, and fourth in three-point shots made (250) and three-point attempts (711). He also ranks ninth in most field goal attempts at 1,384, and is sixth in career steals with 164.
I AM IRON MAN
A consistent member of the lineup for each of the past five seasons, Matthew Murrell recently became the program's all-time leader in games played and minutes played. On January 22, Murrell passed Zach Graham at 135 games played for Ole Miss, and has since pushed his number to 143. At South Carolina on February 12, he surpassed Elston Turner for the most minutes played in a Rebel uniform, now with 4,155 minutes on the court for Ole Miss.
TEAM FACTS
No. 24 Ole Miss Rebels (Record: 19-7, 8-5 SEC)
Head Coach: Chris Beard • 2nd Season at Ole Miss (39-19) • 276-117 career record (13th Season)
Vanderbilt Commodores (Record: 17-9, 5-8 SEC)
Head Coach: Mark Byington • 1st Season at Vanderbilt (17-9) • 237-146 career record (13th Season)
ON THE AIR
Television/Online: SEC Network
Play-by-Play: Dave Neal
Analyst: Pat Bradley
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: David Kellum
Analyst: Marc Dukes
SERIES HISTORY VS. VANDERBILT
The two schools will meet on the basketball court for the 129th time, dating back to 1925 when Vandy defeated the Rebels 19-18 on January 8. While the Commodores own the all-time series lead 79-49 and 51-11 in Nashville, Ole Miss holds a slight edge 6-4 over the past 10 meetings.
LAST MEETING: January 13, 2024 (W, 69-56, Nashville, Tenn.)
• Ole Miss jumped out to an early lead, shooting nearly 60 percent from the field in the first half to lead by nine at the half.
• Matthew Murrell (Ole Miss): 24 points, six 3PFG made, six rebounds, two assists, two steals.
• Tyrin Lawrence (Vanderbilt): 14 points, six rebounds, three steals.
SCOUTING THE COMMODORES
Vanderbilt currently owns a record of 17-9 on the season and 5-8 in conference play. Earlier this season, the Commodores earned key non-conference victories over California, Seton Hall, Virginia Tech, and TCU. Their SEC wins have come over LSU, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Texas. They currently sit in 10th in the SEC standings, and own a NET Ranking of No. 44 in the nation.
Ranked sixth in the SEC in points per game, North Texas transfer Jason Edwards leads Vanderbilt offensively with a scoring average of 17.6. The guard is shooting an efficient 45.3 percent from the field this season, the ninth-best clip in the conference. The Commodores are led on the glass by Devin McGlockton with an average of 7.9 rebounds per game. A.J. Hoggard facilitates the offense with an average of 4.6 assists per outing, the third-best average in the SEC.
The Commodores have hung their hat on taking care of the ball on offense and defense this year, ranking second in the SEC (Ole Miss in first) and 11th in the nation with a turnover margin of +4.6. They force an average of 14.6 turnovers per contest while committing just 10.0 on average themselves, ranking 33rd and 25th in the nation, respectively. Vanderbilt's forced turnovers have been boosted by an average of 9.2 steals per game (3rd in SEC, 20th in NCAA), led by Tyler Tanner (1.96 SPG) and Chris Manon (1.58 SPG).
First-year head coach Mark Byington has gotten off to a hot start in Nashville, taking a team that was picked to finish last in the SEC by the media preseason to a current 10th-place position, with big wins over No. 6 Tennessee and No. 9 Kentucky already under his belt. Prior to joining the Commodores, Byington spent four years at James Madison, highlighted by a 32-4 season in 2023-24 where he was one of three teams to begin the season 13-0 in the nation (also Ole Miss) and finished it off with an upset over No. 5 seed Wisconsin in the NCAA Tournament. Before his time at James Madison, he was the head coach of Georgia Southern for seven seasons, after getting his first action at the helm as an interim head coach at College of Charleston in 2011-12.
MAGIC NUMBER IN SIGHT
With 19 wins on the season, Ole Miss has their eyes set on a 20-win campaign for the second year in a row, a feat last accomplished in the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons. A win on Saturday against Vanderbilt would tie for the fourth-fastest to the 20-win-mark (27 games), after Ole Miss reached that point in 24 games during 2000-01, and 25 games in both 1997-98 and 1936-37. While just the 19th 20-win season in program history, it would be the 14th since the year 2000.
LET'S PLAY DEFENSE
A staple of success for head coach Chris Beard has always been his team's defensive play, and it's been evident on this year's Ole Miss roster to start the season. With a turnover margin of +6.0, the Rebels own the third-best average in all of college basketball, forcing 14.8 per game (No. 28 in the NCAA) while committing just 8.8 to lead the NCAA.
With a scoring margin on +9.0 points per game, they own the 49th-best clip in the country. Ole Miss holds a record of 15-2 in two years under Beard when holding the opposition to under 40 percent from the field. Ole Miss ranks among the top teams in the nation in steals per game at 9.1, the 23rd-best clip in college basketball, and blocks per game at 4.4 to rank 51st.
BATTLE TESTED
The schedule for Ole Miss has been, and continues to be, one of the most difficult in the nation. As of February 16, they own the nation's second-toughest remaining strength of schedule according to ESPN's Basketball Power Index. Their past opposition's win percentage of 63.4 ranks as the 10th-highest in the nation, while their remaining opponent's win percentage of 78.4 is the second-highest in all of college basketball. Their cumulative strength-of-schedule win percentage of 65.9 is the fourth highest in the country.
GIANT KILLER
Ole Miss is one of just four schools in the country that has taken down a top-10 opponent in football, men's basketball, and women's basketball, joined by Ohio State, Penn State, and Tennessee. On the gridiron, the Rebels took down No. 3 Georgia in a historic 28-10 win in early November in Oxford. Women's hoops recently picked up a massive victory over No. 8 Kentucky 66-57 on February 10, while the men's basketball program toppled No. 4 Alabama in Tuscaloosa 74-64 in January.
"HIGH TIDE GUYS, HIGH TIDE"
On January 14, No. 21 Ole Miss traveled to Tuscaloosa to face No. 4 Alabama in Coleman Coliseum, coming out of a battle with a 74-64 victory. Holding the Tide to under 70 points for the first time in 54 games, the Rebels defense forced 21 turnovers with 14 steals. The win marked the first victory in 10 seasons in Tuscaloosa for Ole Miss, their fourth win ever over an AP top four team, and the first-ever road win over an AP top five team in school history.
I'LL TAKE THAT, PLEASE
Sean Pedulla has had a big impact for the Rebels on defense, forcing 52 steals for an average of 2.00 per game. The senior guard has collected a steal in 23 of 26 games during the 2024-25 season, grabbing multiple swipes in 15 games this year with a season-best of five against Oral Roberts. He currently ranks 40th in the NCAA in steals per game and 40th in total steals. The senior guard is nearing the top-10 for most steals in a single season in Ole Miss history, needing 55 to enter the list.
"POLL" POSITION
In the latest top-25 polls released this past Monday, Ole Miss ranks No. 24 in the AP Poll. Their current run of 13 straight weeks in the AP Top 25 is the longest streak since the 1997-98 season, when the Rebels held a ranking the entire season. Ranked No. 15 in the Coaches Poll on December 9, it was the highest ranking in a national poll since the Rebels were No. 14 in the AP Poll on January 4, 2010, and the highest position in the Coaches Poll since they sat in 15th on January 21 in 2008.
LUNARDI SAYS "DANCE"
Updated each Tuesday and Friday, the latest bracketology from ESPN's Joe Lunardi has Ole Miss as a six seed in the South Region. They are projected to face 11-seed UC San Diego in Milwaukee, Wis., paired with three-seeded Wisconsin vs. 14th-seeded Towson. The highest seed for the Ole Miss program came in the 2001 tournament, when they were set as a three seed and reached the Sweet 16. Lunardi's latest projections has 13 teams from the SEC earning a ticket to the 2025 NCAA Tournament, a number that would be the most for a single conference all time.
PROGRAM POINT PRESIDENTS
Seniors Matthew Murrell and Jaemyn Brakefield have each surpassed the 1,000-point mark during their careers here in Oxford, and continue to climb the program leaderboard. Here's a snapshot of where they lie among the career points list at Ole Miss:
...
6. Breein Tyree - 1,797
7. Justin Reed - 1,785
8. Matthew Murrell - 1,695
9. Keith Carter - 1,682
...
21. Devontae Shuler - 1,319
22. Cob Jarvis - 1,313
23. Jaemyn Brakefield - 1,308
24. Stefan Moody - 1,294
NETWORKING
The 2024-25 NET Rankings made their debut on Monday, December 2 and Ole Miss has since climbed their way to No. 24 in the nation. Since the ranking's first iteration at the conclusion of the 2018-19 season, their ranking of 13th on January 20 is the highest-ever NET Ranking for the Ole Miss program.
As of February 13, the entire SEC is ranked among the top 100, with 13 of the 16 programs sitting inside the top 50, eight in the top 25, and four in the top 10.
RECORD BOOK WRECKER
Senior guard Matthew Murrell enters his fifth season with Ole Miss and continues to put his name up and down the program record book. The Memphis native currently ranks eighth in school history in career points with 1,695, and fourth in three-point shots made (250) and three-point attempts (711). He also ranks ninth in most field goal attempts at 1,384, and is sixth in career steals with 164.
I AM IRON MAN
A consistent member of the lineup for each of the past five seasons, Matthew Murrell recently became the program's all-time leader in games played and minutes played. On January 22, Murrell passed Zach Graham at 135 games played for Ole Miss, and has since pushed his number to 143. At South Carolina on February 12, he surpassed Elston Turner for the most minutes played in a Rebel uniform, now with 4,155 minutes on the court for Ole Miss.
