SAN DIEGO – In one of the premiere tournaments of the 2024-25 season, the Ole Miss men's basketball team is prepared to begin competition in the Rady Children's Invitational on Thursday, November 28, facing BYU in the opening round at 4:30 p.m. CT in LionTree Arena and on FS1.
The Rebels will then face either NC State or No. 12 Purdue on Friday at a time to be determined on FOX.
TEAM FACTS
No. 23/24 Ole Miss Rebels (Record: 5-0, 0-0 SEC)
Head Coach: Chris Beard • 2nd Season at Ole Miss (25-12) • 262-110 career record (13th Season)
BYU Cougars (Record: 5-0, 0-0 Big 12)
Head Coach: Kevin Young • 1st Season at BYU (5-0) • 5-0 career record (1st Season)
ON THE AIR
Television/Online: FS1
Play-by-Play: Cory Provus
Color: Robbie Hummel
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: Eli Savoie
Color: Marc Dukes
SERIES HISTORY VS. BYU
While this will be the second meeting all-time between Ole Miss and BYU on the court, this will be the first such game during the regular season. In their first contest, the two paired up in the "First Four" round of the 2015 NCAA Tournament in Dayton, Ohio. In a battle for the No. 11 seed in the West Region, Ole Miss came out on top 94-90 to head to Jacksonville, Fla. where they eventually fell to six-seeded Xavier.
LAST MEETING: March 17, 2015 (W, 94-90, Dayton, Ohio)
• BYU took a massive lead into the half, outshooting Ole Miss 57% to 30% from the field, owning a 17-point advantage 49-32.
• The Rebels stormed back in the final 20 minutes, doubling their shooting efforts to 60% while dropping 62 points.
• Stefan Moody (Ole Miss): 26 points, five 3PM, five assists.
• Jarvis Summers (Ole Miss): 11 points, five rebounds, 10 assists.
• Tyler Haws (BYU): 33 points, five rebounds, five assists.
SCOUTING THE COUGARS
Like Ole Miss, BYU enters the Rady Children's Invitational as one of 34 teams with an unbeaten record, beginning this season 5-0. Each of their five games have been played at home in Provo, Utah so far, picking up wins over Central Arkansas, UC Riverside, Queens, Idaho, and most recently Mississippi Valley State. The Cougars sit on the very edge of both national polls this week, just outside the top 25 at No. 26 in the AP and Coaches Polls. A season ago, BYU finished with 23 wins, going 10-8 in conference play and earning a birth to the NCAA Tournament. They ended last season with a final NET ranking of No. 15 in the country.
Five players average 10 or more points per game, led by freshman Egor Demin, who ranked as high as No. 16 in the class of 2024 as a five-star recruit by Rivals. A projected NBA Draft Pick in 2025, the Russian wing has shown he can do it all thus far, averaging 15.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 7.2 assists (No. 8 in the NCAA) while shooting over 50% from three. BYU's leading rebounder is Keba Keita, a Utah transfer who has pulled in 10.3 boards per contest.
The Cougars have shined all across the board statistically as a team, ranking among not just the top-50, but the top-10 national in numerous categories. These include: assist-TO Ratio (No. 4, 2.15), assist per game (No. 6, 20.6), fouls per game (No. 7, 12.6), rebound margin (No. 2, 16.4), scoring margin (No. 5, 31.2), scoring offense (No. 10, 91.0), and three pointers per game (No. 8, 11.4).
The team is led by first-year head coach Kevin Young, who returned to the college game after numerous years of success in the NBA and G League. He most recently spent 2021-24 as the associate head coach of the Phoenix Suns after being elevated from assistant coach during the 2020-21 season. Prior to his time in Phoenix, he was an assistant with the Philadelphia 76ers from 2016-20, a position he secured after being the head coach of the Delaware 76ers from 2014-16. He held head coach or assistant coach roles with the Iowa Energy, Utah Flash, and Shamrock Rovers Hoops. Young began his coaching career in 2004-05 as an assistant with Oxford College before one season in 2005-06 as an assistant with Utah Valley.
"AIN'T NO PARTY LIKE A WEST COAST PARTY"
The Rebels are set for the 2024 Rady Children's Invitational this week in San Diego, California where they will play in one of the premiere fields of early-season tournaments. Ole Miss will take on either NC State or Purdue in the championship game or third-place matchup on Friday.
"WE'RE GOING STREAKING!"
Highlighted by their 13-0 run a year ago, the Ole Miss program is currently on an 18-game non-conference winning streak, the longest in all of college basketball. Among their run outside the SEC are strong victories over eventual NCAA Final Four team NC State by 20 points, a battle with Memphis in a crowded SJB Pavilion, and wins over "Power Five" programs like UCF, California, and Colorado State.
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 +9.4 through five games, the Rebels own the second-best margin in all of college basketball, forcing 17.6 per game (No. 15 in the NCAA) while committing just 8.2 (No. 2 in the NCAA).
Ole Miss ranks among the top teams in the nation in both steals per game (10.6, No. 20 in NCAA) and blocks per game (4.8, No. 61 in NCAA), giving them the 38th-ranked scoring defense in the country at 62.6 points.
EASY TO HANDLE - A DIME BY THE DOZEN
Recording a assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.35 in his first season with Ole Miss, senior Jaylen Murray has taken his point guard play to an even higher level, beginning the 2024-25 year with 20 assists to just two turnovers. Since the final portion of the Rebels' opener against Long Island, Murray has registered 19 straight assists without recording a turnover. His assist-to-turnover ratio of 10.0 leads all of college basketball, as he has helped Ole Miss record a team ratio of 2.05, good for eighth in the nation.
During his time at Ole Miss, Murray is averaging 3.97 assists per game, the sixth best career average in program history trailing only Sean Tuohy (7.1), Jarvis Summers (5.2), Bob Mahoney (4.9), Rod Barnes (4.4), and Dave Shepherd (4.36).
I GOT ALL NUMBERS
The 2024-25 Ole Miss basketball roster boasts some serious career statistics. Six players have scored over 1,000 points in their collegiate career, including Matthew Murrell (1,492), Sean Pedulla (1,302), Dre Davis (1,183), Jaemyn Brakefield (1,159), Jaylen Murray (1,056), and Mikeal Brown-Jones (1,047).Davon Barnes (962) is on the cusp of hitting that mark as well. Entering the season, the team possessed 8,735 career points, 3,062 rebounds, 1,346 assists, 596 steals, and 327 blocks.
"I'M LIKE MAYONNAISE 'CAUSE I'M SMOOTH AND DANGEROUS TO LEAVE OPEN"
This year's roster possesses a mountain of shooting talent, notably from beyond the three-point arc. With over 900 career three-pointers made among the 2024-25 roster, the Rebels look to light it up from deep on offense this season. Among the current members of the Ole Miss roster, they made a total of 410 shots from three during the 2023-24 season, a total that would have ranked third in all of college basketball last year.
2023-24 Made Three Pointers (30+)
Matthew Murrell: 78
Jaylen Murray: 72
Davon Barnes: 59 (at Sam Houston)
Sean Pedulla: 53 (at Virginia Tech)
Malik Dia: 44 (at Belmont)
Jaemyn Brakefield: 38
Dre Davis: 35 (at Seton Hall)
A "DO-IT-ALL" SCHOOL
Only Ole Miss and Alabama currently hold a spot in the AP Top 25 in football, men's basketball, and women's basketball. On the gridiron, the Rebels rank No. 15 whlie men's hoops ranks No. 23 and the women No. 18.
SEASONED VETERANS
Featuring 10 seniors on the roster, Ole Miss returned the fourth-highest minutes-per-game figure among all "power-five" programs in the nation at 284.3, and the most in the SEC. In total, Ole Miss players have played in over 900 career collegiate games with over 500 starts. The Rebels are one of 18 programs in the nation that feature five or more players in at least their fifth year of college basketball.
MR. NOVEMBER
Second-year head coach Chris Beard remains undefeated in the month of November with the Ole Miss program, owning a record of 11-0. He is currently on a 20-game win streak when playing in the eleventh month of the year, and owns a career record as a Division I head coach of 46-6 (88.5%) in November.
EYES ON OXFORD
Ole Miss earned plenty of preseason recognition on the national stage leading into the 2024-25 season. Starting with the national polls, the Rebels were ranked in the preseason AP poll for just the second time in program history at No. 24, and earned a preseason ranking in the Coaches poll for the first time ever at No. 25. Ole Miss currently ranks No. 23 in the latest AP Poll and No. 24 in the Coaches Poll.
Other outlets that had Ole Miss in preseason rankings include: "ESPN's 'Way-Too-Early' Top 25" as high as No. 20, the "Field of 68" at No. 22, John Fanta's preseason top-25 at No. 24, Jon Rothstein's preseason rankings at No. 27, and a spot in the offseason bracketology by ESPN's Joe Lunardi, peaking at a No. 7 seed.
PRECURSORY HARDWARE
The college basketball world has high praise for not just the team, but for many of Ole Miss' players in advance to the 2024-25 season.
Matthew Murrell:
- John R. Wooden Award Preseason Watchlist
- Preseason All-SEC Second Team (Media)
- Preseason All-SEC Second Team (Coaches)
- Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Men's College Player of the Year Watchlist
- Jerry West SG of the Year Preseason Top 20 (Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame)
- No. 58 in the ESPN Preseason Top 100
Malik Dia:
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Preseason Top 20 (Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame)
Dre Davis:
- No. 78 in the ESPN Preseason Top 100
PROGRAM POINT PRESIDENTS
Seniors Matthew Murrell and Jaemyn Brakefield have each surpassed the 1,000-point mark during their careers here in Oxford, and have their sights set on the program leaderboard. Here's a snapshot of where they lie among the career points list at Ole Miss:
...
13. Terence Davis - 1,512
14. Aaron Harper - 1,505
15. Matthew Murrell - 1,492
16. Murphy Holloway - 1,476
...
36. Fred Cox - 1,105
37. Terrance Henry - 1,095
38. Jaemyn Brakefield - 1,081
39. Coolidge Ball - 1,072
A BIG TEN TEST
The Ole Miss squad got a great measurement of where they stand among the nation's best early, hosting Illinois for their charity exhibition on October 27. The Illini gave the Rebels a quick test before their regular season opener. Ole Miss rose to the challenge behind clutch shooting, scoring 51 points in the first half before eventually winning by 17 in a 91-74 contest. Malik Dia paced the Rebels with 18 points on 7-8 shooting, going 3-3 from three-point range while grabbing three steals on defense. Jaemyn Brakefield added 15 points and led the team with eight rebounds off the bench.
CHALLENGE ACCEPTED
Year two of the SEC/ACC Challenge has Ole Miss traveling to Louisville, Kentucky where they'll face the Cardinals on the ACC Network at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, December 3. Last year, the Rebels hosted NC State for the first game of the then-named ACC/SEC Challenge, picking up a 72-52 victory over the eventual NCAA Final Four Wolfpack.
HOOP IN THE 'SIP
On November's signing day, Chris Beard and staff added two top recruits to Athletic Financial Aid Agreements in Tylis Jordan and Patton Pinkins. The pair currently give Ole Miss a consensus top-25 recruiting class for 2025, ranked No. 12 in the nation by Rivals, No. 16 by On3, and No. 25 by 247Sports.
Tylis Jordan, PF, 6-9, 210, Wheeler, Louisville, Ga.
Jordan is a consensus top-100 recruit for the class of 2025, owning a national ranking as high as No. 27 in the country by On3 and No. 28 by Rivals. Listed as a power forward, the 6'9" Louisville, Ga. native is an incredibly skilled big man who can easily play with the ball in his hands.
He has the ability to stretch the floor with his shooting and is able to knock down threes. One of the top-ranked players in his class in the always-talented state of Georgia, Jordan averaged a double-double last season at Shiloh as a junior with 21.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per game, and is currently playing his senior season at Wheeler.
Patton Pinkins, SG, 6-5, 170, Frenship, Wolfforth, Texas
Another top-100 recruit, Pinkins is ranked as high as No. 74 in his class nationally by ESPN and No. 78 by Rivals. A 6'5" shooting guard from Wolfforth, Texas, he currently plays at Frenship High School, where he's described as an efficient player with a shooting percentage of over 60 percent from the field and over 40 percent from three.
Pinkins, the son of current Ole Miss assistant coach Al Pinkins, possess a high basketball IQ with strong passing ability. His ability as an on-ball defender pairs well with his prowess at scoring the basketball at all three levels.
IT STILL MEANS MORE
The gauntlet of the SEC got even tougher this season with the addition of Oklahoma and Texas to the conference for the 2024-25 academic year. With nine teams currently owning a spot in the AP Top 25, including Ole Miss, the schedule for the Rebels is littered with big games, especially at home in the SJB Pavilion. Between January 22 and February 4, Ole Miss will host No. 20 Texas A&M, No. 3 Auburn, Texas, and No. 8 Kentucky.
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 15th in school history in career points with 1,492, and fifth in both three-point shots made (223), and three-point attempts (630).
Three-Point Field Goals Made
1. 334, Chris Warren (115 games, 2008-11)
2. 278, Aaron Harper (123 games, 2001-04)
3. 267, Marshall Henderson (66 games, 2013-14)
4. 249, Keith Carter (117 games, 1996-99)
5. 223, Matthew Murrell (125 games, 2020-pres.)
6. 214, Joe Harvell (114 games, 1990-93)
7. 207, Breein Tyree (130 games, 2017-20)
8. 181, Stefan Moody (65 games, 2014-16)
9. 178, Devontae Shuler (124 games, 2018-21)
10. 176, Terence Davis (121 games (2016-19)
Three-Point Field Goals Attempted
1. 900, Chris Warren (115 games, 2008-11)
2. 771, Marshall Henderson (66 games, 2013-2014)
3. 720, Aaron Harper (123 games, 2001-04)
4. 686, Keith Carter (117 games, 1996-99)
5. 630, Matthew Murrell (125 games, 2020-pres.)
6. 581, Breein Tyree (130 games, 2017-20)
7. 528, Joe Harvell (114 games, 1990-93)
8. 523, Devontae Shuler (124 games, 2018-21)
9. 519, Terence Davis (121 games, 2016-19)
10. 494, Stefan Moody (65 games, 2015-16)
Murrell has his eyes set on entering the top-10 lists in multiple other categories as well, on the verge in: Career minutes played (Murrell at 3,607, 10th is Breein Tyree at 3,634), career games played (Murrell at 125, 10th is Jason Flanigan at 127), and career steals (Murrell at 133, 10th is Rahim Lockhart at 148).
The Rebels will then face either NC State or No. 12 Purdue on Friday at a time to be determined on FOX.
TEAM FACTS
No. 23/24 Ole Miss Rebels (Record: 5-0, 0-0 SEC)
Head Coach: Chris Beard • 2nd Season at Ole Miss (25-12) • 262-110 career record (13th Season)
BYU Cougars (Record: 5-0, 0-0 Big 12)
Head Coach: Kevin Young • 1st Season at BYU (5-0) • 5-0 career record (1st Season)
ON THE AIR
Television/Online: FS1
Play-by-Play: Cory Provus
Color: Robbie Hummel
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: Eli Savoie
Color: Marc Dukes
SERIES HISTORY VS. BYU
While this will be the second meeting all-time between Ole Miss and BYU on the court, this will be the first such game during the regular season. In their first contest, the two paired up in the "First Four" round of the 2015 NCAA Tournament in Dayton, Ohio. In a battle for the No. 11 seed in the West Region, Ole Miss came out on top 94-90 to head to Jacksonville, Fla. where they eventually fell to six-seeded Xavier.
LAST MEETING: March 17, 2015 (W, 94-90, Dayton, Ohio)
• BYU took a massive lead into the half, outshooting Ole Miss 57% to 30% from the field, owning a 17-point advantage 49-32.
• The Rebels stormed back in the final 20 minutes, doubling their shooting efforts to 60% while dropping 62 points.
• Stefan Moody (Ole Miss): 26 points, five 3PM, five assists.
• Jarvis Summers (Ole Miss): 11 points, five rebounds, 10 assists.
• Tyler Haws (BYU): 33 points, five rebounds, five assists.
SCOUTING THE COUGARS
Like Ole Miss, BYU enters the Rady Children's Invitational as one of 34 teams with an unbeaten record, beginning this season 5-0. Each of their five games have been played at home in Provo, Utah so far, picking up wins over Central Arkansas, UC Riverside, Queens, Idaho, and most recently Mississippi Valley State. The Cougars sit on the very edge of both national polls this week, just outside the top 25 at No. 26 in the AP and Coaches Polls. A season ago, BYU finished with 23 wins, going 10-8 in conference play and earning a birth to the NCAA Tournament. They ended last season with a final NET ranking of No. 15 in the country.
Five players average 10 or more points per game, led by freshman Egor Demin, who ranked as high as No. 16 in the class of 2024 as a five-star recruit by Rivals. A projected NBA Draft Pick in 2025, the Russian wing has shown he can do it all thus far, averaging 15.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 7.2 assists (No. 8 in the NCAA) while shooting over 50% from three. BYU's leading rebounder is Keba Keita, a Utah transfer who has pulled in 10.3 boards per contest.
The Cougars have shined all across the board statistically as a team, ranking among not just the top-50, but the top-10 national in numerous categories. These include: assist-TO Ratio (No. 4, 2.15), assist per game (No. 6, 20.6), fouls per game (No. 7, 12.6), rebound margin (No. 2, 16.4), scoring margin (No. 5, 31.2), scoring offense (No. 10, 91.0), and three pointers per game (No. 8, 11.4).
The team is led by first-year head coach Kevin Young, who returned to the college game after numerous years of success in the NBA and G League. He most recently spent 2021-24 as the associate head coach of the Phoenix Suns after being elevated from assistant coach during the 2020-21 season. Prior to his time in Phoenix, he was an assistant with the Philadelphia 76ers from 2016-20, a position he secured after being the head coach of the Delaware 76ers from 2014-16. He held head coach or assistant coach roles with the Iowa Energy, Utah Flash, and Shamrock Rovers Hoops. Young began his coaching career in 2004-05 as an assistant with Oxford College before one season in 2005-06 as an assistant with Utah Valley.
"AIN'T NO PARTY LIKE A WEST COAST PARTY"
The Rebels are set for the 2024 Rady Children's Invitational this week in San Diego, California where they will play in one of the premiere fields of early-season tournaments. Ole Miss will take on either NC State or Purdue in the championship game or third-place matchup on Friday.
"WE'RE GOING STREAKING!"
Highlighted by their 13-0 run a year ago, the Ole Miss program is currently on an 18-game non-conference winning streak, the longest in all of college basketball. Among their run outside the SEC are strong victories over eventual NCAA Final Four team NC State by 20 points, a battle with Memphis in a crowded SJB Pavilion, and wins over "Power Five" programs like UCF, California, and Colorado State.
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 +9.4 through five games, the Rebels own the second-best margin in all of college basketball, forcing 17.6 per game (No. 15 in the NCAA) while committing just 8.2 (No. 2 in the NCAA).
Ole Miss ranks among the top teams in the nation in both steals per game (10.6, No. 20 in NCAA) and blocks per game (4.8, No. 61 in NCAA), giving them the 38th-ranked scoring defense in the country at 62.6 points.
EASY TO HANDLE - A DIME BY THE DOZEN
Recording a assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.35 in his first season with Ole Miss, senior Jaylen Murray has taken his point guard play to an even higher level, beginning the 2024-25 year with 20 assists to just two turnovers. Since the final portion of the Rebels' opener against Long Island, Murray has registered 19 straight assists without recording a turnover. His assist-to-turnover ratio of 10.0 leads all of college basketball, as he has helped Ole Miss record a team ratio of 2.05, good for eighth in the nation.
During his time at Ole Miss, Murray is averaging 3.97 assists per game, the sixth best career average in program history trailing only Sean Tuohy (7.1), Jarvis Summers (5.2), Bob Mahoney (4.9), Rod Barnes (4.4), and Dave Shepherd (4.36).
I GOT ALL NUMBERS
The 2024-25 Ole Miss basketball roster boasts some serious career statistics. Six players have scored over 1,000 points in their collegiate career, including Matthew Murrell (1,492), Sean Pedulla (1,302), Dre Davis (1,183), Jaemyn Brakefield (1,159), Jaylen Murray (1,056), and Mikeal Brown-Jones (1,047).Davon Barnes (962) is on the cusp of hitting that mark as well. Entering the season, the team possessed 8,735 career points, 3,062 rebounds, 1,346 assists, 596 steals, and 327 blocks.
"I'M LIKE MAYONNAISE 'CAUSE I'M SMOOTH AND DANGEROUS TO LEAVE OPEN"
This year's roster possesses a mountain of shooting talent, notably from beyond the three-point arc. With over 900 career three-pointers made among the 2024-25 roster, the Rebels look to light it up from deep on offense this season. Among the current members of the Ole Miss roster, they made a total of 410 shots from three during the 2023-24 season, a total that would have ranked third in all of college basketball last year.
2023-24 Made Three Pointers (30+)
Matthew Murrell: 78
Jaylen Murray: 72
Davon Barnes: 59 (at Sam Houston)
Sean Pedulla: 53 (at Virginia Tech)
Malik Dia: 44 (at Belmont)
Jaemyn Brakefield: 38
Dre Davis: 35 (at Seton Hall)
A "DO-IT-ALL" SCHOOL
Only Ole Miss and Alabama currently hold a spot in the AP Top 25 in football, men's basketball, and women's basketball. On the gridiron, the Rebels rank No. 15 whlie men's hoops ranks No. 23 and the women No. 18.
SEASONED VETERANS
Featuring 10 seniors on the roster, Ole Miss returned the fourth-highest minutes-per-game figure among all "power-five" programs in the nation at 284.3, and the most in the SEC. In total, Ole Miss players have played in over 900 career collegiate games with over 500 starts. The Rebels are one of 18 programs in the nation that feature five or more players in at least their fifth year of college basketball.
MR. NOVEMBER
Second-year head coach Chris Beard remains undefeated in the month of November with the Ole Miss program, owning a record of 11-0. He is currently on a 20-game win streak when playing in the eleventh month of the year, and owns a career record as a Division I head coach of 46-6 (88.5%) in November.
EYES ON OXFORD
Ole Miss earned plenty of preseason recognition on the national stage leading into the 2024-25 season. Starting with the national polls, the Rebels were ranked in the preseason AP poll for just the second time in program history at No. 24, and earned a preseason ranking in the Coaches poll for the first time ever at No. 25. Ole Miss currently ranks No. 23 in the latest AP Poll and No. 24 in the Coaches Poll.
Other outlets that had Ole Miss in preseason rankings include: "ESPN's 'Way-Too-Early' Top 25" as high as No. 20, the "Field of 68" at No. 22, John Fanta's preseason top-25 at No. 24, Jon Rothstein's preseason rankings at No. 27, and a spot in the offseason bracketology by ESPN's Joe Lunardi, peaking at a No. 7 seed.
PRECURSORY HARDWARE
The college basketball world has high praise for not just the team, but for many of Ole Miss' players in advance to the 2024-25 season.
Matthew Murrell:
- John R. Wooden Award Preseason Watchlist
- Preseason All-SEC Second Team (Media)
- Preseason All-SEC Second Team (Coaches)
- Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Men's College Player of the Year Watchlist
- Jerry West SG of the Year Preseason Top 20 (Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame)
- No. 58 in the ESPN Preseason Top 100
Malik Dia:
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Preseason Top 20 (Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame)
Dre Davis:
- No. 78 in the ESPN Preseason Top 100
PROGRAM POINT PRESIDENTS
Seniors Matthew Murrell and Jaemyn Brakefield have each surpassed the 1,000-point mark during their careers here in Oxford, and have their sights set on the program leaderboard. Here's a snapshot of where they lie among the career points list at Ole Miss:
...
13. Terence Davis - 1,512
14. Aaron Harper - 1,505
15. Matthew Murrell - 1,492
16. Murphy Holloway - 1,476
...
36. Fred Cox - 1,105
37. Terrance Henry - 1,095
38. Jaemyn Brakefield - 1,081
39. Coolidge Ball - 1,072
A BIG TEN TEST
The Ole Miss squad got a great measurement of where they stand among the nation's best early, hosting Illinois for their charity exhibition on October 27. The Illini gave the Rebels a quick test before their regular season opener. Ole Miss rose to the challenge behind clutch shooting, scoring 51 points in the first half before eventually winning by 17 in a 91-74 contest. Malik Dia paced the Rebels with 18 points on 7-8 shooting, going 3-3 from three-point range while grabbing three steals on defense. Jaemyn Brakefield added 15 points and led the team with eight rebounds off the bench.
CHALLENGE ACCEPTED
Year two of the SEC/ACC Challenge has Ole Miss traveling to Louisville, Kentucky where they'll face the Cardinals on the ACC Network at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, December 3. Last year, the Rebels hosted NC State for the first game of the then-named ACC/SEC Challenge, picking up a 72-52 victory over the eventual NCAA Final Four Wolfpack.
HOOP IN THE 'SIP
On November's signing day, Chris Beard and staff added two top recruits to Athletic Financial Aid Agreements in Tylis Jordan and Patton Pinkins. The pair currently give Ole Miss a consensus top-25 recruiting class for 2025, ranked No. 12 in the nation by Rivals, No. 16 by On3, and No. 25 by 247Sports.
Tylis Jordan, PF, 6-9, 210, Wheeler, Louisville, Ga.
Jordan is a consensus top-100 recruit for the class of 2025, owning a national ranking as high as No. 27 in the country by On3 and No. 28 by Rivals. Listed as a power forward, the 6'9" Louisville, Ga. native is an incredibly skilled big man who can easily play with the ball in his hands.
He has the ability to stretch the floor with his shooting and is able to knock down threes. One of the top-ranked players in his class in the always-talented state of Georgia, Jordan averaged a double-double last season at Shiloh as a junior with 21.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per game, and is currently playing his senior season at Wheeler.
Patton Pinkins, SG, 6-5, 170, Frenship, Wolfforth, Texas
Another top-100 recruit, Pinkins is ranked as high as No. 74 in his class nationally by ESPN and No. 78 by Rivals. A 6'5" shooting guard from Wolfforth, Texas, he currently plays at Frenship High School, where he's described as an efficient player with a shooting percentage of over 60 percent from the field and over 40 percent from three.
Pinkins, the son of current Ole Miss assistant coach Al Pinkins, possess a high basketball IQ with strong passing ability. His ability as an on-ball defender pairs well with his prowess at scoring the basketball at all three levels.
IT STILL MEANS MORE
The gauntlet of the SEC got even tougher this season with the addition of Oklahoma and Texas to the conference for the 2024-25 academic year. With nine teams currently owning a spot in the AP Top 25, including Ole Miss, the schedule for the Rebels is littered with big games, especially at home in the SJB Pavilion. Between January 22 and February 4, Ole Miss will host No. 20 Texas A&M, No. 3 Auburn, Texas, and No. 8 Kentucky.
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 15th in school history in career points with 1,492, and fifth in both three-point shots made (223), and three-point attempts (630).
Three-Point Field Goals Made
1. 334, Chris Warren (115 games, 2008-11)
2. 278, Aaron Harper (123 games, 2001-04)
3. 267, Marshall Henderson (66 games, 2013-14)
4. 249, Keith Carter (117 games, 1996-99)
5. 223, Matthew Murrell (125 games, 2020-pres.)
6. 214, Joe Harvell (114 games, 1990-93)
7. 207, Breein Tyree (130 games, 2017-20)
8. 181, Stefan Moody (65 games, 2014-16)
9. 178, Devontae Shuler (124 games, 2018-21)
10. 176, Terence Davis (121 games (2016-19)
Three-Point Field Goals Attempted
1. 900, Chris Warren (115 games, 2008-11)
2. 771, Marshall Henderson (66 games, 2013-2014)
3. 720, Aaron Harper (123 games, 2001-04)
4. 686, Keith Carter (117 games, 1996-99)
5. 630, Matthew Murrell (125 games, 2020-pres.)
6. 581, Breein Tyree (130 games, 2017-20)
7. 528, Joe Harvell (114 games, 1990-93)
8. 523, Devontae Shuler (124 games, 2018-21)
9. 519, Terence Davis (121 games, 2016-19)
10. 494, Stefan Moody (65 games, 2015-16)
Murrell has his eyes set on entering the top-10 lists in multiple other categories as well, on the verge in: Career minutes played (Murrell at 3,607, 10th is Breein Tyree at 3,634), career games played (Murrell at 125, 10th is Jason Flanigan at 127), and career steals (Murrell at 133, 10th is Rahim Lockhart at 148).
