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SEC Tournament Play Begins Wednesday for Ole Miss Hoops
Rebels Face Gamecocks in Opening Round
Complete Notes
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GAME 32 - SEC TOURNAMENT
Matchup: No. 14 seed Ole Miss (12-19, 5-13 SEC) vs. No. 11 seed South Carolian (16-15, 7-11 SEC)
Date: Wednesday, March 7, 2018
Time: Approx. 8:30 p.m. CT (30 minutes following the conclusion of game one)
Location: St. Louis, Mo.
Arena: Scottrade Center (18,724
Television: SEC Network
Tom Hart, play-by-play
Jon Sundvold, analyst
Molly McGrath, sideline
Radio: Ole Miss IMG Sports Network
David Kellum, play-by-play
Keith Carter, analyst
Series: Ole Miss leads 20-18
Last Meeting: Dec. 31, 2017
Ole Miss won 74-69 (Oxford, Miss.)
TIPOFF TIDBITS
- Ole Miss has won the past two matchups against South Carolina, including a 74-69 victory to begin SEC play this season, to hold the overall advantage in the series.
- The Rebels are 4-4 all-time versus the Gamecocks in the SEC Tournament.
- Ole Miss has earned at least one victory in five of the last seven SEC Tournaments (seven wins during the span).
- Four Rebels averaged double figures in SEC play (Deandre Burnett-12.5 ppg, Terence Davis-12.4 ppg, Breein Tyree-12.3 ppg, Bruce Stevens-11.8 ppg), the first time that has happened since the 2006-07 season when Ole Miss captured an SEC West Division title.
- Ole Miss leads the conference with 12.8 offensive rebounds per SEC contest.
- The Rebels are playing in St. Louis for the third time in their 108-year history, having faced St. Louis on its home floor during the 1954-55 and 2006-07 seasons.
- After scoring 15 points versus Vanderbilt on Saturday, junior guard Terence Davis is five points away from being the 39th player in Ole Miss history to score 1,000 points as a Rebel.
- Sophomore guard Breein Tyree is averaging 16.6 ppg over the last five games.
- Bruce Stevens has reached double figures in eight of the last nine games, including a team-high 17 points in the regular season finale against Vanderbilt.
- With the nation’s No. 6 strength of schedule, Ole Miss has six wins versus RPI top 100 teams, including two against the top 50; the Rebels had three wins versus the top 100 all of last season.
- The Rebels are 11-6 when shooting over 30 percent from beyond the arc.
- Guards are accounting for 70.2 percent of the Rebels’ scoring.
- Up until this year, Ole Miss and Kentucky were the only two SEC schools to post a .500-or-better record in each of the past six seasons.
- Senior Marcanvis Hymon ranks 10th in school history with 96 career blocks.
- Tony Madlock has served four games as Ole Miss’ acting head coach; Madlock has 21 years of coaching experience at the Division I level, including four seasons at Ole Miss.
QUALITY WINS
This season, Ole Miss has earned six victories over RPI top 100 teams, including two over opponents ranked in the top 50 (Missouri-33, Florida-39). Moreover, all six top 100 victories are actually in the top 75. Comparing to last year’s run to the NIT Quarterfinals, Ole Miss had only three top 100 wins. The Rebels have gone through the gauntlet this season, ranking sixth nationally in strength of schedule.
SCOUTING SOUTH CAROLINA
South Carolina enters the SEC Tournament with a 16-15 record, including a 7-11 mark in conference play. The Gamecocks are coming off a 79-70 road loss to Auburn but won three of their last five conference games to end the season. As a team, South Carolina ranks right behind Ole Miss in offensive rebounds per game (12.6) in SEC play. Junior forward Chris Silva leads South Carolina in multiple categories, including points per game (14.1), rebounds per game (7.8) and blocks (41). Frank Booker, a graduate transfer from Florida Atlantic, is the only other Gamecock averaging double figures in scoring (12.5 ppg) and leads the team in three-point shooting with 76 made threes at a 40.4 percent clip. The next closest South Carolina player is Justin Minaya with 33 triples. Frank Martin in is his sixth season as South Carolina’s head coach. He guided the Gamecocks to a school-record 26 wins and their first ever Final Four appearance a season ago.
SERIES HISTORY
Wednesday’s game will be the 39th meeting between the two schools on the hardwood, with Ole Miss holding a slight 20-18 advantage in the all-time series by winning the last two matchups. Overall, the Rebels have won seven of the last 11 contests against the Gamecocks. The series is tied 4-4 in SEC Tournament play with Ole Miss winning six of the last eight. The two school have met in the conference tournament twice this decade. Ole Miss emerged with a 66-55 victory in 2011, while South Carolina claimed a 60-58 overtime win in the last SEC Tournament matchup (2015).
LAST TIME WE MET - FREE THROWS LEAD REBELS PAST GAMECOCKS
The last time the Rebels and Gamecocks faced off, it was the SEC opener for both teams on New Year’s Eve. For the first time in four seasons, Ole Miss did not open SEC play against Kentucky. The Rebels converted 20 of their 23 free throws in the second half to hold off South Carolina 74-69 in a hard-fought contest at The Pavilion. Ole Miss got 35 points between seniors Deandre Burnett and Markel Crawford to increase their winning streak to three games heading into the 2018 calendar year. Burnett scored a team-high 18 points, while dishing out six assists in 33 minutes. Crawford added 17 points on 5 of 10 shooting, included a trio of treys and steals. Bruce Stevens came off the bench to score 10 points in his SEC debut, making all of the shots he attempted (4 of 4 from the field and 2 of 2 from the free throw line). Ole Miss held South Carolina under 70 points on 22 of 58 shooting (37.9 percent) and forced the Gamecocks to turn the basketball over 14 times.
368 DAYS AGO
Just over one year ago, Sebastian Saiz posted 21 points and 15 rebounds to lead Ole Miss past South Carolina, 75-70, to conclude the 2016-17 regular season (March 4, 2017). Breein Tyree added 19 points for Ole Miss, while Justas Furmanavicius posted a double-double of his own with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Ole Miss led by as many as 20 points early in the second half before South Carolina charged back. The Gamecocks closed to within four points in the final minutes as the Rebels missed four of their final six free throws but South Carolina couldn’t close the gap. SEC Player of the Year Sindarius Thornwell led South Carolina with 25 points, P.J. Dozier had 13, while Hassani Gravett and Duane Notice had 10 apiece.
REBELS’ SEC TOURNAMENT HISTORY
The Rebels have an overall record of 31-53 in 55 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 seven of its last 12 SEC Tournament games dating back to 2012. In five of the past seven seasons, the Rebels have won at least one game in the conference tournament.
BALANCED SCORING
This season, four Rebels are averaging double figures: Terence Davis (13.7 ppg), Deandre Burnett (13.6 ppg), Bruce Stevens (10.6 ppg) and Breein Tyree (10.6 ppg). The last time four Rebels finished the season averaging double digits in scoring occurred during the 2011-12 season thanks to the quartet of Terrance Henry (12.5 ppg), Murphy Holloway (11.2 ppg), Jarvis Summers (10.4 ppg) and Nick Williams (10.1 ppg). In SEC play this year, the same four Rebels are also reaching double figures. Burnett leads the way with 12.5 ppg, followed closely by Davis (12.4 ppg), Tyree (12.3 ppg) and Stevens (11.8). It’s been more than a decade since that feat occurred as Clarence Sanders (17.3 ppg), Dwayne Curtis (12.8 ppg), Bam Doyne (12.7 ppg) and Todd Abernethy (12.3 ppg) led Ole Miss to an SEC West Division title in the first season (2006-07) under Andy Kennedy.
CRASHING THE BOARDS
The Rebels have rebounded well in SEC play, pulling down 37.7 boards per game to rank fourth in the league. To go along with overall rebounding in conference matchups, Ole Miss has crashed the offensive glass better than any other SEC team. The Rebels haul in 12.8 offensive rebounds per SEC game to top the conference.
Terence Davis NAMED TO SEC COMMUNITY SERVICE TEAM
Ole Miss junior guard Terence Davis was named to the 2018 SEC Men’s Basketball Community Service Team, the league office announced Thursday, March 1. Actively involved in the Oxford community, Davis earned the recognition for the first time in his career. His list of community service activities has grown throughout his three years as a Rebel. Participating in Reading with the Rebels, the Southaven, Mississippi, native visited local schools to read and encouraging literacy. He also interacted with children in Leap Frog, a local after-school program promotes good behavior in school. Davis co-hosted children from Quitman County and toured them around the Tuohy Center, encouraging healthy lifestyles through physical activity as part of The Marks Project. Along with the rest of the Rebels, Davis spent the past Fourth of July at a community picnic in Jonestown, Mississippi, playing basketball and a variety of other games with the local children. The Rebels also hosted Dunk or Treat, the annual family fun event around Halloween that builds excitement towards basketball season. Davis met with fans before the event and also stuck around to sign autographs afterwards. During the holiday season, Davis assisted Adopt-A-Basket, a coordination of donations around Thanksgiving that delivers meals to families in the Lafayette-Oxford-University (LOU) community. He also helped with Books and Bears, an initiative that collects toys and books for children in the community.
OLE MISS DROPS REGULAR SEASON FINALE TO VANDERBILT
Ole Miss traded blows with Vanderbilt for the better part of 30 minutes in a closely-contested game on Saturday night, but the Commodores used hot shooting to pull away in the final eight minutes for an 82-69 defeat of the Rebels to close the regular season. The Rebels hit the offensive glass hard to start the game, snaring four offensive rebounds in the first eight minutes of the game and helping it build a 23-19 lead. Ole Miss’ largest lead of the night came when it led 29-22 with just under seven minutes to go in the first half. Ole Miss was able to string together five or six stops in a row in the opening half, something that didn’t happen as frequently in the second half. A back-and-forth, offensive-focused first 20 minutes saw the Commodores take a 45-44 lead in the locker room. Vanderbilt’s Jeff Roberson led all scorers with 19 points. Bruce Stevens led the Rebels with 17 points, and Terence Davis poured in 15 of his own. Fifteen of Stevens’ 17 points came on 6 of 7 shooting in the first half. Breein Tyree and Markel Crawford also reached double figures, scoring 11 and 10 points, respectively. The Commodores shot 52.7 percent (29 of 55) from the floor, the best shooting percentage by an opponent in the history of The Pavilion.
REBELS FALL TO NO. 23 KENTUCKY
Terence Davis scored a game-high 26 points, while Bruce Stevens recorded his first double-double as a Rebel. However, it wasn’t enough in the team’s final road game of the season as Ole Miss fell to No. 23 Kentucky 96-78 (Feb. 28). Dealing with foul trouble in the first half, the Rebels were able to stay within striking distance as UK held a three-point lead with 10 minutes to go. Stevens tallied 13 points and a career-high 13 rebounds. Breein Tyree continued his solid play as of late with 13 points and a career-high seven assists. Seven-footer Dominik Olejniczak registered 10 points to go along with all three of the Rebels’ blocks on the evening, tying his career high.
MADLOCK TAKES OVER
Following the exit of Andy Kennedy, Tony Madlock has stepped in as acting head coach for the remainder of the 2017-18 season. Madlock is in his fourth season at Ole Miss and has 21 years of experience coaching at the collegiate level. Prior to arriving in Oxford, the Memphis, Tennessee, native had coaching stops at Auburn (2011-14), UTEP (2007-10) and Arkansas State (1998-2006). He was an assistant coach at Auburn and UTEP, while serving as the assistant head coach at Arkansas State. Madlock served as acting head coach once during his time at UTEP, while then-head coach Tony Barbee attended a funeral. In his first game as acting head coach at Ole Miss, Madlock led the Rebels to a thrilling 90-87 overtime victory at Missouri (Feb. 20).
THE END OF AN ERA
After 12 years of leading Ole Miss Hoops, Andy Kennedy stepped down as head coach, effective immediately, it was announced Sunday, Feb. 18. In his 12 seasons in Oxford, Kennedy held a 245-156 record as coach of the Rebels. With 11 postseason wins, eight postseason berths, nine 20-win seasons, two NCAA Tournament appearances, two NIT Final Fours, two SEC West titles and an SEC Tournament Championship, the two-time SEC Coach of the Year leaves Ole Miss as the winningest coach in program history. Averaging more than 20 wins per season, Kennedy ranks 18th in SEC history with 245 victories. The Louisville, Mississippi, native had the fifth-most wins in 12 years at one school in the conference. Kennedy was one of five SEC coaches to post at least nine 20-win seasons in his first 11 years in the league, joining the likes of Billy Donovan (Florida), Joe B. Hall (Kentucky), Nolan Richardson (Arkansas) and Tubby Smith (Kentucky). In a win over Mississippi State earlier this season (Jan. 6), he became the 23rd SEC coach to earn 100 victories in conference play. Kennedy turned around the Ole Miss basketball program. He is the only coach in SEC history to post 11 consecutive seasons after taking over a program coming off four straight losing seasons. In his first season, he guided the Rebels to 21 wins and an SEC West Division title on his way to becoming SEC Coach of the Year. Since then, the Rebels are one of only 14 teams nationwide to have 11 straight winning seasons. Ole Miss ranks third in the conference with nine 20-win seasons during those 11 years.
RELYING ON THE THREE
Ole Miss has relied on the long ball this season, making 7.7 threes per game (eighth in the SEC). The Rebels are 11-6 when they shoot over 30 percent from beyond the arc. When Ole Miss shoots under 30 percent from long distance, its record is 1-12.
GREEN LIGHT GUARDS
Ole Miss has proven to develop guards over the past 11 seasons as 12 guards have earned All-SEC accolades to rank third among conference teams during that period. This season, the depth at guard shows in terms of scoring. Ole Miss guards have accounted for 70.2 percent of the Rebels’ points. Five of the top six scorers on the team are guards led by Terence Davis (13.7 ppg), Deandre Burnett (13.6 ppg), Breein Tyree (10.6 ppg) and Markel Crawford (9.4 ppg). Freshman Devontae Shuleradds 6.1 ppg (sixth on team).
FINDING THE RIGHT FIVE
Through 31 games, the Rebels have sent out 16 different starting lineups. Ole Miss is one of eight teams nationally that has had at least 16 different starting lineups this season. Ten Rebels have started at least one game this season, and only six teams nationwide have had at least 10 different players start at any point of the year.
TD SCORING
After a breakout sophomore season last year, averaging 14.9 points per game after only providing 1.8 points per game as a freshman (largest increase in scoring among any returning player in the conference), Terence Davis has become a go-to scorer for Ole Miss. The Southaven, Mississippi, native has scored in double figures in 36 of the last 46 games dating back to last season. Averaging a team-high 13.7 ppg, Davis has already reached the 20-point plateau seven times, including a game-high 26 at No. 23 Kentucky last week. At Arkansas (Jan. 20), he poured in 30 points on 10 of 15 shooting, scoring at least 30 points for the third time in his career; it is the most points scored by a Rebel this season. Davis recorded 21 in the season opener versus Louisiana (Nov. 10) before putting up 24 in a win over Georgia State one week later (Nov. 17). Against South Dakota State (Nov. 28), Davis scored 20 of his team-high 22 points in the second half. He tallied 25 versus Bradley (Dec. 22). He has also showcased his skills on the defensive end, leading the team in blocks (28) and ranking third in steals (28); he picked up a career-high four steals at Missouri (Feb. 20) when he also scored 20 points. As a sophomore last year, Davis ranked fourth in the league in field goal percentage (.482) and recorded 20+ points in six different games. He became a playmaker on both sides of the floor, leading the Rebels with 50 steals as well. With 995 career points, Davis is five points away from becoming the 39th player in Ole Miss history to record 1,000 points as a Rebel.
TYREE STEPS UP IN SEC PLAY
Sophomore Breein Tyree enjoys playing SEC opponents. As a freshman last year, he averaged 7.3 ppg throughout the season but increased his scoring output to 9.3 ppg in conference play. This year has been no different. Tyree scored 8.3 ppg in non-conference play before bumping the scoring average to 12.3 ppg during the SEC slate. On the road versus Georgia (Jan. 3), Tyree came off the bench and scored a team-high 17 points with the help of making 3 of 4 from long distance. Versus Mississippi State (Jan. 6), Tyree led the Rebels’ comeback by scoring all 16 of his points in the second half. Trailing by as many as 11 in the second half, Ole Miss ended the game on a 20-5 run. Tyree scored seven of the team’s final 11 points, including two buckets in the final minute to help the Rebels maintain the lead. At No. 22 Auburn (Jan. 9), Tyree recorded a game-best 24 points, knocked down a career-high four three-pointers and went 6 of 6 at the free throw line. In a big overtime win at Missouri (Feb. 20), he scored a career-high 25 points and made a key runner in the lane with three seconds to go in regulation, forcing overtime. Tyree is averaging 16.6 ppg over the last five games and has led Ole Miss scoring in three of those contests.
BIG BRUCE’S BREAKOUT
When he’s inserted into the starting lineup, junior college transfer Bruce Stevens puts together his best performances as a Rebel. Coming off the bench in 13 games, Stevens has scored a total of 108 points (8.3 ppg). In 18 starts, he is averaging 12.3 ppg. He has reached double figures in eight of the last nine games, including a game-high 17 points in the regular season finale versus Vanderbilt. On Wednesday against Kentucky, Stevens earned his first double-double as a Rebel with 13 points and a career-high 13 rebounds. At Missouri (Feb. 20), Stevens scored all 13 of his points in the second half, including sinking all five of his free throws, to help the Rebels earn the road win. At Texas A&M (Jan. 16), Stevens made a career-high nine field goals on his way to a 20-point output to go along with nine rebounds, another mark that tied his personal best. In the win over Florida (Jan. 13), the Louin, Mississippi, native tallied a team-high 22 points on 8 of 13 shooting. Stevens was unstoppable versus Illinois State (Dec. 16), posting a career-high 27 points that included going 7 of 9 from the floor and 13 of 16 from the free throw line. Stevens has made 61 of his last 76 free throws (80.3 percent) to increase his season percentage to .752.
DON’T FORGET ABOUT DRE
A first team preseason all-conference selection, senior Deandre Burnett has embraced his role as a leader. Burnett is averaging 13.6 ppg, while also leading the Rebels with 3.9 assists per game (seventh in the SEC). In the Rebels’ conference wins, he is averaging 17.2 ppg. The Miami Gardens, Florida, native tallied team highs in points (18) and assists (6) in a victorious SEC opener versus South Carolina (Dec. 31). Against Mississippi State (Jan. 6), Burnett scored 13 in the first half to keep Ole Miss in the game before he finished with 21 to help his squad rally to victory. After missing the previous game at Auburn with the flu, Burnett returned to the court and recorded 20 points versus Florida (Jan. 13). He tallied a season-high 24 points to lead the Rebels to a win over Alabama (Jan. 23) before matching that output versus Arkansas last week (Feb. 13). As an 85.0 percent shooter at the line for his career, Burnett is on pace to finish as the fifth-best free throw shooter in Ole Miss history. Last season, his first as a Rebel, Burnett averaged a team-high 16.5 ppg and finished fifth in the SEC in both free throw percentage (.881) and three-point percentage (.376). Finishing eighth in the league in scoring, Burnett reached double figures in 26 of 33 games, including 10 20-plus performances and a career-high 41-point output (Nov. 18, 2016 vs. Oral Roberts). He also shared the rock, providing 104 assists throughout the season (3.2 apg). A transfer from Miami, where he scored 195 points, Burnett went over 1,000 points for his career versus Alabama (Jan. 23). He scored the first five points of the game, all in the first minute, to reach the historic mark. Since then, Burnett has increased his total to 1,145 (950 at Ole Miss).
MARKEL MAKING HIS MARK
As a graduate transfer, Markel Crawford is making his mark in his only season as a Rebel. The Memphis product has started 24 games (team high) and leads Ole Miss in minutes per game (30.8) to rank 18th in the SEC. He also leads the team in steals (37), placing ninth in the conference with 23 of those steals coming in SEC games, and averages 9.4 ppg. In the first contest against Missouri (Feb. 6), the guard tallied 11 points to go along with career highs in assists (6) without committing a turnover. He also matched his career high with five steals, putting together a five-steal game for the second time this season. Crawford tallied 17 points in three SEC games, including victories over South Carolina (Dec. 31) and Florida (Jan. 13). He added 15 points to help Ole Miss take down Alabama (Jan. 23). Against South Dakota State (Nov. 28), Crawford scored 19 points, his most as a Rebel, on 7 of 11 shooting. Scoring 761 points at Memphis to go along with 291 points this season, he has 1,052 for his career. Crawford went 4 for 4 at the charity stripe against LSU (Feb. 10) to reach 1,000.
SHULER’S STATEMENT
A 4-star guard out of perennial powerhouse Oak Hill Academy, there was a lot of hype surrounding Devontae Shuler entering the season. The freshman has made an immediate impact by playing in all 31 games, averaging 6.1 ppg in 19.1 minutes per game and swiping 31 steals (second on team). Against South Dakota State (Nov. 28), he recorded a career-high 19 points on 8 of 14 shooting to go along with a team-high three steals. In his debut, Shuler recorded 14 points in 16 minutes off the bench; the Irmo, South Carolina, native knocked down four shots from beyond the arc versus Louisiana (Nov. 10), and his offensive output was the most points by a freshman in a season opener since Trevor Gaskins recorded 21 versus Mississippi Valley State, exactly 10 years ago (Nov. 10, 2007).
HYMON HELPING FILL SAIZ VOID
Heading into the season, a big question mark for Ole Miss was who would fill the void left by Sebastian Saiz. With the help of a school-record 409 rebounds, Saiz recorded 23 double-doubles a season ago. Senior Marcanvis Hymon has been part of the front court that has replaced Saiz. In his fourth year at Ole Miss, the Memphis, Tennessee, native is the only active player to spend all four seasons in Oxford. Through 31 games, Hymon ranks second in blocks (25) and rebounds (5.0 per game). Through 105 career games, Hymon is moving up the school’s career blocks chart. He ranks 10th with 96 career rejections following a team-high 40 last season. He has led the Rebels in rebounding nine times this season, including a 12-point, 13-rebound performance in the season opener versus Louisiana (Nov. 10). The big opening game marked the third double-double of Hymon’s career.
PROTECTING THE ROCK
Ole Miss has taken care of the basketball this season. The Rebels have coughed up the rock only 352 times, ranking 47th nationally in fewest turnovers surrendered. Averaging only 11.4 turnovers per game, Ole Miss is 40th in the nation. Against Missouri (Feb. 6), Ole Miss only turned the ball over four times. It was the fewest turnovers in a game by the Rebels since only making four against George Mason in the Charleston Classic (Nov. 19, 2015). Also, the Rebels’ 1.3 assist/turnover ratio ranks fourth in the SEC and 53rd in the country.
BLOCK PARTY
Averaging 4.2 blocks per game, Ole Miss ranks 67th in the country. Four Rebels have recorded at least 20 blocks, led by 28 from junior guard Terence Davis. Senior Marcanvis Hymon, who ranks 10th all-time in program history with 96 career rejections, is close behind with 25 blocks. Senior forward Justas Furmanavicius has 21, while seven-footer Dominik Olejniczak has 20 of his own. Olejniczak recorded all three of the Rebels blocks’ against No. 23 Kentucky (Feb. 28), tying a career high. Against Vanderbilt on Saturday, seven Rebels recorded one block apiece. The seven blocks tied for the most by Ole Miss in SEC play; the Rebels registered seven rejections in their SEC opener versus South Carolina (Dec. 31).
SWIPE RIGHT
Ole Miss has been active with their hands on the defensive end of the floor, averaging 6.2 steals per game to rank eighth in the SEC. The Rebels have recorded 30 steals over the last four games, including 13 in the win at Missouri (Feb. 20). Through 31 games, four Rebels have recorded at least 20 steals. Markel Crawford leads the way with 37 steals, including 23 in SEC games to rank ninth in the conference. Devontae Shuler follows with 31 steals. Terence Davis and Breein Tyree have 28 and 22 steals, respectively, with Davis earning a career-high four steals at Missouri. Against Utah in Last Vegas (Nov. 20), the Rebels tallied 14 steals throughout the night, a season high for the Red and Blue.
BENCH POINTS
The Ole Miss bench has played a prominent role in scoring, averaging 25.0 points per game. In five different games, the bench has scored at least 40 points. The season high for bench points occurred against Utah (Nov. 20) in Las Vegas, as the reserves tallied 46 of the team’s 74 points. During a win over Bradley (Dec. 22), the Ole Miss bench accounted for 50 percent of the scoring (41 of 82). In Saturday’s regular season finale versus Vanderbilt, the Rebels’ bench scored 36 of the team’s 69 points. It was the most points and highest percentage (52.1 percent) by the bench in an SEC game this season.
OVERCOMING OVERTIME
Against Missouri (Feb. 20), the Rebels needed overtime to pull off a thrilling victory over a team in the hunt to make the NCAA Tournament. While it was the fourth OT game of the season for Ole Miss, the most overtime contests in a season since the 2011-12 campaign (5), the Rebels earned their first victory in such games. In non-conference action, Ole Miss suffered heartbreaking overtime losses to South Dakota State (Nov. 28), Virginia Tech (Dec. 2) and Illinois State (Dec. 16) at home. On the complete other end of the spectrum, going on the road and into SEC play, the Rebels were able to go into a hostile environment and earn a win.
UNFAMILIAR TERRITORY
Ole Miss is multiple games under .500 for the first time since the conclusion of the 2005-06 season, right before Andy Kennedy arrived in Oxford. The Rebels are seven games under .500 in a season for the first time since the middle of the 1994-95 campaign
FAVORING LARGE MARGINS
Ole Miss has won seven games decided by double digits. When the margin is less than 10, the Rebels are 5-9. Three of those single-digit setbacks occurred in overtime, and the close encounters have hindered a better record. In three of their wins, the Rebels have never had to face a deficit. Ole Miss led throughout in victories over Eastern Kentucky (Nov. 13), Sam Houston State (Dec. 13) and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Dec. 19).
HONOR ROLL REBELS
Four Rebels earned spots on the Ole Miss Honor Roll for the fall semester: D.C. Davis (3.20 GPA), Terence Davis (3.00 GPA), Marcanvis Hymon (3.25 GPA) and Ilya Tyrtyshnik (3.31 GPA).
NEXT ON THE HARDWOOD
The No. 6 seed Arkansas Razorbacks await the winner of Wednesday’s opening round matchup between the Rebels and the Gamecocks. If Ole Miss pulls off the victory, it will advance to the second round to battle the Hogs on Thursday night (March 8). Tipoff is slated to begin approximately 30 minutes following the conclusion of the 6 p.m. game between No. 7 seed Mississippi State and No. 10 seed LSU. Both games will be televised on SEC Network.
From UM Media Relations:
SEC Tournament Play Begins Wednesday for Ole Miss Hoops
Rebels Face Gamecocks in Opening Round
Complete Notes
| Watch | Listen | Live Stats | SEC Tournament BracketGAME 32 - SEC TOURNAMENT
Matchup: No. 14 seed Ole Miss (12-19, 5-13 SEC) vs. No. 11 seed South Carolian (16-15, 7-11 SEC)
Date: Wednesday, March 7, 2018
Time: Approx. 8:30 p.m. CT (30 minutes following the conclusion of game one)
Location: St. Louis, Mo.
Arena: Scottrade Center (18,724
Television: SEC Network
Tom Hart, play-by-play
Jon Sundvold, analyst
Molly McGrath, sideline
Radio: Ole Miss IMG Sports Network
David Kellum, play-by-play
Keith Carter, analyst
Series: Ole Miss leads 20-18
Last Meeting: Dec. 31, 2017
Ole Miss won 74-69 (Oxford, Miss.)
TIPOFF TIDBITS
- Ole Miss has won the past two matchups against South Carolina, including a 74-69 victory to begin SEC play this season, to hold the overall advantage in the series.
- The Rebels are 4-4 all-time versus the Gamecocks in the SEC Tournament.
- Ole Miss has earned at least one victory in five of the last seven SEC Tournaments (seven wins during the span).
- Four Rebels averaged double figures in SEC play (Deandre Burnett-12.5 ppg, Terence Davis-12.4 ppg, Breein Tyree-12.3 ppg, Bruce Stevens-11.8 ppg), the first time that has happened since the 2006-07 season when Ole Miss captured an SEC West Division title.
- Ole Miss leads the conference with 12.8 offensive rebounds per SEC contest.
- The Rebels are playing in St. Louis for the third time in their 108-year history, having faced St. Louis on its home floor during the 1954-55 and 2006-07 seasons.
- After scoring 15 points versus Vanderbilt on Saturday, junior guard Terence Davis is five points away from being the 39th player in Ole Miss history to score 1,000 points as a Rebel.
- Sophomore guard Breein Tyree is averaging 16.6 ppg over the last five games.
- Bruce Stevens has reached double figures in eight of the last nine games, including a team-high 17 points in the regular season finale against Vanderbilt.
- With the nation’s No. 6 strength of schedule, Ole Miss has six wins versus RPI top 100 teams, including two against the top 50; the Rebels had three wins versus the top 100 all of last season.
- The Rebels are 11-6 when shooting over 30 percent from beyond the arc.
- Guards are accounting for 70.2 percent of the Rebels’ scoring.
- Up until this year, Ole Miss and Kentucky were the only two SEC schools to post a .500-or-better record in each of the past six seasons.
- Senior Marcanvis Hymon ranks 10th in school history with 96 career blocks.
- Tony Madlock has served four games as Ole Miss’ acting head coach; Madlock has 21 years of coaching experience at the Division I level, including four seasons at Ole Miss.
QUALITY WINS
This season, Ole Miss has earned six victories over RPI top 100 teams, including two over opponents ranked in the top 50 (Missouri-33, Florida-39). Moreover, all six top 100 victories are actually in the top 75. Comparing to last year’s run to the NIT Quarterfinals, Ole Miss had only three top 100 wins. The Rebels have gone through the gauntlet this season, ranking sixth nationally in strength of schedule.
SCOUTING SOUTH CAROLINA
South Carolina enters the SEC Tournament with a 16-15 record, including a 7-11 mark in conference play. The Gamecocks are coming off a 79-70 road loss to Auburn but won three of their last five conference games to end the season. As a team, South Carolina ranks right behind Ole Miss in offensive rebounds per game (12.6) in SEC play. Junior forward Chris Silva leads South Carolina in multiple categories, including points per game (14.1), rebounds per game (7.8) and blocks (41). Frank Booker, a graduate transfer from Florida Atlantic, is the only other Gamecock averaging double figures in scoring (12.5 ppg) and leads the team in three-point shooting with 76 made threes at a 40.4 percent clip. The next closest South Carolina player is Justin Minaya with 33 triples. Frank Martin in is his sixth season as South Carolina’s head coach. He guided the Gamecocks to a school-record 26 wins and their first ever Final Four appearance a season ago.
SERIES HISTORY
Wednesday’s game will be the 39th meeting between the two schools on the hardwood, with Ole Miss holding a slight 20-18 advantage in the all-time series by winning the last two matchups. Overall, the Rebels have won seven of the last 11 contests against the Gamecocks. The series is tied 4-4 in SEC Tournament play with Ole Miss winning six of the last eight. The two school have met in the conference tournament twice this decade. Ole Miss emerged with a 66-55 victory in 2011, while South Carolina claimed a 60-58 overtime win in the last SEC Tournament matchup (2015).
LAST TIME WE MET - FREE THROWS LEAD REBELS PAST GAMECOCKS
The last time the Rebels and Gamecocks faced off, it was the SEC opener for both teams on New Year’s Eve. For the first time in four seasons, Ole Miss did not open SEC play against Kentucky. The Rebels converted 20 of their 23 free throws in the second half to hold off South Carolina 74-69 in a hard-fought contest at The Pavilion. Ole Miss got 35 points between seniors Deandre Burnett and Markel Crawford to increase their winning streak to three games heading into the 2018 calendar year. Burnett scored a team-high 18 points, while dishing out six assists in 33 minutes. Crawford added 17 points on 5 of 10 shooting, included a trio of treys and steals. Bruce Stevens came off the bench to score 10 points in his SEC debut, making all of the shots he attempted (4 of 4 from the field and 2 of 2 from the free throw line). Ole Miss held South Carolina under 70 points on 22 of 58 shooting (37.9 percent) and forced the Gamecocks to turn the basketball over 14 times.
368 DAYS AGO
Just over one year ago, Sebastian Saiz posted 21 points and 15 rebounds to lead Ole Miss past South Carolina, 75-70, to conclude the 2016-17 regular season (March 4, 2017). Breein Tyree added 19 points for Ole Miss, while Justas Furmanavicius posted a double-double of his own with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Ole Miss led by as many as 20 points early in the second half before South Carolina charged back. The Gamecocks closed to within four points in the final minutes as the Rebels missed four of their final six free throws but South Carolina couldn’t close the gap. SEC Player of the Year Sindarius Thornwell led South Carolina with 25 points, P.J. Dozier had 13, while Hassani Gravett and Duane Notice had 10 apiece.
REBELS’ SEC TOURNAMENT HISTORY
The Rebels have an overall record of 31-53 in 55 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 seven of its last 12 SEC Tournament games dating back to 2012. In five of the past seven seasons, the Rebels have won at least one game in the conference tournament.
BALANCED SCORING
This season, four Rebels are averaging double figures: Terence Davis (13.7 ppg), Deandre Burnett (13.6 ppg), Bruce Stevens (10.6 ppg) and Breein Tyree (10.6 ppg). The last time four Rebels finished the season averaging double digits in scoring occurred during the 2011-12 season thanks to the quartet of Terrance Henry (12.5 ppg), Murphy Holloway (11.2 ppg), Jarvis Summers (10.4 ppg) and Nick Williams (10.1 ppg). In SEC play this year, the same four Rebels are also reaching double figures. Burnett leads the way with 12.5 ppg, followed closely by Davis (12.4 ppg), Tyree (12.3 ppg) and Stevens (11.8). It’s been more than a decade since that feat occurred as Clarence Sanders (17.3 ppg), Dwayne Curtis (12.8 ppg), Bam Doyne (12.7 ppg) and Todd Abernethy (12.3 ppg) led Ole Miss to an SEC West Division title in the first season (2006-07) under Andy Kennedy.
CRASHING THE BOARDS
The Rebels have rebounded well in SEC play, pulling down 37.7 boards per game to rank fourth in the league. To go along with overall rebounding in conference matchups, Ole Miss has crashed the offensive glass better than any other SEC team. The Rebels haul in 12.8 offensive rebounds per SEC game to top the conference.
Terence Davis NAMED TO SEC COMMUNITY SERVICE TEAM
Ole Miss junior guard Terence Davis was named to the 2018 SEC Men’s Basketball Community Service Team, the league office announced Thursday, March 1. Actively involved in the Oxford community, Davis earned the recognition for the first time in his career. His list of community service activities has grown throughout his three years as a Rebel. Participating in Reading with the Rebels, the Southaven, Mississippi, native visited local schools to read and encouraging literacy. He also interacted with children in Leap Frog, a local after-school program promotes good behavior in school. Davis co-hosted children from Quitman County and toured them around the Tuohy Center, encouraging healthy lifestyles through physical activity as part of The Marks Project. Along with the rest of the Rebels, Davis spent the past Fourth of July at a community picnic in Jonestown, Mississippi, playing basketball and a variety of other games with the local children. The Rebels also hosted Dunk or Treat, the annual family fun event around Halloween that builds excitement towards basketball season. Davis met with fans before the event and also stuck around to sign autographs afterwards. During the holiday season, Davis assisted Adopt-A-Basket, a coordination of donations around Thanksgiving that delivers meals to families in the Lafayette-Oxford-University (LOU) community. He also helped with Books and Bears, an initiative that collects toys and books for children in the community.
OLE MISS DROPS REGULAR SEASON FINALE TO VANDERBILT
Ole Miss traded blows with Vanderbilt for the better part of 30 minutes in a closely-contested game on Saturday night, but the Commodores used hot shooting to pull away in the final eight minutes for an 82-69 defeat of the Rebels to close the regular season. The Rebels hit the offensive glass hard to start the game, snaring four offensive rebounds in the first eight minutes of the game and helping it build a 23-19 lead. Ole Miss’ largest lead of the night came when it led 29-22 with just under seven minutes to go in the first half. Ole Miss was able to string together five or six stops in a row in the opening half, something that didn’t happen as frequently in the second half. A back-and-forth, offensive-focused first 20 minutes saw the Commodores take a 45-44 lead in the locker room. Vanderbilt’s Jeff Roberson led all scorers with 19 points. Bruce Stevens led the Rebels with 17 points, and Terence Davis poured in 15 of his own. Fifteen of Stevens’ 17 points came on 6 of 7 shooting in the first half. Breein Tyree and Markel Crawford also reached double figures, scoring 11 and 10 points, respectively. The Commodores shot 52.7 percent (29 of 55) from the floor, the best shooting percentage by an opponent in the history of The Pavilion.
REBELS FALL TO NO. 23 KENTUCKY
Terence Davis scored a game-high 26 points, while Bruce Stevens recorded his first double-double as a Rebel. However, it wasn’t enough in the team’s final road game of the season as Ole Miss fell to No. 23 Kentucky 96-78 (Feb. 28). Dealing with foul trouble in the first half, the Rebels were able to stay within striking distance as UK held a three-point lead with 10 minutes to go. Stevens tallied 13 points and a career-high 13 rebounds. Breein Tyree continued his solid play as of late with 13 points and a career-high seven assists. Seven-footer Dominik Olejniczak registered 10 points to go along with all three of the Rebels’ blocks on the evening, tying his career high.
MADLOCK TAKES OVER
Following the exit of Andy Kennedy, Tony Madlock has stepped in as acting head coach for the remainder of the 2017-18 season. Madlock is in his fourth season at Ole Miss and has 21 years of experience coaching at the collegiate level. Prior to arriving in Oxford, the Memphis, Tennessee, native had coaching stops at Auburn (2011-14), UTEP (2007-10) and Arkansas State (1998-2006). He was an assistant coach at Auburn and UTEP, while serving as the assistant head coach at Arkansas State. Madlock served as acting head coach once during his time at UTEP, while then-head coach Tony Barbee attended a funeral. In his first game as acting head coach at Ole Miss, Madlock led the Rebels to a thrilling 90-87 overtime victory at Missouri (Feb. 20).
THE END OF AN ERA
After 12 years of leading Ole Miss Hoops, Andy Kennedy stepped down as head coach, effective immediately, it was announced Sunday, Feb. 18. In his 12 seasons in Oxford, Kennedy held a 245-156 record as coach of the Rebels. With 11 postseason wins, eight postseason berths, nine 20-win seasons, two NCAA Tournament appearances, two NIT Final Fours, two SEC West titles and an SEC Tournament Championship, the two-time SEC Coach of the Year leaves Ole Miss as the winningest coach in program history. Averaging more than 20 wins per season, Kennedy ranks 18th in SEC history with 245 victories. The Louisville, Mississippi, native had the fifth-most wins in 12 years at one school in the conference. Kennedy was one of five SEC coaches to post at least nine 20-win seasons in his first 11 years in the league, joining the likes of Billy Donovan (Florida), Joe B. Hall (Kentucky), Nolan Richardson (Arkansas) and Tubby Smith (Kentucky). In a win over Mississippi State earlier this season (Jan. 6), he became the 23rd SEC coach to earn 100 victories in conference play. Kennedy turned around the Ole Miss basketball program. He is the only coach in SEC history to post 11 consecutive seasons after taking over a program coming off four straight losing seasons. In his first season, he guided the Rebels to 21 wins and an SEC West Division title on his way to becoming SEC Coach of the Year. Since then, the Rebels are one of only 14 teams nationwide to have 11 straight winning seasons. Ole Miss ranks third in the conference with nine 20-win seasons during those 11 years.
RELYING ON THE THREE
Ole Miss has relied on the long ball this season, making 7.7 threes per game (eighth in the SEC). The Rebels are 11-6 when they shoot over 30 percent from beyond the arc. When Ole Miss shoots under 30 percent from long distance, its record is 1-12.
GREEN LIGHT GUARDS
Ole Miss has proven to develop guards over the past 11 seasons as 12 guards have earned All-SEC accolades to rank third among conference teams during that period. This season, the depth at guard shows in terms of scoring. Ole Miss guards have accounted for 70.2 percent of the Rebels’ points. Five of the top six scorers on the team are guards led by Terence Davis (13.7 ppg), Deandre Burnett (13.6 ppg), Breein Tyree (10.6 ppg) and Markel Crawford (9.4 ppg). Freshman Devontae Shuleradds 6.1 ppg (sixth on team).
FINDING THE RIGHT FIVE
Through 31 games, the Rebels have sent out 16 different starting lineups. Ole Miss is one of eight teams nationally that has had at least 16 different starting lineups this season. Ten Rebels have started at least one game this season, and only six teams nationwide have had at least 10 different players start at any point of the year.
TD SCORING
After a breakout sophomore season last year, averaging 14.9 points per game after only providing 1.8 points per game as a freshman (largest increase in scoring among any returning player in the conference), Terence Davis has become a go-to scorer for Ole Miss. The Southaven, Mississippi, native has scored in double figures in 36 of the last 46 games dating back to last season. Averaging a team-high 13.7 ppg, Davis has already reached the 20-point plateau seven times, including a game-high 26 at No. 23 Kentucky last week. At Arkansas (Jan. 20), he poured in 30 points on 10 of 15 shooting, scoring at least 30 points for the third time in his career; it is the most points scored by a Rebel this season. Davis recorded 21 in the season opener versus Louisiana (Nov. 10) before putting up 24 in a win over Georgia State one week later (Nov. 17). Against South Dakota State (Nov. 28), Davis scored 20 of his team-high 22 points in the second half. He tallied 25 versus Bradley (Dec. 22). He has also showcased his skills on the defensive end, leading the team in blocks (28) and ranking third in steals (28); he picked up a career-high four steals at Missouri (Feb. 20) when he also scored 20 points. As a sophomore last year, Davis ranked fourth in the league in field goal percentage (.482) and recorded 20+ points in six different games. He became a playmaker on both sides of the floor, leading the Rebels with 50 steals as well. With 995 career points, Davis is five points away from becoming the 39th player in Ole Miss history to record 1,000 points as a Rebel.
TYREE STEPS UP IN SEC PLAY
Sophomore Breein Tyree enjoys playing SEC opponents. As a freshman last year, he averaged 7.3 ppg throughout the season but increased his scoring output to 9.3 ppg in conference play. This year has been no different. Tyree scored 8.3 ppg in non-conference play before bumping the scoring average to 12.3 ppg during the SEC slate. On the road versus Georgia (Jan. 3), Tyree came off the bench and scored a team-high 17 points with the help of making 3 of 4 from long distance. Versus Mississippi State (Jan. 6), Tyree led the Rebels’ comeback by scoring all 16 of his points in the second half. Trailing by as many as 11 in the second half, Ole Miss ended the game on a 20-5 run. Tyree scored seven of the team’s final 11 points, including two buckets in the final minute to help the Rebels maintain the lead. At No. 22 Auburn (Jan. 9), Tyree recorded a game-best 24 points, knocked down a career-high four three-pointers and went 6 of 6 at the free throw line. In a big overtime win at Missouri (Feb. 20), he scored a career-high 25 points and made a key runner in the lane with three seconds to go in regulation, forcing overtime. Tyree is averaging 16.6 ppg over the last five games and has led Ole Miss scoring in three of those contests.
BIG BRUCE’S BREAKOUT
When he’s inserted into the starting lineup, junior college transfer Bruce Stevens puts together his best performances as a Rebel. Coming off the bench in 13 games, Stevens has scored a total of 108 points (8.3 ppg). In 18 starts, he is averaging 12.3 ppg. He has reached double figures in eight of the last nine games, including a game-high 17 points in the regular season finale versus Vanderbilt. On Wednesday against Kentucky, Stevens earned his first double-double as a Rebel with 13 points and a career-high 13 rebounds. At Missouri (Feb. 20), Stevens scored all 13 of his points in the second half, including sinking all five of his free throws, to help the Rebels earn the road win. At Texas A&M (Jan. 16), Stevens made a career-high nine field goals on his way to a 20-point output to go along with nine rebounds, another mark that tied his personal best. In the win over Florida (Jan. 13), the Louin, Mississippi, native tallied a team-high 22 points on 8 of 13 shooting. Stevens was unstoppable versus Illinois State (Dec. 16), posting a career-high 27 points that included going 7 of 9 from the floor and 13 of 16 from the free throw line. Stevens has made 61 of his last 76 free throws (80.3 percent) to increase his season percentage to .752.
DON’T FORGET ABOUT DRE
A first team preseason all-conference selection, senior Deandre Burnett has embraced his role as a leader. Burnett is averaging 13.6 ppg, while also leading the Rebels with 3.9 assists per game (seventh in the SEC). In the Rebels’ conference wins, he is averaging 17.2 ppg. The Miami Gardens, Florida, native tallied team highs in points (18) and assists (6) in a victorious SEC opener versus South Carolina (Dec. 31). Against Mississippi State (Jan. 6), Burnett scored 13 in the first half to keep Ole Miss in the game before he finished with 21 to help his squad rally to victory. After missing the previous game at Auburn with the flu, Burnett returned to the court and recorded 20 points versus Florida (Jan. 13). He tallied a season-high 24 points to lead the Rebels to a win over Alabama (Jan. 23) before matching that output versus Arkansas last week (Feb. 13). As an 85.0 percent shooter at the line for his career, Burnett is on pace to finish as the fifth-best free throw shooter in Ole Miss history. Last season, his first as a Rebel, Burnett averaged a team-high 16.5 ppg and finished fifth in the SEC in both free throw percentage (.881) and three-point percentage (.376). Finishing eighth in the league in scoring, Burnett reached double figures in 26 of 33 games, including 10 20-plus performances and a career-high 41-point output (Nov. 18, 2016 vs. Oral Roberts). He also shared the rock, providing 104 assists throughout the season (3.2 apg). A transfer from Miami, where he scored 195 points, Burnett went over 1,000 points for his career versus Alabama (Jan. 23). He scored the first five points of the game, all in the first minute, to reach the historic mark. Since then, Burnett has increased his total to 1,145 (950 at Ole Miss).
MARKEL MAKING HIS MARK
As a graduate transfer, Markel Crawford is making his mark in his only season as a Rebel. The Memphis product has started 24 games (team high) and leads Ole Miss in minutes per game (30.8) to rank 18th in the SEC. He also leads the team in steals (37), placing ninth in the conference with 23 of those steals coming in SEC games, and averages 9.4 ppg. In the first contest against Missouri (Feb. 6), the guard tallied 11 points to go along with career highs in assists (6) without committing a turnover. He also matched his career high with five steals, putting together a five-steal game for the second time this season. Crawford tallied 17 points in three SEC games, including victories over South Carolina (Dec. 31) and Florida (Jan. 13). He added 15 points to help Ole Miss take down Alabama (Jan. 23). Against South Dakota State (Nov. 28), Crawford scored 19 points, his most as a Rebel, on 7 of 11 shooting. Scoring 761 points at Memphis to go along with 291 points this season, he has 1,052 for his career. Crawford went 4 for 4 at the charity stripe against LSU (Feb. 10) to reach 1,000.
SHULER’S STATEMENT
A 4-star guard out of perennial powerhouse Oak Hill Academy, there was a lot of hype surrounding Devontae Shuler entering the season. The freshman has made an immediate impact by playing in all 31 games, averaging 6.1 ppg in 19.1 minutes per game and swiping 31 steals (second on team). Against South Dakota State (Nov. 28), he recorded a career-high 19 points on 8 of 14 shooting to go along with a team-high three steals. In his debut, Shuler recorded 14 points in 16 minutes off the bench; the Irmo, South Carolina, native knocked down four shots from beyond the arc versus Louisiana (Nov. 10), and his offensive output was the most points by a freshman in a season opener since Trevor Gaskins recorded 21 versus Mississippi Valley State, exactly 10 years ago (Nov. 10, 2007).
HYMON HELPING FILL SAIZ VOID
Heading into the season, a big question mark for Ole Miss was who would fill the void left by Sebastian Saiz. With the help of a school-record 409 rebounds, Saiz recorded 23 double-doubles a season ago. Senior Marcanvis Hymon has been part of the front court that has replaced Saiz. In his fourth year at Ole Miss, the Memphis, Tennessee, native is the only active player to spend all four seasons in Oxford. Through 31 games, Hymon ranks second in blocks (25) and rebounds (5.0 per game). Through 105 career games, Hymon is moving up the school’s career blocks chart. He ranks 10th with 96 career rejections following a team-high 40 last season. He has led the Rebels in rebounding nine times this season, including a 12-point, 13-rebound performance in the season opener versus Louisiana (Nov. 10). The big opening game marked the third double-double of Hymon’s career.
PROTECTING THE ROCK
Ole Miss has taken care of the basketball this season. The Rebels have coughed up the rock only 352 times, ranking 47th nationally in fewest turnovers surrendered. Averaging only 11.4 turnovers per game, Ole Miss is 40th in the nation. Against Missouri (Feb. 6), Ole Miss only turned the ball over four times. It was the fewest turnovers in a game by the Rebels since only making four against George Mason in the Charleston Classic (Nov. 19, 2015). Also, the Rebels’ 1.3 assist/turnover ratio ranks fourth in the SEC and 53rd in the country.
BLOCK PARTY
Averaging 4.2 blocks per game, Ole Miss ranks 67th in the country. Four Rebels have recorded at least 20 blocks, led by 28 from junior guard Terence Davis. Senior Marcanvis Hymon, who ranks 10th all-time in program history with 96 career rejections, is close behind with 25 blocks. Senior forward Justas Furmanavicius has 21, while seven-footer Dominik Olejniczak has 20 of his own. Olejniczak recorded all three of the Rebels blocks’ against No. 23 Kentucky (Feb. 28), tying a career high. Against Vanderbilt on Saturday, seven Rebels recorded one block apiece. The seven blocks tied for the most by Ole Miss in SEC play; the Rebels registered seven rejections in their SEC opener versus South Carolina (Dec. 31).
SWIPE RIGHT
Ole Miss has been active with their hands on the defensive end of the floor, averaging 6.2 steals per game to rank eighth in the SEC. The Rebels have recorded 30 steals over the last four games, including 13 in the win at Missouri (Feb. 20). Through 31 games, four Rebels have recorded at least 20 steals. Markel Crawford leads the way with 37 steals, including 23 in SEC games to rank ninth in the conference. Devontae Shuler follows with 31 steals. Terence Davis and Breein Tyree have 28 and 22 steals, respectively, with Davis earning a career-high four steals at Missouri. Against Utah in Last Vegas (Nov. 20), the Rebels tallied 14 steals throughout the night, a season high for the Red and Blue.
BENCH POINTS
The Ole Miss bench has played a prominent role in scoring, averaging 25.0 points per game. In five different games, the bench has scored at least 40 points. The season high for bench points occurred against Utah (Nov. 20) in Las Vegas, as the reserves tallied 46 of the team’s 74 points. During a win over Bradley (Dec. 22), the Ole Miss bench accounted for 50 percent of the scoring (41 of 82). In Saturday’s regular season finale versus Vanderbilt, the Rebels’ bench scored 36 of the team’s 69 points. It was the most points and highest percentage (52.1 percent) by the bench in an SEC game this season.
OVERCOMING OVERTIME
Against Missouri (Feb. 20), the Rebels needed overtime to pull off a thrilling victory over a team in the hunt to make the NCAA Tournament. While it was the fourth OT game of the season for Ole Miss, the most overtime contests in a season since the 2011-12 campaign (5), the Rebels earned their first victory in such games. In non-conference action, Ole Miss suffered heartbreaking overtime losses to South Dakota State (Nov. 28), Virginia Tech (Dec. 2) and Illinois State (Dec. 16) at home. On the complete other end of the spectrum, going on the road and into SEC play, the Rebels were able to go into a hostile environment and earn a win.
UNFAMILIAR TERRITORY
Ole Miss is multiple games under .500 for the first time since the conclusion of the 2005-06 season, right before Andy Kennedy arrived in Oxford. The Rebels are seven games under .500 in a season for the first time since the middle of the 1994-95 campaign
FAVORING LARGE MARGINS
Ole Miss has won seven games decided by double digits. When the margin is less than 10, the Rebels are 5-9. Three of those single-digit setbacks occurred in overtime, and the close encounters have hindered a better record. In three of their wins, the Rebels have never had to face a deficit. Ole Miss led throughout in victories over Eastern Kentucky (Nov. 13), Sam Houston State (Dec. 13) and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Dec. 19).
HONOR ROLL REBELS
Four Rebels earned spots on the Ole Miss Honor Roll for the fall semester: D.C. Davis (3.20 GPA), Terence Davis (3.00 GPA), Marcanvis Hymon (3.25 GPA) and Ilya Tyrtyshnik (3.31 GPA).
NEXT ON THE HARDWOOD
The No. 6 seed Arkansas Razorbacks await the winner of Wednesday’s opening round matchup between the Rebels and the Gamecocks. If Ole Miss pulls off the victory, it will advance to the second round to battle the Hogs on Thursday night (March 8). Tipoff is slated to begin approximately 30 minutes following the conclusion of the 6 p.m. game between No. 7 seed Mississippi State and No. 10 seed LSU. Both games will be televised on SEC Network.
