I'll be arriving in Nashville tomorrow in time for practice/media opportunity. I'm also working on a primer of sorts regarding the Rebels' NCAA tournament hopes. We've also had interviews with Chris Dortch and Jerry Palm on the Oxford Exxon podcast this week.
Until then, here are the UM notes from UM Media Relations:
SEC TOURNAMENT
Date: Thursday, March 12, 2015
Time: 8:30 p.m.
Location: Nashville, Tenn.
Arena: Bridgestone Arena (19,365)
Television: SEC Network
Dave Neal, play-by-play
Darrin Horn, analyst
Kaylee Hartung, sideline
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
David Kellum, play-by-play
Keith Carter, analyst
Satellite Radio: Sirius 93, XM 190
Live Video: WatchESPN.com
Live Audio: OleMissSports.com
Series: Ole Miss 30-50 in SECT
USC: OM leads 18-15
MU: OM leads 4-1
TIP OFF
• Ole Miss returns to Nashville, the site of its 2013 SEC Tournament title, Thursday to face the winner of the Missouri/South Carolina matchup. The Rebels are 5-5 all time in SEC Tournament games in Nashville.
• Ole Miss has posted 20 wins for the seventh time in nine seasons under head coach Andy Kennedy. The Rebels recorded just seven 20-win campaigns in the 96 seasons before Kennedy's arrival. Only Florida (8) and Kentucky (8) have more 20-win seasons in the SEC over the last nine years.
• The Rebels have 36 wins against SEC foes over the last three years trailing only Florida and Kentucky in the SEC.
• Ole Miss ranks third in the nation in free throw percentage, hitting 77.7 percent of its attempts. The Rebels have hit 368 of their last 469 (.785) attempts from the line. Junior G Stefan Moody leads the SEC and ranks seventh in the nation shooting 91.2 percent from the free throw line.
• Head coach Andy Kennedy recently passed Alabama's Wimp Sanderson for the third-most wins in SEC history with by a coach in his first nine years in the league at one school with 191. He trails only Kentucky's Joe B. Hall (205) and Florida's Billy Donovan (193).
• Junior G Stefan Moody is averaging 18.6 ppg in SEC play, which is tied for the league lead. Moody also leads the conference in steals in SEC play with 2.0/game and ranks fourth in 3-pointers made at 2.4/game.
• Senior G Jarvis Summers leads the league in assists in SEC play at 5.3/game and has posted 86 assists in his last 15 games. Summers is the SEC active career leader in points (1,603), assists (511), minutes (3,794) and wins (83), and is just the fourth player in SEC history with 1,600 career points and 500 career assists.
OLE MISS WINS 20 ... AGAIN
Ole Miss has 20 wins for the seventh time in nine seasons under Andy Kennedy. Ole Miss had seven 20-win campaigns in the 96 seasons prior to Kennedy's arrival in Oxford. Kennedy is just the fifth coach in SEC history to guide his teams to 20+ wins in at least seven of his first nine seasons in the league. The others: Billy Donovan (Florida), Joe. B. Hall (Kentucky), Rick Pitino (Kentucky), Tubby Smith (Georgia/Kentucky). Kennedy is also the first coach in Ole Miss history to win 20 games in four-straight season. Only Florida (8) and Kentucky (8) have more 20-win seasons over the last nine years in the SEC than the Rebels.
OLE MISS THIRD IN SEC STANDINGS
Ole Miss finished tied for third in the league standings after being projected sixth in the preseason media poll. It is the second top-three SEC finish for the Rebels in the last three years. The Rebels are the No. 6 seed in the SEC Tournament due to tie breakers.
REBELS IN THE SEC TOURNAMENT
The Rebels have an overall record of 30-50 in 53 SEC Tournament appearances. The Rebels have reached five SEC championship contests and have a 2-3 record in those games, taking home tournament titles in 1981 and 2013. Ole Miss has won six of its last eight SEC Tournament games dating back to 2011-12. Head coach Andy Kennedy is 8-7 in the SEC Tournament at Ole Miss, has reached the semifinals three times and has one SEC Tournament title.
SEC TOURNAMENT IN NASHVILLE
This year marks the seventh time that the SEC Tournament will be held in Nashville and the 13th time in the state of Tennessee. Ole Miss has a 5-5 record in SEC Tournament games in Nashville, including capturing the 2013 SEC Tournament title over Florida. The Rebels have won three SEC Tournament games in a row, and four out of five, in Nashville.
MOODY WINS HOWELL TROPHY
Junior G Stefan Moody was named the 2015 C Spire Howell Trophy winner, presented by the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame. The Howell Trophy, named for Bailey Howell, goes to the most outstanding men's collegiate basketball player in Mississippi. Ole Miss has won the award each of the last three years as Jarvis Summers took home the award last year and Marshall Henderson won the honor in 2013.
MOODY NAMED ALL-SEC FIRST TEAM
Junior G Stefan Moody was selected All-SEC first team by the league's coaches. Moody marks the first first-team selection for the Rebels since Chris Warren in 2011 and the 13th All-SEC selection under head coach Andy Kennedy, which is the third-most in the league over that time behind Florida and Kentucky. Moody was also named to the USBWA All-District IV team.
REBELS HITTING FREEBIES
Ole Miss ranks third in the nation hitting 77.7 percent of its free throw attempts. The Rebels hit 26-of-30 attempts (.867) against Arkansas and have hit 347 of their last 442 from the line (.785). Four Ole Miss players are shooting at least 80.0 percent from the line, including junior G Stefan Moody, who leads the SEC and ranks seventh in the nation shooting 91.2 percent (145-of-159). Moody snapped his streak of 32-straight FTs made in the Texas A&M game, which ended just five shy of the SEC record in conference games held by former Rebel David Rhodes.
ROAD WARRIORS
Ole Miss is 11-4 away from Tad Smith Coliseum this season, with wins over No. 19 Arkansas, No. 23 Creighton, Cincinnati, Florida and Oregon. Ole Miss' eight true road win are the most for the Rebels since 1937-38, when UM played 21 road games. The 11 wins away from Tad Smith are the most since 2012-13, when Ole Miss picked up 12 win away from the Tad Pad en route to the SEC Championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. The Rebels shoot better away from Tad Smith hitting 46.5 percent from the floor in road and neutral site games, compared to 39.8 percent at home. From behind the arc, Ole Miss is hitting 30.3 percent at home and 38.5 percent on the road. Ole Miss is averaging 75.1 ppg away from home and 71.2 ppg at Tad Smith Coliseum.
OLE MISS IN THE RPI
Ole Miss ranks No. 51 in the latest Ratings Percentage Index rankings released by the NCAA. The Rebels are 3-3 against the RPI top 35 and 8-8 against the RPI top 100, including wins over No. 22 Arkansas, No. 29 Oregon, No. 34 Cincinnati and No. 55 Texas A&M.
TOUGH ROAD
Ole Miss' strength of schedule ranks 28th in the nation according to ESPN.com. The Rebels have played 14 games against teams in ESPN.com's top 50 basketball power index, posting a 6-8 mark.
REBELS LIMITING TURNOVERS
Ole Miss has only turned the ball over only 116 times over its last 13 games for an average of just 8.9/game. The Rebels rank second in the league averaging just 10.1 turnovers a game in conference play and are third in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.3.
REBELS VERSUS GAMECOCKS
The Rebels and the Gamecocks have met 33 times on the hardwood, with Ole Miss holding a slight 18-15 series advantage after knocking off South Carolina 64-49 at home. The Rebels have won 4 of the last 4 in the series, including a season sweep last year. Ole Miss is 4-3 against South Carolina in the SEC Tournament, but have won the last three meetings, including a 66-55 victory in 2011. Head coach Andy Kennedy is 6-6 against the Gamecocks (6-5 with Ole Miss, 0-1 with Cincinnati).
SCOUTING THE GAMECOCKS
South Carolina finished the regular season with a 15-15 record and enter the SEC Tournament as the No. 11 seed with a 6-12 league mark. The Gamecocks posted a 10-6 mark at home, but finished the regular season 5-9 away from Columbia. USC Duane Notice leads the team averaging 11.4 ppg, followed closely by Sindari Thornwell at 11.0 pgg. Three Gamecocks are averaging double figures in scoring and three player average more than five boards a game lead by Michael Carrera at 5.6 rpg.
REBELS VERSUS TIGERS
Ole Miss and Missouri have play just five times with all five meetings coming in the last three years. The Rebels knocked off 67-47 on the road earlier this season and have won two-straight in the series. The two teams have meet once in the postseason with the Rebels taking a thrilling 64-62 win in Nashville en route to the 2013 SEC Tournament title. Head coach Andy Kennedy is 4-1 in his career against Missouri.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Missouri finished the regular season with a 9-22 record and enter the SEC Tournament as the No. 14 seed with a 3-15 league mark. The Tigers ended SEC play strong posting two wins in their last four conference games. Mizzou posted just one win away from Columbia this season in 14 games. On the year, Missouri averaged just 60.7 ppg in conference play, which ranked last in the SEC. Memphis native Johnathan Williams III leads the Tigers in scoring and rebounding at 12.0 ppg and 7.0 rpg, respectively. Missouri also ranks last in the SEC in field goal percentage hitting just 40.5 percent of its attempts in league play.
KENNEDY ADMINISTRATION IN NINTH YEAR
In nine seasons under Mississippi native Andy Kennedy, Ole Miss has a 191-112 record, one SEC Tournament championship, two SEC West championships, six 20-win campaigns and six postseason berths, which includes an NCAA Third Round appearance and pair of trips to the NIT Final Four. The all-time winningest coach in school history, Kennedy has averaged more than 21 wins per season in his eight full years in Oxford.
KENNEDY'S FIRST EIGHT YEARS RANK AMONG ALL-TIME SEC GREATS ...
Last season, head coach Andy Kennedy moved past Florida's Billy Donovan and Alabama's Wimp Sanderson for the third-most wins by a head coach in their first eight years in the league at one school.
See the list below:
1. Rick Pitino (Kentucky) - 219
2. Joe B. Hall (Kentucky) - 183
3. Andy Kennedy (Ole Miss) - 171
4. Bill Donovan (Florida) - 169
Wimp Sanderson (Alabama) - 169
... AND SO DO HIS FIRST NINE YEARS
Kennedy is also third on the list for most win by a coach in their first nine years in the league at one school. See the list below:
1. Joe B. Hall (Kentucky) - 205
2. Bill Donovan (Florida) - 193
3. Andy Kennedy (Ole Miss) - 191
4. Wimp Sanderson (Alabama) - 190
5. Rick Stansbury (MSU) - 185
6. Mark Gottfried (Alabama) - 181
7. Cliff Ellis (Auburn) - 172
8. Kevin Stallings (Vanderbilt) - 170
9. Don Devoe (Tennessee) - 169
10. John Brady (LSU) - 167
11. Hugh Durham (Georgia) - 164
12. Dale Brown (LSU) - 161
Roy Skinner (Vanderbilt) - 161
14. Babe McCarthy (MSU) - 159
SUMMERS CLIMBS THE CAREER CHARTS
Senior G Jarvis Summers recently passed Rod Barnes for second in Ole Miss history with 511 career assists. Summers also 8th all time in scoring (1,603). See page 7 for updated career records.
SUMMERS JOINS ELITE GROUP
Senior G Jarvis Summers is just the fourth player in SEC history to post 1,600 career points and 500 career assists. He joins a group that includes Florida's Erving Walker, LSU's Kenny Higgins and Mississippi State's Dee Bost.
SUMMERS JOINS WIN CLUB
Senior G Jarvis Summers became only the ninth player in Ole Miss history to reach 80 wins in his career with 83. Summers trails only Reginald Buckner and Jason Flanigan (87), Jason Harrison (86), Murphy Holloway (85), Zach Graham (84) and Rahim Lockhart (83) on the all-time Rebel list. Head coach Andy Kennedy has coached four of the nine members of the 80-win club.
Until then, here are the UM notes from UM Media Relations:
SEC TOURNAMENT
Date: Thursday, March 12, 2015
Time: 8:30 p.m.
Location: Nashville, Tenn.
Arena: Bridgestone Arena (19,365)
Television: SEC Network
Dave Neal, play-by-play
Darrin Horn, analyst
Kaylee Hartung, sideline
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
David Kellum, play-by-play
Keith Carter, analyst
Satellite Radio: Sirius 93, XM 190
Live Video: WatchESPN.com
Live Audio: OleMissSports.com
Series: Ole Miss 30-50 in SECT
USC: OM leads 18-15
MU: OM leads 4-1
TIP OFF
• Ole Miss returns to Nashville, the site of its 2013 SEC Tournament title, Thursday to face the winner of the Missouri/South Carolina matchup. The Rebels are 5-5 all time in SEC Tournament games in Nashville.
• Ole Miss has posted 20 wins for the seventh time in nine seasons under head coach Andy Kennedy. The Rebels recorded just seven 20-win campaigns in the 96 seasons before Kennedy's arrival. Only Florida (8) and Kentucky (8) have more 20-win seasons in the SEC over the last nine years.
• The Rebels have 36 wins against SEC foes over the last three years trailing only Florida and Kentucky in the SEC.
• Ole Miss ranks third in the nation in free throw percentage, hitting 77.7 percent of its attempts. The Rebels have hit 368 of their last 469 (.785) attempts from the line. Junior G Stefan Moody leads the SEC and ranks seventh in the nation shooting 91.2 percent from the free throw line.
• Head coach Andy Kennedy recently passed Alabama's Wimp Sanderson for the third-most wins in SEC history with by a coach in his first nine years in the league at one school with 191. He trails only Kentucky's Joe B. Hall (205) and Florida's Billy Donovan (193).
• Junior G Stefan Moody is averaging 18.6 ppg in SEC play, which is tied for the league lead. Moody also leads the conference in steals in SEC play with 2.0/game and ranks fourth in 3-pointers made at 2.4/game.
• Senior G Jarvis Summers leads the league in assists in SEC play at 5.3/game and has posted 86 assists in his last 15 games. Summers is the SEC active career leader in points (1,603), assists (511), minutes (3,794) and wins (83), and is just the fourth player in SEC history with 1,600 career points and 500 career assists.
OLE MISS WINS 20 ... AGAIN
Ole Miss has 20 wins for the seventh time in nine seasons under Andy Kennedy. Ole Miss had seven 20-win campaigns in the 96 seasons prior to Kennedy's arrival in Oxford. Kennedy is just the fifth coach in SEC history to guide his teams to 20+ wins in at least seven of his first nine seasons in the league. The others: Billy Donovan (Florida), Joe. B. Hall (Kentucky), Rick Pitino (Kentucky), Tubby Smith (Georgia/Kentucky). Kennedy is also the first coach in Ole Miss history to win 20 games in four-straight season. Only Florida (8) and Kentucky (8) have more 20-win seasons over the last nine years in the SEC than the Rebels.
OLE MISS THIRD IN SEC STANDINGS
Ole Miss finished tied for third in the league standings after being projected sixth in the preseason media poll. It is the second top-three SEC finish for the Rebels in the last three years. The Rebels are the No. 6 seed in the SEC Tournament due to tie breakers.
REBELS IN THE SEC TOURNAMENT
The Rebels have an overall record of 30-50 in 53 SEC Tournament appearances. The Rebels have reached five SEC championship contests and have a 2-3 record in those games, taking home tournament titles in 1981 and 2013. Ole Miss has won six of its last eight SEC Tournament games dating back to 2011-12. Head coach Andy Kennedy is 8-7 in the SEC Tournament at Ole Miss, has reached the semifinals three times and has one SEC Tournament title.
SEC TOURNAMENT IN NASHVILLE
This year marks the seventh time that the SEC Tournament will be held in Nashville and the 13th time in the state of Tennessee. Ole Miss has a 5-5 record in SEC Tournament games in Nashville, including capturing the 2013 SEC Tournament title over Florida. The Rebels have won three SEC Tournament games in a row, and four out of five, in Nashville.
MOODY WINS HOWELL TROPHY
Junior G Stefan Moody was named the 2015 C Spire Howell Trophy winner, presented by the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame. The Howell Trophy, named for Bailey Howell, goes to the most outstanding men's collegiate basketball player in Mississippi. Ole Miss has won the award each of the last three years as Jarvis Summers took home the award last year and Marshall Henderson won the honor in 2013.
MOODY NAMED ALL-SEC FIRST TEAM
Junior G Stefan Moody was selected All-SEC first team by the league's coaches. Moody marks the first first-team selection for the Rebels since Chris Warren in 2011 and the 13th All-SEC selection under head coach Andy Kennedy, which is the third-most in the league over that time behind Florida and Kentucky. Moody was also named to the USBWA All-District IV team.
REBELS HITTING FREEBIES
Ole Miss ranks third in the nation hitting 77.7 percent of its free throw attempts. The Rebels hit 26-of-30 attempts (.867) against Arkansas and have hit 347 of their last 442 from the line (.785). Four Ole Miss players are shooting at least 80.0 percent from the line, including junior G Stefan Moody, who leads the SEC and ranks seventh in the nation shooting 91.2 percent (145-of-159). Moody snapped his streak of 32-straight FTs made in the Texas A&M game, which ended just five shy of the SEC record in conference games held by former Rebel David Rhodes.
ROAD WARRIORS
Ole Miss is 11-4 away from Tad Smith Coliseum this season, with wins over No. 19 Arkansas, No. 23 Creighton, Cincinnati, Florida and Oregon. Ole Miss' eight true road win are the most for the Rebels since 1937-38, when UM played 21 road games. The 11 wins away from Tad Smith are the most since 2012-13, when Ole Miss picked up 12 win away from the Tad Pad en route to the SEC Championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. The Rebels shoot better away from Tad Smith hitting 46.5 percent from the floor in road and neutral site games, compared to 39.8 percent at home. From behind the arc, Ole Miss is hitting 30.3 percent at home and 38.5 percent on the road. Ole Miss is averaging 75.1 ppg away from home and 71.2 ppg at Tad Smith Coliseum.
OLE MISS IN THE RPI
Ole Miss ranks No. 51 in the latest Ratings Percentage Index rankings released by the NCAA. The Rebels are 3-3 against the RPI top 35 and 8-8 against the RPI top 100, including wins over No. 22 Arkansas, No. 29 Oregon, No. 34 Cincinnati and No. 55 Texas A&M.
TOUGH ROAD
Ole Miss' strength of schedule ranks 28th in the nation according to ESPN.com. The Rebels have played 14 games against teams in ESPN.com's top 50 basketball power index, posting a 6-8 mark.
REBELS LIMITING TURNOVERS
Ole Miss has only turned the ball over only 116 times over its last 13 games for an average of just 8.9/game. The Rebels rank second in the league averaging just 10.1 turnovers a game in conference play and are third in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.3.
REBELS VERSUS GAMECOCKS
The Rebels and the Gamecocks have met 33 times on the hardwood, with Ole Miss holding a slight 18-15 series advantage after knocking off South Carolina 64-49 at home. The Rebels have won 4 of the last 4 in the series, including a season sweep last year. Ole Miss is 4-3 against South Carolina in the SEC Tournament, but have won the last three meetings, including a 66-55 victory in 2011. Head coach Andy Kennedy is 6-6 against the Gamecocks (6-5 with Ole Miss, 0-1 with Cincinnati).
SCOUTING THE GAMECOCKS
South Carolina finished the regular season with a 15-15 record and enter the SEC Tournament as the No. 11 seed with a 6-12 league mark. The Gamecocks posted a 10-6 mark at home, but finished the regular season 5-9 away from Columbia. USC Duane Notice leads the team averaging 11.4 ppg, followed closely by Sindari Thornwell at 11.0 pgg. Three Gamecocks are averaging double figures in scoring and three player average more than five boards a game lead by Michael Carrera at 5.6 rpg.
REBELS VERSUS TIGERS
Ole Miss and Missouri have play just five times with all five meetings coming in the last three years. The Rebels knocked off 67-47 on the road earlier this season and have won two-straight in the series. The two teams have meet once in the postseason with the Rebels taking a thrilling 64-62 win in Nashville en route to the 2013 SEC Tournament title. Head coach Andy Kennedy is 4-1 in his career against Missouri.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Missouri finished the regular season with a 9-22 record and enter the SEC Tournament as the No. 14 seed with a 3-15 league mark. The Tigers ended SEC play strong posting two wins in their last four conference games. Mizzou posted just one win away from Columbia this season in 14 games. On the year, Missouri averaged just 60.7 ppg in conference play, which ranked last in the SEC. Memphis native Johnathan Williams III leads the Tigers in scoring and rebounding at 12.0 ppg and 7.0 rpg, respectively. Missouri also ranks last in the SEC in field goal percentage hitting just 40.5 percent of its attempts in league play.
KENNEDY ADMINISTRATION IN NINTH YEAR
In nine seasons under Mississippi native Andy Kennedy, Ole Miss has a 191-112 record, one SEC Tournament championship, two SEC West championships, six 20-win campaigns and six postseason berths, which includes an NCAA Third Round appearance and pair of trips to the NIT Final Four. The all-time winningest coach in school history, Kennedy has averaged more than 21 wins per season in his eight full years in Oxford.
KENNEDY'S FIRST EIGHT YEARS RANK AMONG ALL-TIME SEC GREATS ...
Last season, head coach Andy Kennedy moved past Florida's Billy Donovan and Alabama's Wimp Sanderson for the third-most wins by a head coach in their first eight years in the league at one school.
See the list below:
1. Rick Pitino (Kentucky) - 219
2. Joe B. Hall (Kentucky) - 183
3. Andy Kennedy (Ole Miss) - 171
4. Bill Donovan (Florida) - 169
Wimp Sanderson (Alabama) - 169
... AND SO DO HIS FIRST NINE YEARS
Kennedy is also third on the list for most win by a coach in their first nine years in the league at one school. See the list below:
1. Joe B. Hall (Kentucky) - 205
2. Bill Donovan (Florida) - 193
3. Andy Kennedy (Ole Miss) - 191
4. Wimp Sanderson (Alabama) - 190
5. Rick Stansbury (MSU) - 185
6. Mark Gottfried (Alabama) - 181
7. Cliff Ellis (Auburn) - 172
8. Kevin Stallings (Vanderbilt) - 170
9. Don Devoe (Tennessee) - 169
10. John Brady (LSU) - 167
11. Hugh Durham (Georgia) - 164
12. Dale Brown (LSU) - 161
Roy Skinner (Vanderbilt) - 161
14. Babe McCarthy (MSU) - 159
SUMMERS CLIMBS THE CAREER CHARTS
Senior G Jarvis Summers recently passed Rod Barnes for second in Ole Miss history with 511 career assists. Summers also 8th all time in scoring (1,603). See page 7 for updated career records.
SUMMERS JOINS ELITE GROUP
Senior G Jarvis Summers is just the fourth player in SEC history to post 1,600 career points and 500 career assists. He joins a group that includes Florida's Erving Walker, LSU's Kenny Higgins and Mississippi State's Dee Bost.
SUMMERS JOINS WIN CLUB
Senior G Jarvis Summers became only the ninth player in Ole Miss history to reach 80 wins in his career with 83. Summers trails only Reginald Buckner and Jason Flanigan (87), Jason Harrison (86), Murphy Holloway (85), Zach Graham (84) and Rahim Lockhart (83) on the all-time Rebel list. Head coach Andy Kennedy has coached four of the nine members of the 80-win club.
