OXFORD, Miss. – The SEC schedule moves on for the No. 16 Ole Miss men's basketball team, as they are set to face their fourth-straight ranked team in No. 22 Missouri on the road Saturday, January 25 at 5 p.m. and on the SEC Network.
TEAM FACTS
No. 16/16 Ole Miss Rebels (Record: 15-4, 4-2 SEC)
Head Coach: Chris Beard • 2nd Season at Ole Miss (35-16) • 272-114 career record (13th Season)
No. 22/24 Missouri Tigers (Record: 15-4, 4-2 SEC)
Head Coach: Dennis Gates • 3rd Season at Missouri (48-38) • 98-78 career record (6th Season)
ON THE AIR
Television/Online: SEC Network
Play-by-Play: Richard Cross
Color: Jon Sundvold
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: David Kellum
Color: Marc Dukes
SERIES HISTORY VS. MISSOURI
The Rebels and Tigers met for the first time in January of 2013 after Missouri joined the SEC, with the Rebels earning a win at home over No. 10 Missouri 64-49 in the Tad Pad. After losing the second matchup a month later, Ole Miss won the next eight contests beginning and ending with victories in the SEC Tournament. In two games last season, the Rebels came out on top and lead the series when playing in Columbia, Mo. 7-4.
LAST MEETING: March 2, 2024 (W, 84-78, Columbia, Mo.)
• The Ole Miss defense came out rolling in the first half, holding the home Tigers to just 26 in the first half compared to 45 for the Rebels.
• Matthew Murrell (Ole Miss): 21 points, six rebounds, three assists, one steal.
• Sean East II (Missouri): 27 points, three assists, one steal.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
The 22nd-ranked team in the country, Missouri holds a 15-4 record on the season and 4-2 in conference action. Earlier in non-conference play, the Tigers picked up big wins over California and No. 1 Kansas, having recently defeated LSU, Vanderbilt, No. 5 Florida, and Arkansas. They currently hold a NET ranking of No. 26.
The team is led offensively by Duke transfer Mark Mitchell, who averages 13.4 points per game and a team-best 5.0 rebounds. Guard Caleb Grill helps lead the team from outside, making a Missouri-best 38 threes on the season including three games with six or more.
One of the strong suits of Missouri this season has been their ability to get to the free throw line, averaging 28.1 attempts per game and 20.2 makes per game (both third in the nation). Their depth off the bench has been key as well, as they average 36.7 bench points per game, the fourth-most in the country. They have been efficient in the turnover battle like Ole Miss this season, with a TO Margin of +4.4 to rank 17th in the NCAA.
Currently in his third season at Missouri, head coach Dennis Gates has accumulated 48 total victories with the Tigers, including a record of 25-10 in his inaugural year. He was previously the head coach at Cleveland State for three seasons, guiding them to the postseason twice.
AP FLOUR, SUGAR, SALT, BUTTER, AND WATER
Ole Miss has dominated the turnover battle this year, ranking third in the nation with a turnover margin of +6.8 while ranking seventh in turnovers per game at 9.4. The Rebels are forcing an average of 16.2 turnovers per contest which ranks 12th in the NCAA. Ole Miss' assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.70 also ranks among the nation's best at ninth, led by Jaylen Murray with a season ratio of 3.08. They've been a force on the defensive end with an average of 10.1 steals per game (seventh in NCAA), paced by Sean Pedulla, who ranks 20th in steals per game nationally.
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 +6.8, the Rebels own the third-best average in all of college basketball, forcing 16.2 per game (No. 12 in the NCAA) while committing just 9.4 to rank seventh in the NCAA.
They have held opponents to 60 points or less in five games this season, allowing an average of just 65.4 per contest, the 37th-fewest in the NCAA. Their field goal percentage defense of 40.4 ranks 47th in the country this season, and Ole Miss holds a record of 15-2 in two years under Beard when holding the opposition to under 40 percent from the field. Their defensive efforts at the three-point line has led to an opponent shooting percentage of just 29.3 on the season, the 25th-lowest mark in the country.
Ole Miss ranks among the top teams in the nation in steals per game at 10.1, the seventh-best clip in college basketball, and blocks per game at 4.7 to rank 43rd.
"HURRY UP AND GET YOUR MUSCLE UP, WE OUT THE PLYOMETRIC"
The grueling SEC schedule has arrived and Ole Miss has stepped up to the challenge so far. In game one, the Rebels faced a Georgia team that entered their matchup 12th in the nation in field goal percentage at 50.7 and 12th in the country in rebound margin at +10.4. Ole Miss responded by holding the Bulldogs to just 29.3 percent from the floor, and out-rebounding Georgia, just the second time UGA had lost a battle on the boards this season.
In game two at Arkansas, the Rebels faced another top team in shooting efficiency, as the Razorbacks entered with the ninth-best field goal percentage in the nation at 50.7. The Ole Miss defense held Arkansas to just 37.3 percent shooting, and once again out-rebounded a team entering with a positive rebound margin.
The Rebels then held LSU to just 40.7 percent from the field and 22.6 percent from deep. Their defense forced 17 turnovers with 12 steals, as five players recorded two swipes. On the road again at No. 4 Alabama, Ole Miss faced the No. 1 scoring offense in the country at 91.1 points per game and the eighth-ranked offensive rebounding team. The Rebels' defense held the Tide to just 64 points, snapping a 53-game streak of 70+ for Alabama, contained them to just 4 offensive rebounds, and forced 21 turnovers in the road win.
Across their six SEC games, Ole Miss has held their opponents to just 38.9 percent from the field, the second-best defensive effort in the league. From three-point range, they lead the SEC defensively by holding their opponents to just 24.5 percent shooting. Their clip of 65.5 allowed points per game is also second-best in the SEC.
I'LL TAKE THAT, PLEASE
Sean Pedulla has had a big impact for the Rebels on defense, forcing 45 steals for an average of 2.37 per game. The senior guard has collected a steal in 18 of 19 games during the 2024-25 season, grabbing multiple swipes in 14 games this year with a season-best of five against Oral Roberts. He currently ranks 20th in the NCAA in steals per game and 17th in total steals.
"POLL" POSITION
In the latest top-25 polls released this past Monday, Ole Miss ranks No. 16 in both the AP Poll and the USA Today Coaches Poll. Recently at No. 15 in the Coaches Poll on December 9, it was the highest ranking in a national poll since the Rebels were No. 14 in the AP Poll on January 4, 2010, and the highest position in the Coaches Poll since they sat in 15th on January 21 in 2008. Their current run of nine weeks in the top 25 is the longest streak since the 2009-10 season.
BATTLE TESTED
The future schedule for Ole Miss is one of the most difficult in the nation. As of January 23, they own the nation's third-toughest remaining strength of schedule according to ESPN's Basketball Power Index. Their remaining opponent's win percentage of 79.2 is the third highest in all of college basketball, and their cumulative strength-of-schedule win percentage of 70.2 is the fifth highest in the nation.
Among the SEC programs, Ole Miss is tied for the third-most quad-one victories with five.
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 gave Ole Miss a consensus top-25 recruiting class for 2025 on signing day, ranked No. 12 in the nation by Rivals, No. 16 by On3, and No. 25 by 247Sports. They were each recently named McDonald's All-American nominees on January 15, Jordan in the East and Pinkins in the West.
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. 28 in the country by On3 and 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. 78 in his class nationally 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.
NETWORKING
The 2024-25 NET Rankings made their debut on Monday, December 2 and Ole Miss has since climbed their way to No. 18 in the nation. Since the ranking's first iteration at the conclusion of the 2018-19 season, their ranking of 13th on January 20 is the highest-ever NET Ranking for the Ole Miss program.
As of January 23, the entire SEC is ranked among the top 100, with 13 of the 16 programs sitting inside the top 50, eight in the top 25, and four in the top 10.
LUNARDI SAYS "DANCE"
Updated each Tuesday and Friday, the latest bracketology from ESPN's Joe Lunardi has Ole Miss as a four seed in the West Region. They are projected by Lunardi to face 13-seed South Alabama in Seattle, paired with five-seeded Wisconsin and 12th-seeded Lipscomb. The highest seed for the Ole Miss program came in the 2001 tournament, when they were set as a three seed and reached the Sweet 16.
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 10th in school history in career points with 1,613, and fifth in both three-point shots made (239), and three-point attempts (682). He also ranks ninth in most field goal attempts at 1,329, and has entered the top-10 in career steals with 153, just behind Rod Barnes in ninth with 154.
I AM IRON MAN
A consistent member of the lineup for each of the past five seasons, Matthew Murrell ranks among the top 10 in both career minutes and games played. The guard recently broke the program record for total games played in an Ole Miss uniform, surpassing Zach Graham with 135, now at 136. Murrell has played in the fifth-most minutes for the program at 3,930, just behind John Stroud with 3,955.
PROGRAM POINT PRESIDENTS
Seniors Matthew Murrell and Jaemyn Brakefield have each surpassed the 1,000-point mark during their careers here in Oxford, and continue to climb the program leaderboard. Here's a snapshot of where they lie among the career points list at Ole Miss:
...
8. Keith Carter - 1,682
9. Jarvis Summers - 1,629
10. Matthew Murrell - 1,613
11. Joe Gibbon - 1,601
...
28. B.L. Graham - 1,259
29. Dwayne Curtis - 1,232
30. Jaemyn Brakefield - 1,219
31. Walter Actwood - 1,216
TEAM FACTS
No. 16/16 Ole Miss Rebels (Record: 15-4, 4-2 SEC)
Head Coach: Chris Beard • 2nd Season at Ole Miss (35-16) • 272-114 career record (13th Season)
No. 22/24 Missouri Tigers (Record: 15-4, 4-2 SEC)
Head Coach: Dennis Gates • 3rd Season at Missouri (48-38) • 98-78 career record (6th Season)
ON THE AIR
Television/Online: SEC Network
Play-by-Play: Richard Cross
Color: Jon Sundvold
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: David Kellum
Color: Marc Dukes
SERIES HISTORY VS. MISSOURI
The Rebels and Tigers met for the first time in January of 2013 after Missouri joined the SEC, with the Rebels earning a win at home over No. 10 Missouri 64-49 in the Tad Pad. After losing the second matchup a month later, Ole Miss won the next eight contests beginning and ending with victories in the SEC Tournament. In two games last season, the Rebels came out on top and lead the series when playing in Columbia, Mo. 7-4.
LAST MEETING: March 2, 2024 (W, 84-78, Columbia, Mo.)
• The Ole Miss defense came out rolling in the first half, holding the home Tigers to just 26 in the first half compared to 45 for the Rebels.
• Matthew Murrell (Ole Miss): 21 points, six rebounds, three assists, one steal.
• Sean East II (Missouri): 27 points, three assists, one steal.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
The 22nd-ranked team in the country, Missouri holds a 15-4 record on the season and 4-2 in conference action. Earlier in non-conference play, the Tigers picked up big wins over California and No. 1 Kansas, having recently defeated LSU, Vanderbilt, No. 5 Florida, and Arkansas. They currently hold a NET ranking of No. 26.
The team is led offensively by Duke transfer Mark Mitchell, who averages 13.4 points per game and a team-best 5.0 rebounds. Guard Caleb Grill helps lead the team from outside, making a Missouri-best 38 threes on the season including three games with six or more.
One of the strong suits of Missouri this season has been their ability to get to the free throw line, averaging 28.1 attempts per game and 20.2 makes per game (both third in the nation). Their depth off the bench has been key as well, as they average 36.7 bench points per game, the fourth-most in the country. They have been efficient in the turnover battle like Ole Miss this season, with a TO Margin of +4.4 to rank 17th in the NCAA.
Currently in his third season at Missouri, head coach Dennis Gates has accumulated 48 total victories with the Tigers, including a record of 25-10 in his inaugural year. He was previously the head coach at Cleveland State for three seasons, guiding them to the postseason twice.
AP FLOUR, SUGAR, SALT, BUTTER, AND WATER
Ole Miss has dominated the turnover battle this year, ranking third in the nation with a turnover margin of +6.8 while ranking seventh in turnovers per game at 9.4. The Rebels are forcing an average of 16.2 turnovers per contest which ranks 12th in the NCAA. Ole Miss' assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.70 also ranks among the nation's best at ninth, led by Jaylen Murray with a season ratio of 3.08. They've been a force on the defensive end with an average of 10.1 steals per game (seventh in NCAA), paced by Sean Pedulla, who ranks 20th in steals per game nationally.
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 +6.8, the Rebels own the third-best average in all of college basketball, forcing 16.2 per game (No. 12 in the NCAA) while committing just 9.4 to rank seventh in the NCAA.
They have held opponents to 60 points or less in five games this season, allowing an average of just 65.4 per contest, the 37th-fewest in the NCAA. Their field goal percentage defense of 40.4 ranks 47th in the country this season, and Ole Miss holds a record of 15-2 in two years under Beard when holding the opposition to under 40 percent from the field. Their defensive efforts at the three-point line has led to an opponent shooting percentage of just 29.3 on the season, the 25th-lowest mark in the country.
Ole Miss ranks among the top teams in the nation in steals per game at 10.1, the seventh-best clip in college basketball, and blocks per game at 4.7 to rank 43rd.
"HURRY UP AND GET YOUR MUSCLE UP, WE OUT THE PLYOMETRIC"
The grueling SEC schedule has arrived and Ole Miss has stepped up to the challenge so far. In game one, the Rebels faced a Georgia team that entered their matchup 12th in the nation in field goal percentage at 50.7 and 12th in the country in rebound margin at +10.4. Ole Miss responded by holding the Bulldogs to just 29.3 percent from the floor, and out-rebounding Georgia, just the second time UGA had lost a battle on the boards this season.
In game two at Arkansas, the Rebels faced another top team in shooting efficiency, as the Razorbacks entered with the ninth-best field goal percentage in the nation at 50.7. The Ole Miss defense held Arkansas to just 37.3 percent shooting, and once again out-rebounded a team entering with a positive rebound margin.
The Rebels then held LSU to just 40.7 percent from the field and 22.6 percent from deep. Their defense forced 17 turnovers with 12 steals, as five players recorded two swipes. On the road again at No. 4 Alabama, Ole Miss faced the No. 1 scoring offense in the country at 91.1 points per game and the eighth-ranked offensive rebounding team. The Rebels' defense held the Tide to just 64 points, snapping a 53-game streak of 70+ for Alabama, contained them to just 4 offensive rebounds, and forced 21 turnovers in the road win.
Across their six SEC games, Ole Miss has held their opponents to just 38.9 percent from the field, the second-best defensive effort in the league. From three-point range, they lead the SEC defensively by holding their opponents to just 24.5 percent shooting. Their clip of 65.5 allowed points per game is also second-best in the SEC.
I'LL TAKE THAT, PLEASE
Sean Pedulla has had a big impact for the Rebels on defense, forcing 45 steals for an average of 2.37 per game. The senior guard has collected a steal in 18 of 19 games during the 2024-25 season, grabbing multiple swipes in 14 games this year with a season-best of five against Oral Roberts. He currently ranks 20th in the NCAA in steals per game and 17th in total steals.
"POLL" POSITION
In the latest top-25 polls released this past Monday, Ole Miss ranks No. 16 in both the AP Poll and the USA Today Coaches Poll. Recently at No. 15 in the Coaches Poll on December 9, it was the highest ranking in a national poll since the Rebels were No. 14 in the AP Poll on January 4, 2010, and the highest position in the Coaches Poll since they sat in 15th on January 21 in 2008. Their current run of nine weeks in the top 25 is the longest streak since the 2009-10 season.
BATTLE TESTED
The future schedule for Ole Miss is one of the most difficult in the nation. As of January 23, they own the nation's third-toughest remaining strength of schedule according to ESPN's Basketball Power Index. Their remaining opponent's win percentage of 79.2 is the third highest in all of college basketball, and their cumulative strength-of-schedule win percentage of 70.2 is the fifth highest in the nation.
Among the SEC programs, Ole Miss is tied for the third-most quad-one victories with five.
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 gave Ole Miss a consensus top-25 recruiting class for 2025 on signing day, ranked No. 12 in the nation by Rivals, No. 16 by On3, and No. 25 by 247Sports. They were each recently named McDonald's All-American nominees on January 15, Jordan in the East and Pinkins in the West.
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. 28 in the country by On3 and 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. 78 in his class nationally 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.
NETWORKING
The 2024-25 NET Rankings made their debut on Monday, December 2 and Ole Miss has since climbed their way to No. 18 in the nation. Since the ranking's first iteration at the conclusion of the 2018-19 season, their ranking of 13th on January 20 is the highest-ever NET Ranking for the Ole Miss program.
As of January 23, the entire SEC is ranked among the top 100, with 13 of the 16 programs sitting inside the top 50, eight in the top 25, and four in the top 10.
LUNARDI SAYS "DANCE"
Updated each Tuesday and Friday, the latest bracketology from ESPN's Joe Lunardi has Ole Miss as a four seed in the West Region. They are projected by Lunardi to face 13-seed South Alabama in Seattle, paired with five-seeded Wisconsin and 12th-seeded Lipscomb. The highest seed for the Ole Miss program came in the 2001 tournament, when they were set as a three seed and reached the Sweet 16.
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 10th in school history in career points with 1,613, and fifth in both three-point shots made (239), and three-point attempts (682). He also ranks ninth in most field goal attempts at 1,329, and has entered the top-10 in career steals with 153, just behind Rod Barnes in ninth with 154.
I AM IRON MAN
A consistent member of the lineup for each of the past five seasons, Matthew Murrell ranks among the top 10 in both career minutes and games played. The guard recently broke the program record for total games played in an Ole Miss uniform, surpassing Zach Graham with 135, now at 136. Murrell has played in the fifth-most minutes for the program at 3,930, just behind John Stroud with 3,955.
PROGRAM POINT PRESIDENTS
Seniors Matthew Murrell and Jaemyn Brakefield have each surpassed the 1,000-point mark during their careers here in Oxford, and continue to climb the program leaderboard. Here's a snapshot of where they lie among the career points list at Ole Miss:
...
8. Keith Carter - 1,682
9. Jarvis Summers - 1,629
10. Matthew Murrell - 1,613
11. Joe Gibbon - 1,601
...
28. B.L. Graham - 1,259
29. Dwayne Curtis - 1,232
30. Jaemyn Brakefield - 1,219
31. Walter Actwood - 1,216
