ATHENS, Ga. – The 2023-24 regular season schedule is nearing its end, as the Ole Miss men's basketball team prepares for their final away game on the calendar at Georgia on Tuesday, March 5 at 6 p.m. CT on the SEC Network.
TEAM FACTS
Ole Miss Rebels (20-9, 7-9 SEC)
Head Coach: Chris Beard • 1st Season at Ole Miss (20-9) • 257-107 career record (12th Season)
Georgia Bulldogs (15-14, 5-11 SEC)
Head Coach: Mike White • 2nd Season at Georgia (31-30) • 274-158 career record (13th Season)
ON THE AIR
Television/Online: SEC Network
Play-by-Play: Kevin Fitzgerald
Color: Dane Bradshaw
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: David Kellum
Color: Marc Dukes
SERIES HISTORY VS. GEORGIA
This will be the 125th meeting between the Rebels and Bulldogs, with Georgia leading the all-time series 77-47. When playing in Athens, the home team has the advantage 43-16, however, Ole Miss has won the last two matchups and four of the last five on Georgia's campus.
LAST MEETING: FEBRUARY 7, 2023 (W, 78-74, ATHENS, GA.)
• Ole Miss led at halftime by one and was able to hold on for the road victory in a four-point win.
• Jaemyn Brakefield led the way with 24 points, going 11-15 from the field, while adding seven rebounds and four assists. Myles Burns added 20 points as well, grabbing six boards with a block and two steals on the defensive end.
• Braelen Bridges led the Bulldogs with 26 points and 11 rebounds, while Kario Oquendo added 19 points.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Georgia currently holds a record of 15-14 and 5-11 in SEC, and sit in 11th in the latest conference standings. The Bulldogs have dropped their last three matchups, vs. Auburn, at LSU, and back home vs. Texas A&M.
Noah Thomasson leads Georgia in scoring with an average of 12.8 points per game, while Jabri Abdur-Rahim sits just behind him at 12.2. Abdur-Rahim has helped his scoring numbers by being one of the more efficient shooters from the free throw line in the country. With a shooting percentage of 88.7 from the charity stripe, he ranks second in the SEC and 27th in all of college basketball.
As a team, Georgia has been one of the better teams at drawing opportunities at the free throw line, ranking No. 34 in the NCAA and fifth in the SEC in free throw attempts per game at 22.7. Their 16.7 makes from free throws also ranks 34th in the nation. The Bulldogs have shown of their depth much of the season, averaging 28.8 bench points per game, the fourth-best clip in the conference and 18th-best in the country.
In his second season at Georgia, Mike White joined the Bulldogs last year after spending the previous seven seasons at Florida where he compiled a 142-88 record. He got his first head coaching job at Louisiana Tech in 2011, where he coached for four years and led the Bulldogs to a 101-40 record. Prior to entering the head coaching ranks, White spent seven seasons as an assistant for the Ole Miss program under head coaches Rod Barnes and Andy Kennedy. A graduate of Ole Miss himself, White was a four-year starter for the Rebels basketball team, helping them win two SEC West titles and a trio of NCAA Tournament berths. His 370 career assists rank as the seventh-most in school history, after leading the team in assists per game all four of his seasons on campus.
THA BLOCK IS HOT
Ole Miss ranks fifth in college basketball averaging 5.9 blocks per game. The muscle in the paint for the Rebels has been Jamarion Sharp, who leads the SEC in blocks per game (2.46) and blocks (69), ranking 8th and 10th in the nation in each category, respectively.
With 172 blocks as a team, Ole Miss is on pace to enter the top five for most blocks in a season in program history. Sharp has been climbing the top-10 list for most blocks in a single season at Ole Miss, now with 69 which ties him for third with Reginald Buckner and Aaron Jones.
Blocked Shots in a Single Season
1. 98, Reginald Buckner (36 games, 2013)
2. 95, Reginald Buckner (34 games, 2011)
3. 69, Jamarion Sharp (28 games, 2024)
69, Aaron Jones (33 games, 2014)
69, Reginald Buckner (32 games, 2012)
6. 64, Reginald Buckner (31 games, 2010)
7. 56, David Dean (28 games, 1993)
8. 52, David Dean (22 games, 1994)
9. 49, Rahim Lockhart (35 games, 2001)
49, Sean Murphy (28 games, 1991)
A NEW 1K KING
With 12 points in Ole Miss' win over NC State, Matthew Murrell surpassed the 1,000-career point mark, becoming the 42nd student-athlete in program history to do so. Now at 1,419 points in his career with the Rebels, Murrell ranks 18th in school history and sits two points behind next on the list, Eric Laird.
16. Ansu Sesay (1994-98): 1,428
17. Eric Laird (1981-85): 1,421
18. Matthew Murrell (2020-): 1,419
19. Jack Waters (1958-61): 1,384
"THE FUTURE IS NOW, OLD MAN"
The 2024 early signing class for Ole Miss is already making its mark for the program. Ranked as the second-highest recruit according to 247Sports in school history, forward John Bol was selected to play in the prestigious McDonald's All-American game on April 2nd. The two rosters, representing the east and west, are made up of 24 of the best high school basketball players the country has to offer.
Joining Bol in the early signing period in November, Eduardo Klafke has enrolled at Ole Miss early and began taking classes in the 2024 spring semester. The guard, who trained with the NBA Academy Latin America, has been able to train with the team recently since beginning school.
PARTY IN THE 'SIP
After setting a record for student attendance on January 24th against Arkansas, the Ole Miss faithful showed out on January 30th for the basketball iteration of the Egg Bowl. Taking on in-state rival Mississippi State, the Rebels picked up an 86-82 victory in front of a record crowd of 10,630 fans. The attendance number topped the record by over 1,000 for the largest crowd at a basketball game in Ole Miss history, and is the fifth-largest crowd ever at an on-campus college basketball game in the state of Mississippi.
In their next game against Auburn, the Rebel fans came out in droves once again, as they filled the SJB Pavilion beyond capacity with the second-largest crowd at 9,631.
I'LL TAKE A 20 PIECE, PLEASE
Picking up their 20th win of the season at Missouri on March 2, Ole Miss recorded their 13th 20-win season since 2000. Chris Beard became the fourth-straight Ole Miss head coach to win 20 games or more in their first season, and the 29th coach in SEC history.
LOOKIN' FOR A DIME THAT'S TOP OF THE LINE
Against Mississippi State on January 30, Jaylen Murray put on a MasterClass in point-guard play. The junior dished out 11 assists to just one turnover, tying him for the 10th-most dimes in a single game in school history.
Murray didn't just dish out the points, as he scored a team-best 21 as well. He became the first player since Chris Warren in November of 2007 to score 20 or more points with 10 or more assists.
"PUT ME ANYWHERE ON GOD'S GREEN EARTH, I'LL TRIPLE MY WORTH"
Jaylen Murray has been on fire from the three-point line this season, sinking two or more shots from beyond the arc in 18 games, three or more in 12, and four or more in eight. The Bronx native is averaging 13.5 points on the season, is shooting 39.5 percent from three, and owns an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.38 while averaging 4.1 assists per game. Murray has hit a three-point shot in 25 of 29 games for Ole Miss this year.
SHARING IS CARING
With 22 assists on January 30 against Mississippi State and 20 assists on February 3 against Auburn, Ole Miss posted back-to-back 20-plus assist games against SEC opponents for the first time in 34 seasons. The last time that happened was February 14 and 17 in 1990, when they had 22 assists against Tennessee and 20 against Auburn.
"TEN OUGHTA DO IT, DON'T YOU THINK?"
On December 19 against Troy, Matthew Murrell secured 10 steals to set a new program record for Ole Miss, adding 18 points for the first double-double involving steals in school history. His 10 steals also tied the SEC record for most in a game, the most since 1991, and tie him for the 25th-most in a game in NCAA history. Murrell helped Ole Miss collect 16 steals in the game against Troy, setting a new SJB Pavilion record. With an average of 1.66 steals per game on the season, Murrell ranks seventh in the SEC.
THE ADVENTURES OF STEALY
The Rebels' defensive strength doesn't just come from blocks, as they rank third in the SEC in steals per game at 8.0 and rank 55th in all of college basketball. The team has secured double-digit steal performances in seven games this season, including a 16-steal game performance against Troy.
ALL-AMERICAN DR. PARTY
The Rebels hosted a block party on January 10 in the SJB Pavilion, setting a school record with 16 team blocks. Breaking the previous best by three, their total against the Gators tied the SEC record for most blocks in a conference game all-time. Ole Miss was led in the paint by forward Jamarion Sharp, who set a program record of his own with a nine-block performance.
A NEW ERA BEGINS
With the hiring of Chris Beard last March, the Ole Miss men's basketball program is prepared to take the next step forward, bringing in one of the most successful coaches of the last decade.
Compiling a record of 257-107 as an NCAA head coach since 2012, Beard holds one of the highest win percentages in the nation, ranking 14th among active head coaches with 10 or more years of experience at 70.6%.
The 2019 AP National Coach of the Year has led three different programs to the NCAA Tournament over the previous eight years, and is undefeated in the opening round at 5-0. His all-time record in the NCAA Tournament is 11-5 (.688).
A RECORD START
Ole Miss matched the program record for best start to a season and longest overall win streak, going a perfect 13-0 in non-conference play (also in 2007-08). The Rebels were one of three teams in the nation to start 13-0, joined by James Madison and Houston.
Ole Miss is the third different program head coach Chris Beard has taken to a 10-0 start to begin a season during his nine years as a Division-I coach, having done so in 2015-16 with Little Rock and 2018-19 at Texas Tech.
"I TAKE THE WORK, FLIP IT, ACROBATIC"
Ole Miss has shown elite ball control and movement on the offensive side. With a total of 443 assists compared to 315 turnovers, the Rebels' ratio of 1.41 ranks 49th in the nation.
The team is led in assists by Jaylen Murray (119 assists to 50 turnovers), who ranks fourth in the SEC in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.38) and eighth in assists per game (4.1).
*MIKE BREEN VOICE* "BANG!"
Shooting 37.7 percent from the three-point line this season, Ole Miss currently ranks 19th in the country in efficiency beyond the arc and second in the SEC. The Rebels have shot 50 percent or better from deep six times, the most in a single season since they hit that mark or better six times during the 2011-12 campaign.
• Nov. 14 vs. Detroit Mercy: 9-18 (50.0%)
• Nov. 22 at Temple: 10-18 (55.6%)
• Dec. 2 vs. Memphis: 11-22 (50.0%)
• Dec. 16 vs. California: 12-21 (57.1%)
• Dec. 23 vs. Southern Miss: 11-19 (57.9%)
• Feb. 17 vs. Missouri: 11-21 (52.4%)
CLIMBING THE LEADERBOARDS
Senior Matthew Murrell has been a consistent threat from three-point range throughout his four years at Ole Miss. This season, he has entered the top-10 career lists in school history for three-point field goals made and attempts.
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. 214, Matthew Murrell (118 games, 2020-)
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. 600, Matthew Murrell (118 games, 2020-)
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)
AMONG THE BEST
Forwards Jamarion Sharp and Moussa Cisse rank among the nation's best in active career leaders in a handful of statistical categories. After becoming the fifth player ever to lead the NCAA in blocks in two seasons, Sharp ranks first in both career blocks (348) and career blocked shots per game (3.78). Establishing himself as a premier shot blocker as well, Cisse ranks 20th in blocks per game (1.73) and 20th in total blocks (194). Cisse also ranks 79th among active players in total rebounds with 730.
Sharp ranks as the second-most efficient active shot maker in the nation as well, with a career field goal percentage of 66.4. While he doesn't qualify for the minimum made field goals for the all-time list, his career field goal percentage would tie him for the eighth highest in college basketball history.
SKEE-LO'S HERO
Transfer forward Jamarion Sharp stands as the tallest student-athlete in NCAA Division I men's basketball this season at 7'5", a title he has held for three-straight seasons now, and is even listed as one of the tallest living humans on Wikipedia. After spending his first two college years at John A. Logan College, Sharp played two years at Western Kentucky from 2021 to 2023. In 64 games played, he averaged 7.8 points per game, 7.6 rebounds per game, and became just the fifth person ever to lead the NCAA in blocks twice. His margin of 3.78 blocks per game during his career is currently tied for the 18th-best average in college basketball history, while his 348 total blocks are 55th all time. Against Vanderbilt on January 13, Sharp passed former Rebel-great Reginald Buckner who had 326 swats during his career.
With career block No. 300, Sharp became the 95th player in NCAA history to hit that mark. He is one of just 14 on that list to hit the 300-block mark in three years or less.
Career Blocked Shot Average (min. 225 blocks)
1. 5.87 - Keith Closs, Central Conn. St. (54 GP, 317 blks.)
2. 5.66 - Adonal Foyle, Colgate (87 GP, 492 blks.)
3. 5.34 - Shawn James, Northeastern/Duquesne (83 GP, 443 blks.)
4. 5.24 - David Robinson, Navy (67 GP, 351 blks.)
5. 4.66 - Mickell Gladness, Alabama A&M (85 GP, 396 blks.)
6. 4.65 - Wojciech Myrda, La.-Monroe (115 GP, 535 blks.)
7. 4.58 - Shaquille O'Neal, LSU (90 GP, 412 blks.)
8. 4.48 - Jerome James, Florida A&M (81 GP, 363 blks.)
9. 4.42 - Deng Gai, Fairfield (100 GP, 442 blks.)
10. 4.28 - Emeka Okafor, UConn (103 GP, 441 blks.)
11. 4.21 - Justin Williams, Wyoming (58 GP, 244 blks.)
12. 4.17 - Hasheem Thabeet, UConn (100 GP, 417 blks.)
13. 4.11 - Justin Rowe, Maine (55 GP, 226 blks.)
14. 4.00 - Jarvis Varnado, Mississippi St. (141 GP, 564 blks.)
15. 3.96 - Travis Williams, Hampton (114 GP, 452 blks.)
16. 3.87 - Lorenzo Coleman, Tennessee Tech (113 GP, 437 blks.)
17. 3.83 - Theo Ratliff, Wyoming (111GP, 425 blks.)
t18. 3.78 - Alonzo Mourning, Georgetown (120 GP, 453 blks.)
t18. 3.78 - Jamarion Sharp, Western Ky./Ole Miss (92 GP, 348 blks.)
19. 3.76 - Tim Duncan, Wake Forest (128 GP, 481 blks.)
Career Blocked Shots
53. 354 - Dikembe Mutombo, Georgetown
54. 349 - Kyle Hines, UNC Greensboro
55. 348 - Jamarion Sharp, Western Ky./Ole Miss
t56. 346 - Brian Skinner, Baylor
t56. 346 - Charles Smith, Pittsburgh
TEAM FACTS
Ole Miss Rebels (20-9, 7-9 SEC)
Head Coach: Chris Beard • 1st Season at Ole Miss (20-9) • 257-107 career record (12th Season)
Georgia Bulldogs (15-14, 5-11 SEC)
Head Coach: Mike White • 2nd Season at Georgia (31-30) • 274-158 career record (13th Season)
ON THE AIR
Television/Online: SEC Network
Play-by-Play: Kevin Fitzgerald
Color: Dane Bradshaw
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: David Kellum
Color: Marc Dukes
SERIES HISTORY VS. GEORGIA
This will be the 125th meeting between the Rebels and Bulldogs, with Georgia leading the all-time series 77-47. When playing in Athens, the home team has the advantage 43-16, however, Ole Miss has won the last two matchups and four of the last five on Georgia's campus.
LAST MEETING: FEBRUARY 7, 2023 (W, 78-74, ATHENS, GA.)
• Ole Miss led at halftime by one and was able to hold on for the road victory in a four-point win.
• Jaemyn Brakefield led the way with 24 points, going 11-15 from the field, while adding seven rebounds and four assists. Myles Burns added 20 points as well, grabbing six boards with a block and two steals on the defensive end.
• Braelen Bridges led the Bulldogs with 26 points and 11 rebounds, while Kario Oquendo added 19 points.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Georgia currently holds a record of 15-14 and 5-11 in SEC, and sit in 11th in the latest conference standings. The Bulldogs have dropped their last three matchups, vs. Auburn, at LSU, and back home vs. Texas A&M.
Noah Thomasson leads Georgia in scoring with an average of 12.8 points per game, while Jabri Abdur-Rahim sits just behind him at 12.2. Abdur-Rahim has helped his scoring numbers by being one of the more efficient shooters from the free throw line in the country. With a shooting percentage of 88.7 from the charity stripe, he ranks second in the SEC and 27th in all of college basketball.
As a team, Georgia has been one of the better teams at drawing opportunities at the free throw line, ranking No. 34 in the NCAA and fifth in the SEC in free throw attempts per game at 22.7. Their 16.7 makes from free throws also ranks 34th in the nation. The Bulldogs have shown of their depth much of the season, averaging 28.8 bench points per game, the fourth-best clip in the conference and 18th-best in the country.
In his second season at Georgia, Mike White joined the Bulldogs last year after spending the previous seven seasons at Florida where he compiled a 142-88 record. He got his first head coaching job at Louisiana Tech in 2011, where he coached for four years and led the Bulldogs to a 101-40 record. Prior to entering the head coaching ranks, White spent seven seasons as an assistant for the Ole Miss program under head coaches Rod Barnes and Andy Kennedy. A graduate of Ole Miss himself, White was a four-year starter for the Rebels basketball team, helping them win two SEC West titles and a trio of NCAA Tournament berths. His 370 career assists rank as the seventh-most in school history, after leading the team in assists per game all four of his seasons on campus.
THA BLOCK IS HOT
Ole Miss ranks fifth in college basketball averaging 5.9 blocks per game. The muscle in the paint for the Rebels has been Jamarion Sharp, who leads the SEC in blocks per game (2.46) and blocks (69), ranking 8th and 10th in the nation in each category, respectively.
With 172 blocks as a team, Ole Miss is on pace to enter the top five for most blocks in a season in program history. Sharp has been climbing the top-10 list for most blocks in a single season at Ole Miss, now with 69 which ties him for third with Reginald Buckner and Aaron Jones.
Blocked Shots in a Single Season
1. 98, Reginald Buckner (36 games, 2013)
2. 95, Reginald Buckner (34 games, 2011)
3. 69, Jamarion Sharp (28 games, 2024)
69, Aaron Jones (33 games, 2014)
69, Reginald Buckner (32 games, 2012)
6. 64, Reginald Buckner (31 games, 2010)
7. 56, David Dean (28 games, 1993)
8. 52, David Dean (22 games, 1994)
9. 49, Rahim Lockhart (35 games, 2001)
49, Sean Murphy (28 games, 1991)
A NEW 1K KING
With 12 points in Ole Miss' win over NC State, Matthew Murrell surpassed the 1,000-career point mark, becoming the 42nd student-athlete in program history to do so. Now at 1,419 points in his career with the Rebels, Murrell ranks 18th in school history and sits two points behind next on the list, Eric Laird.
16. Ansu Sesay (1994-98): 1,428
17. Eric Laird (1981-85): 1,421
18. Matthew Murrell (2020-): 1,419
19. Jack Waters (1958-61): 1,384
"THE FUTURE IS NOW, OLD MAN"
The 2024 early signing class for Ole Miss is already making its mark for the program. Ranked as the second-highest recruit according to 247Sports in school history, forward John Bol was selected to play in the prestigious McDonald's All-American game on April 2nd. The two rosters, representing the east and west, are made up of 24 of the best high school basketball players the country has to offer.
Joining Bol in the early signing period in November, Eduardo Klafke has enrolled at Ole Miss early and began taking classes in the 2024 spring semester. The guard, who trained with the NBA Academy Latin America, has been able to train with the team recently since beginning school.
PARTY IN THE 'SIP
After setting a record for student attendance on January 24th against Arkansas, the Ole Miss faithful showed out on January 30th for the basketball iteration of the Egg Bowl. Taking on in-state rival Mississippi State, the Rebels picked up an 86-82 victory in front of a record crowd of 10,630 fans. The attendance number topped the record by over 1,000 for the largest crowd at a basketball game in Ole Miss history, and is the fifth-largest crowd ever at an on-campus college basketball game in the state of Mississippi.
In their next game against Auburn, the Rebel fans came out in droves once again, as they filled the SJB Pavilion beyond capacity with the second-largest crowd at 9,631.
I'LL TAKE A 20 PIECE, PLEASE
Picking up their 20th win of the season at Missouri on March 2, Ole Miss recorded their 13th 20-win season since 2000. Chris Beard became the fourth-straight Ole Miss head coach to win 20 games or more in their first season, and the 29th coach in SEC history.
LOOKIN' FOR A DIME THAT'S TOP OF THE LINE
Against Mississippi State on January 30, Jaylen Murray put on a MasterClass in point-guard play. The junior dished out 11 assists to just one turnover, tying him for the 10th-most dimes in a single game in school history.
Murray didn't just dish out the points, as he scored a team-best 21 as well. He became the first player since Chris Warren in November of 2007 to score 20 or more points with 10 or more assists.
"PUT ME ANYWHERE ON GOD'S GREEN EARTH, I'LL TRIPLE MY WORTH"
Jaylen Murray has been on fire from the three-point line this season, sinking two or more shots from beyond the arc in 18 games, three or more in 12, and four or more in eight. The Bronx native is averaging 13.5 points on the season, is shooting 39.5 percent from three, and owns an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.38 while averaging 4.1 assists per game. Murray has hit a three-point shot in 25 of 29 games for Ole Miss this year.
SHARING IS CARING
With 22 assists on January 30 against Mississippi State and 20 assists on February 3 against Auburn, Ole Miss posted back-to-back 20-plus assist games against SEC opponents for the first time in 34 seasons. The last time that happened was February 14 and 17 in 1990, when they had 22 assists against Tennessee and 20 against Auburn.
"TEN OUGHTA DO IT, DON'T YOU THINK?"
On December 19 against Troy, Matthew Murrell secured 10 steals to set a new program record for Ole Miss, adding 18 points for the first double-double involving steals in school history. His 10 steals also tied the SEC record for most in a game, the most since 1991, and tie him for the 25th-most in a game in NCAA history. Murrell helped Ole Miss collect 16 steals in the game against Troy, setting a new SJB Pavilion record. With an average of 1.66 steals per game on the season, Murrell ranks seventh in the SEC.
THE ADVENTURES OF STEALY
The Rebels' defensive strength doesn't just come from blocks, as they rank third in the SEC in steals per game at 8.0 and rank 55th in all of college basketball. The team has secured double-digit steal performances in seven games this season, including a 16-steal game performance against Troy.
ALL-AMERICAN DR. PARTY
The Rebels hosted a block party on January 10 in the SJB Pavilion, setting a school record with 16 team blocks. Breaking the previous best by three, their total against the Gators tied the SEC record for most blocks in a conference game all-time. Ole Miss was led in the paint by forward Jamarion Sharp, who set a program record of his own with a nine-block performance.
A NEW ERA BEGINS
With the hiring of Chris Beard last March, the Ole Miss men's basketball program is prepared to take the next step forward, bringing in one of the most successful coaches of the last decade.
Compiling a record of 257-107 as an NCAA head coach since 2012, Beard holds one of the highest win percentages in the nation, ranking 14th among active head coaches with 10 or more years of experience at 70.6%.
The 2019 AP National Coach of the Year has led three different programs to the NCAA Tournament over the previous eight years, and is undefeated in the opening round at 5-0. His all-time record in the NCAA Tournament is 11-5 (.688).
A RECORD START
Ole Miss matched the program record for best start to a season and longest overall win streak, going a perfect 13-0 in non-conference play (also in 2007-08). The Rebels were one of three teams in the nation to start 13-0, joined by James Madison and Houston.
Ole Miss is the third different program head coach Chris Beard has taken to a 10-0 start to begin a season during his nine years as a Division-I coach, having done so in 2015-16 with Little Rock and 2018-19 at Texas Tech.
"I TAKE THE WORK, FLIP IT, ACROBATIC"
Ole Miss has shown elite ball control and movement on the offensive side. With a total of 443 assists compared to 315 turnovers, the Rebels' ratio of 1.41 ranks 49th in the nation.
The team is led in assists by Jaylen Murray (119 assists to 50 turnovers), who ranks fourth in the SEC in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.38) and eighth in assists per game (4.1).
*MIKE BREEN VOICE* "BANG!"
Shooting 37.7 percent from the three-point line this season, Ole Miss currently ranks 19th in the country in efficiency beyond the arc and second in the SEC. The Rebels have shot 50 percent or better from deep six times, the most in a single season since they hit that mark or better six times during the 2011-12 campaign.
• Nov. 14 vs. Detroit Mercy: 9-18 (50.0%)
• Nov. 22 at Temple: 10-18 (55.6%)
• Dec. 2 vs. Memphis: 11-22 (50.0%)
• Dec. 16 vs. California: 12-21 (57.1%)
• Dec. 23 vs. Southern Miss: 11-19 (57.9%)
• Feb. 17 vs. Missouri: 11-21 (52.4%)
CLIMBING THE LEADERBOARDS
Senior Matthew Murrell has been a consistent threat from three-point range throughout his four years at Ole Miss. This season, he has entered the top-10 career lists in school history for three-point field goals made and attempts.
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. 214, Matthew Murrell (118 games, 2020-)
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. 600, Matthew Murrell (118 games, 2020-)
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)
AMONG THE BEST
Forwards Jamarion Sharp and Moussa Cisse rank among the nation's best in active career leaders in a handful of statistical categories. After becoming the fifth player ever to lead the NCAA in blocks in two seasons, Sharp ranks first in both career blocks (348) and career blocked shots per game (3.78). Establishing himself as a premier shot blocker as well, Cisse ranks 20th in blocks per game (1.73) and 20th in total blocks (194). Cisse also ranks 79th among active players in total rebounds with 730.
Sharp ranks as the second-most efficient active shot maker in the nation as well, with a career field goal percentage of 66.4. While he doesn't qualify for the minimum made field goals for the all-time list, his career field goal percentage would tie him for the eighth highest in college basketball history.
SKEE-LO'S HERO
Transfer forward Jamarion Sharp stands as the tallest student-athlete in NCAA Division I men's basketball this season at 7'5", a title he has held for three-straight seasons now, and is even listed as one of the tallest living humans on Wikipedia. After spending his first two college years at John A. Logan College, Sharp played two years at Western Kentucky from 2021 to 2023. In 64 games played, he averaged 7.8 points per game, 7.6 rebounds per game, and became just the fifth person ever to lead the NCAA in blocks twice. His margin of 3.78 blocks per game during his career is currently tied for the 18th-best average in college basketball history, while his 348 total blocks are 55th all time. Against Vanderbilt on January 13, Sharp passed former Rebel-great Reginald Buckner who had 326 swats during his career.
With career block No. 300, Sharp became the 95th player in NCAA history to hit that mark. He is one of just 14 on that list to hit the 300-block mark in three years or less.
Career Blocked Shot Average (min. 225 blocks)
1. 5.87 - Keith Closs, Central Conn. St. (54 GP, 317 blks.)
2. 5.66 - Adonal Foyle, Colgate (87 GP, 492 blks.)
3. 5.34 - Shawn James, Northeastern/Duquesne (83 GP, 443 blks.)
4. 5.24 - David Robinson, Navy (67 GP, 351 blks.)
5. 4.66 - Mickell Gladness, Alabama A&M (85 GP, 396 blks.)
6. 4.65 - Wojciech Myrda, La.-Monroe (115 GP, 535 blks.)
7. 4.58 - Shaquille O'Neal, LSU (90 GP, 412 blks.)
8. 4.48 - Jerome James, Florida A&M (81 GP, 363 blks.)
9. 4.42 - Deng Gai, Fairfield (100 GP, 442 blks.)
10. 4.28 - Emeka Okafor, UConn (103 GP, 441 blks.)
11. 4.21 - Justin Williams, Wyoming (58 GP, 244 blks.)
12. 4.17 - Hasheem Thabeet, UConn (100 GP, 417 blks.)
13. 4.11 - Justin Rowe, Maine (55 GP, 226 blks.)
14. 4.00 - Jarvis Varnado, Mississippi St. (141 GP, 564 blks.)
15. 3.96 - Travis Williams, Hampton (114 GP, 452 blks.)
16. 3.87 - Lorenzo Coleman, Tennessee Tech (113 GP, 437 blks.)
17. 3.83 - Theo Ratliff, Wyoming (111GP, 425 blks.)
t18. 3.78 - Alonzo Mourning, Georgetown (120 GP, 453 blks.)
t18. 3.78 - Jamarion Sharp, Western Ky./Ole Miss (92 GP, 348 blks.)
19. 3.76 - Tim Duncan, Wake Forest (128 GP, 481 blks.)
Career Blocked Shots
53. 354 - Dikembe Mutombo, Georgetown
54. 349 - Kyle Hines, UNC Greensboro
55. 348 - Jamarion Sharp, Western Ky./Ole Miss
t56. 346 - Brian Skinner, Baylor
t56. 346 - Charles Smith, Pittsburgh
