Why they're for real: Ole Miss was essentially starting completely fresh in the offseason. The Rebels replaced Kermit Davis with Chris Beard, who went out and rebuilt the roster via the transfer portal with just a few players returning from last season. The uncertainty continued when the campaign kicked off, as transfers Moussa Cisse (Oklahoma State) and Brandon Murray (Georgetown) hadn't received waivers yet.
But the Rebels built up some momentum with a handful of easy games, then beat NC State and Memphis back-to-back in late November and early December. They now sit at 13-0 entering SEC play.
"Obviously winning cures a lot, but those dudes believe in Chris Beard's message and what they're trying to do," one coach said.
While the numbers indicate this is the worst defensive team of Beard's career, multiple opposing coaches said the biggest strength for the Rebels is on the defensive end of the floor. And since Cisse became eligible, they've held four of their last six opponents to below one point per possession.
"We were really worried about their ability to protect the rim," one opposing coach said. "Moussa Cisse was part of a top-two, top-three defense in the country at Oklahoma State and a top-two, top-three defense at Memphis the year before. And not just him, they have Jamarion Sharp. Having both of those guys protect the rim all night long is really impressive. There wasn't a possession where they gave us anything easy."
"They limit everything. They don't give you easy baskets," another coach added. "We were frustrated that we didn't get anything easy against them. They did a very good job of limiting easy baskets, limiting transition baskets. You can't play soft against them. You have to match their physicality, you have to match their toughness. You can't allow your frustration with a lack of easy baskets carry over from possession to possession."
Offensively, there's plenty of individual talent. Matthew Murrell (17.0 PPG) was a preseason All-SEC selection; Allen Flanigan (16.7 PPG) was considered a first-round talent at Auburn before a 2021 injury; Jaemyn Brakefield (10.8 PPG) had 25 points against NC State earlier this season and is putting up 18.8 points in his last four games.
But the big surprise has been Jaylen Murray, a New Yorker who transferred from Saint Peter's last spring. The 5-foot-11 point guard has been given the keys to the offense and is excelling, averaging 14.7 points and 3.7 assists, shooting 46% from 3-point range.
"Murray is really good in the ball screen, he has great pace, he has great swagger, he can read the game," one coach said. "I think he's someone who is completely different than what they've had. Great pace, great feel, winning DNA, can pull-up, can finish at the rim. And I think he can do that late in games. Late-game, he is a problem. He can make the right read, and that's when Murrell shakes loose, that's when Brakefield shakes loose."
Murray has meshed well with Murrell in the backcourt. Murrell, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard, was a double-figure scorer each of the last two seasons in Oxford and has improved his numbers across the board despite the influx of talent around him.
"He understands who he is and is comfortable with who he is," an opposing coach said. "He looked like their leader, he had great poise. He looked like a pro. He got to his strong hand. Everything about his demeanor, his edge, his competitiveness. It was, 'I don't have to be ball-dominant, I'm gonna do my part to make sure we win.'"
Why they're not: There might not be a team in the country with a bigger disparity between its poll position and its computer rankings. KenPom has the AP No. 22 Rebels at No. 79, while the BPI slots them at No. 77. Some of this is due to going 12-21 last season, but even BartTorvik.com -- which allows you to rank from just the start of the season -- has the Rebels at No. 68.
The schedule hasn't been imposing, they've only played one Quadrant 1 game (at UCF) and five of their wins have come by one possession. But where might they slip up in SEC play?
"One weakness that was glaring was their ability to defensive rebound," one coach said. "That's something that has to be cleaned up. Jamarion Sharp isn't the most mobile, those dudes weren't boxing out like that, it wasn't a priority. In the SEC, there's better athletes, that could become a problem."
While Murray has been a game-changer for Ole Miss in nonconference play, will he be able to continue his high-level play in the SEC? Beard doesn't have another pure point guard on the bench if he struggles or gets into foul trouble.
"Can teams put him in situations where he has to switch or gets in rotations? Can teams get to where he becomes a liability defensively?" an opposing coach said.
There were concerns earlier in the season about the Rebels' depth, but the arrivals of Cisse and Murray in December have alleviated potential issues. Beard has slowly integrated both into the rotation, although Murray played a season-high 25 minutes and scored nine points in a win over Bryant on New Year's Eve. The former Georgetown and LSU transfer could become an important piece in league play, as he's a proven scorer who can go get his own shot.
"Are their guards dynamic enough to win games in the league?" a coach asked. "In the SEC, it comes down to switching and blowing up plays."
When we might know: Ole Miss has played a relatively easy nonconference schedule, but the Rebels are immediately thrown into the gauntlet of conference play with a road trip to Tennessee this weekend, where their perfect record will be squarely at risk. There's also a five-game stretch in late January and early February that will be telling: at Auburn, vs. Arkansas, at Texas A&M, vs. Mississippi State, vs. Auburn. Can the Rebels come out of there with three (or more) wins?
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But the Rebels built up some momentum with a handful of easy games, then beat NC State and Memphis back-to-back in late November and early December. They now sit at 13-0 entering SEC play.
"Obviously winning cures a lot, but those dudes believe in Chris Beard's message and what they're trying to do," one coach said.
While the numbers indicate this is the worst defensive team of Beard's career, multiple opposing coaches said the biggest strength for the Rebels is on the defensive end of the floor. And since Cisse became eligible, they've held four of their last six opponents to below one point per possession.
"We were really worried about their ability to protect the rim," one opposing coach said. "Moussa Cisse was part of a top-two, top-three defense in the country at Oklahoma State and a top-two, top-three defense at Memphis the year before. And not just him, they have Jamarion Sharp. Having both of those guys protect the rim all night long is really impressive. There wasn't a possession where they gave us anything easy."
"They limit everything. They don't give you easy baskets," another coach added. "We were frustrated that we didn't get anything easy against them. They did a very good job of limiting easy baskets, limiting transition baskets. You can't play soft against them. You have to match their physicality, you have to match their toughness. You can't allow your frustration with a lack of easy baskets carry over from possession to possession."
Offensively, there's plenty of individual talent. Matthew Murrell (17.0 PPG) was a preseason All-SEC selection; Allen Flanigan (16.7 PPG) was considered a first-round talent at Auburn before a 2021 injury; Jaemyn Brakefield (10.8 PPG) had 25 points against NC State earlier this season and is putting up 18.8 points in his last four games.
But the big surprise has been Jaylen Murray, a New Yorker who transferred from Saint Peter's last spring. The 5-foot-11 point guard has been given the keys to the offense and is excelling, averaging 14.7 points and 3.7 assists, shooting 46% from 3-point range.
"Murray is really good in the ball screen, he has great pace, he has great swagger, he can read the game," one coach said. "I think he's someone who is completely different than what they've had. Great pace, great feel, winning DNA, can pull-up, can finish at the rim. And I think he can do that late in games. Late-game, he is a problem. He can make the right read, and that's when Murrell shakes loose, that's when Brakefield shakes loose."
Murray has meshed well with Murrell in the backcourt. Murrell, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard, was a double-figure scorer each of the last two seasons in Oxford and has improved his numbers across the board despite the influx of talent around him.
"He understands who he is and is comfortable with who he is," an opposing coach said. "He looked like their leader, he had great poise. He looked like a pro. He got to his strong hand. Everything about his demeanor, his edge, his competitiveness. It was, 'I don't have to be ball-dominant, I'm gonna do my part to make sure we win.'"
Why they're not: There might not be a team in the country with a bigger disparity between its poll position and its computer rankings. KenPom has the AP No. 22 Rebels at No. 79, while the BPI slots them at No. 77. Some of this is due to going 12-21 last season, but even BartTorvik.com -- which allows you to rank from just the start of the season -- has the Rebels at No. 68.
The schedule hasn't been imposing, they've only played one Quadrant 1 game (at UCF) and five of their wins have come by one possession. But where might they slip up in SEC play?
"One weakness that was glaring was their ability to defensive rebound," one coach said. "That's something that has to be cleaned up. Jamarion Sharp isn't the most mobile, those dudes weren't boxing out like that, it wasn't a priority. In the SEC, there's better athletes, that could become a problem."
While Murray has been a game-changer for Ole Miss in nonconference play, will he be able to continue his high-level play in the SEC? Beard doesn't have another pure point guard on the bench if he struggles or gets into foul trouble.
"Can teams put him in situations where he has to switch or gets in rotations? Can teams get to where he becomes a liability defensively?" an opposing coach said.
There were concerns earlier in the season about the Rebels' depth, but the arrivals of Cisse and Murray in December have alleviated potential issues. Beard has slowly integrated both into the rotation, although Murray played a season-high 25 minutes and scored nine points in a win over Bryant on New Year's Eve. The former Georgetown and LSU transfer could become an important piece in league play, as he's a proven scorer who can go get his own shot.
"Are their guards dynamic enough to win games in the league?" a coach asked. "In the SEC, it comes down to switching and blowing up plays."
When we might know: Ole Miss has played a relatively easy nonconference schedule, but the Rebels are immediately thrown into the gauntlet of conference play with a road trip to Tennessee this weekend, where their perfect record will be squarely at risk. There's also a five-game stretch in late January and early February that will be telling: at Auburn, vs. Arkansas, at Texas A&M, vs. Mississippi State, vs. Auburn. Can the Rebels come out of there with three (or more) wins?
For real? Just how good are BYU, Ole Miss and Oklahoma?
They've torn through nonconference opponents, but league play will offer more daunting matchups. Anonymous coaches provide scouting reports on the three teams that have surprised us so far this season.
