From UM Media Relations:
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Ole Miss men's basketball team will travel to face the Missouri Tigers in the final game of their regular season schedule on Saturday, March 4 at 2:30 p.m. on the SEC Network.
TEAM FACTS
Ole Miss Rebels (11-19, 3-14 SEC)
Acting Head Coach: Win Case • 1st Season at Ole Miss (1-1) • 393-170 career record as head coach across all NCAA divisions, NAIA, and NJCAA (17th Season)
Missouri Tigers (22-8, 10-7 SEC)
Head Coach: Dennis Gates • 1st Season at Missouri (22-8) • 72-48 career record (4th Season)
ON THE AIR
Television/Online: SEC Network
Play-by-Play: Richard Cross
Color: Richard Hendrix
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: David Kellum
Color: Marc Dukes
SERIES HISTORY VS. MISSOURI
This will be the second meeting between the Rebels and Tigers of the season, and 23rd matchup in the series' history. Despite suffering a loss in the first contest of the year, Ole Miss still holds the series advantage 15-7. However, the Tigers have won four consecutive games and most recently evened the series 5-5 over the last 10. When playing in Columbia, the Rebels own a 6-3 lead, as well as a 7-3 record in Oxford and 2-1 record at neutral sites.
LAST MEETING: JANUARY 24, 2023 (L, 77-89, OXFORD, MISS.)
• Missouri took the lead from Ole Miss less than four minutes into the action, holding in front for the rest of the evening.
• The Rebels were led by Daeshun Ruffin with 18 points, with Jaemyn Brakefield adding 15.
• Missouri had a pair of players hit the 20-point mark, as D'Moi Hodge scored 24 and Isiaih Mosley scored 20.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
With a record of 22-8 overall and 10-7 in conference, Missouri enters Saturday's regular season finale in fifth place in the SEC standings. The Tigers currently own a three-game winning streak, having defeated Mississippi State, Georgia, and LSU. Missouri has been dominant when playing on their home court, owning a record in Mizzou Arena of 15-3 this season.
Missouri has been paced offensively this season by Kobe Brown, who ranks seventh in the SEC with an average of 15.9 points per game. However, the senior is coming off back-to-back games with eight points scored. Averaging 14.3 points on the year, D'Moi Hodge has helped the Tigers immensely during their three-game win streak, averaging 19.0 points over the last trio of contests. Hodge also leads the SEC and ranks third in the nation with 78 steals, averaging 2.6 per game. A large part of Hodge's game offensively has come from deep, as he ranks second in the conference in three pointers attempted (216), made (87), and three-point percentage (40.3%).
The Tigers ranks second in college basketball in steals per game (10.5) and turnover margin (+5.8), forcing 17.4 turnovers per game. Missouri also ranks among the best in the nation in assists per game (18th, 16.4), three pointers per game (19th, 9.5), bench points per game (19th, 27.0), and fastbreak points per game (20th, 13.9).
IT'S MISTER STEAL-YOUR-PASS
Fifth-year transfer Myles Burns has been a defensive powerhouse this season for the Rebels, collecting 68 steals. He stepped into the top-10 for most in a single season at Ole Miss in style on February 18, recording seven steals to tie for the third-most in a single game in school history. Combined with six steals at Auburn, his 13 steals in back-to-back games are the most ever in school history in a two-game stretch.
Entering Saturday's game against Missouri, Burns currently ranks fourth in program history for the most steals in a single season at Ole Miss.
Ole Miss Basketball - Most Steals in a Single Season
1. 89 Gerald Glass (30 games, 1989)
2. 73 Jason Smith (33 games, 1999)
3. 70 Gerald Glass (30 games, 1990)
4. 68 Myles Burns (30 games, 2023)
5. 58 Murphy Holloway (36 games, 2013)
Rod Barnes (29 games, 1988)
7. 57 Stefan Moody (34 games, 2015)
8. 56 Devontae Shuler (33 games, 2019)
9. 55 Rahim Lockhart (33 games, 2000)
Ervin Garnes (27 games, 1994)
Eric Laird (28 games, 1984)
A DEFENSIVE GOAT
Recording a steal in the closing moments of the first half against Missouri on Jan. 24, senior transfer Myles Burns collected the 400th steal of his collegiate career. Joining the Ole Miss program from Loyola New Orleans of the NAIA, Burns brought 358 steals from his four-time NAIA All-American career and has collected 68 since coming to Oxford. Counting his stats from the NAIA, Burns would become just the sixth person in NCAA men's basketball history across all divisions to collect 400 career steals, and would rank fourth all time.
400 Career NCAA Steals List
1. Calvin Cheek, New England Col. (III), 2017-22: 580 steals
2. Jacob Gilyard, Richmond (I), 2017-22: 466 steals
3. Tennyson Whitted, Ramapo (III), 1999-2003: 448 steals
4. Jonte Flowers, Winona St. (II), 2004-08: 414 steals
5. John Gallogly, Salve Regina (III), 1994-98: 413 steals
*Myles Burns - 426 steals (including stats from NAIA)
BEEN STEPH CURRY WITH THE SHOT
On February 28 against Texas A&M, Matthew Murrell connected on eight makes from three, setting a career high and tying the SJB Pavilion record for most threes in a single game. His eight three pointers tied him for the third-most in a single game in school history, with the most recent occurrence coming in December 2019 by Breein Tyree. Murrell's performance also marks the most shots from deep by a player in the SEC this season.
ANOTHER ONE
With an average of 12.3 offensive rebounds per game, the Rebels have been among the best in the country in earning second chances on the glass, currently ranking 27th in the nation. The team is led by senior Myles Burns with 71 offensive rebounds (2.4 per game). On the season, Ole Miss is outscoring their opponents by 42 in second chance points 370 to 328.
THROUGH THE FIRE
Ole Miss has faced off with some of the best competition college basketball has to offer, as the Rebels current cumulative strength of schedule ranks 32nd in the nation. With a combined opponent record of 518-369 (0.584), they have played against foes with a current NET ranking in the top-100 17 times, including 13 games against a foe in the top-50 and two in the top-five.
BLOCK PARTY
The Ole Miss defense currently averages 68.9 points allowed per game, only letting their opponents top 70 points 10 times this year. A major part of their defensive identity has been enforcing the paint, as the Rebels rank 64th in the country in blocks per game (4.0). They are led down low by senior transfers Theo Akwuba (31 total blocks, 1.1 per game) and Jayveous McKinnis (30 total blocks, 1.0 per game).
On January 3 at No. 7 Alabama, Akwuba and McKinnis combined for seven blocks, with Akwuba's four bringing his collegiate career total to 200 (now at 213). He and McKinnis (262 career blocks) are the only two teammates in college basketball with over 200 swats in their careers, and each rank among the top-25 in active career leaders.
MB2K
Myles Burns scored 1,852 points during his career at Loyola New Orleans, and surpassed the 2,000-career points mark on February 4 at Vanderbilt with a dunk on an alley-oop. If his NAIA stats transferred to the NCAA, he would be one of just five active players across all divisions in college basketball with at least 2,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds. Other active student-athletes with at least 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds are Jayden Gardner (Virginia), KJ Williams (LSU), Kevin Obanor (Texas Tech), and Jordan Janssen (Wayne St. (NE)).
Burns would also be just one of three active players across all divisions with at least 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 100 steals, and 100 blocks in their career. Janssen of Wayne St. (NE) and Williams of LSU would be the only other active members of that club.
Myles Burns Collegiate Career Totals
Games Played: 150
Games Started: 138
Points: 2,084 (13.9/game)
Rebounds: 1,247 (8.3/game)
Steals: 426 (2.8/game)
Assists: 338 (2.3/game)
Blocks: 129 (0.9/game)
THEM REBS MOVE FAST
Ole Miss has been quick to react on defensive rebounds and turnovers, outscoring their opponents on fast-break opportunities by 111 this season (313-202). The Rebels have recorded more fast-break points than the other team in 21 of their 30 games.
THE MAGIC NUMBER IS 20
Junior guard Matthew Murrell has scored 20 or more points eight times this season, and averages 15.0 per game. A large part of his offense has come from deep, as he has made 59 threes on the year. Over a four-game stretch against Mississippi State, Auburn, Georgia, and South Carolina from Jan. 7-17, Murrell averaged 19.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game, while shooting 44.1% from the field and connecting on 10 threes.
EXPERIENCE FROM THE PORTAL
Ole Miss went into the portal looking for experienced big men, and came away with four of the most well-seasoned options available. Those four senior transfers -- F Theo Akwuba, F Myles Burns, F Josh Mballa and F Jayveous McKinnis -- hold an incredible combined career stat lines across their respective careers prior to Ole Miss:
Combined Career Stats (NAIA included for Burns):
• 530 games played
• 392 games started
• 5,204 points
• 3,909 rebounds
• 702 steals (426 from Burns alone)
• 679 blocks
| OLE MISS (11-19, 3-14 SEC) at MISSOURI (22-8, 10-7 SEC) Saturday, March 4 • 2:30 p.m. CT • Columbia, Mo. Mizzou Arena (15,061) 
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| Watch • Live Stats • Listen Ole Miss Game Notes • Missouri Game Notes • SEC Game Notes |
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Ole Miss men's basketball team will travel to face the Missouri Tigers in the final game of their regular season schedule on Saturday, March 4 at 2:30 p.m. on the SEC Network.
TEAM FACTS
Ole Miss Rebels (11-19, 3-14 SEC)
Acting Head Coach: Win Case • 1st Season at Ole Miss (1-1) • 393-170 career record as head coach across all NCAA divisions, NAIA, and NJCAA (17th Season)
Missouri Tigers (22-8, 10-7 SEC)
Head Coach: Dennis Gates • 1st Season at Missouri (22-8) • 72-48 career record (4th Season)
ON THE AIR
Television/Online: SEC Network
Play-by-Play: Richard Cross
Color: Richard Hendrix
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: David Kellum
Color: Marc Dukes
SERIES HISTORY VS. MISSOURI
This will be the second meeting between the Rebels and Tigers of the season, and 23rd matchup in the series' history. Despite suffering a loss in the first contest of the year, Ole Miss still holds the series advantage 15-7. However, the Tigers have won four consecutive games and most recently evened the series 5-5 over the last 10. When playing in Columbia, the Rebels own a 6-3 lead, as well as a 7-3 record in Oxford and 2-1 record at neutral sites.
LAST MEETING: JANUARY 24, 2023 (L, 77-89, OXFORD, MISS.)
• Missouri took the lead from Ole Miss less than four minutes into the action, holding in front for the rest of the evening.
• The Rebels were led by Daeshun Ruffin with 18 points, with Jaemyn Brakefield adding 15.
• Missouri had a pair of players hit the 20-point mark, as D'Moi Hodge scored 24 and Isiaih Mosley scored 20.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
With a record of 22-8 overall and 10-7 in conference, Missouri enters Saturday's regular season finale in fifth place in the SEC standings. The Tigers currently own a three-game winning streak, having defeated Mississippi State, Georgia, and LSU. Missouri has been dominant when playing on their home court, owning a record in Mizzou Arena of 15-3 this season.
Missouri has been paced offensively this season by Kobe Brown, who ranks seventh in the SEC with an average of 15.9 points per game. However, the senior is coming off back-to-back games with eight points scored. Averaging 14.3 points on the year, D'Moi Hodge has helped the Tigers immensely during their three-game win streak, averaging 19.0 points over the last trio of contests. Hodge also leads the SEC and ranks third in the nation with 78 steals, averaging 2.6 per game. A large part of Hodge's game offensively has come from deep, as he ranks second in the conference in three pointers attempted (216), made (87), and three-point percentage (40.3%).
The Tigers ranks second in college basketball in steals per game (10.5) and turnover margin (+5.8), forcing 17.4 turnovers per game. Missouri also ranks among the best in the nation in assists per game (18th, 16.4), three pointers per game (19th, 9.5), bench points per game (19th, 27.0), and fastbreak points per game (20th, 13.9).
IT'S MISTER STEAL-YOUR-PASS
Fifth-year transfer Myles Burns has been a defensive powerhouse this season for the Rebels, collecting 68 steals. He stepped into the top-10 for most in a single season at Ole Miss in style on February 18, recording seven steals to tie for the third-most in a single game in school history. Combined with six steals at Auburn, his 13 steals in back-to-back games are the most ever in school history in a two-game stretch.
Entering Saturday's game against Missouri, Burns currently ranks fourth in program history for the most steals in a single season at Ole Miss.
Ole Miss Basketball - Most Steals in a Single Season
1. 89 Gerald Glass (30 games, 1989)
2. 73 Jason Smith (33 games, 1999)
3. 70 Gerald Glass (30 games, 1990)
4. 68 Myles Burns (30 games, 2023)
5. 58 Murphy Holloway (36 games, 2013)
Rod Barnes (29 games, 1988)
7. 57 Stefan Moody (34 games, 2015)
8. 56 Devontae Shuler (33 games, 2019)
9. 55 Rahim Lockhart (33 games, 2000)
Ervin Garnes (27 games, 1994)
Eric Laird (28 games, 1984)
A DEFENSIVE GOAT
Recording a steal in the closing moments of the first half against Missouri on Jan. 24, senior transfer Myles Burns collected the 400th steal of his collegiate career. Joining the Ole Miss program from Loyola New Orleans of the NAIA, Burns brought 358 steals from his four-time NAIA All-American career and has collected 68 since coming to Oxford. Counting his stats from the NAIA, Burns would become just the sixth person in NCAA men's basketball history across all divisions to collect 400 career steals, and would rank fourth all time.
400 Career NCAA Steals List
1. Calvin Cheek, New England Col. (III), 2017-22: 580 steals
2. Jacob Gilyard, Richmond (I), 2017-22: 466 steals
3. Tennyson Whitted, Ramapo (III), 1999-2003: 448 steals
4. Jonte Flowers, Winona St. (II), 2004-08: 414 steals
5. John Gallogly, Salve Regina (III), 1994-98: 413 steals
*Myles Burns - 426 steals (including stats from NAIA)
BEEN STEPH CURRY WITH THE SHOT
On February 28 against Texas A&M, Matthew Murrell connected on eight makes from three, setting a career high and tying the SJB Pavilion record for most threes in a single game. His eight three pointers tied him for the third-most in a single game in school history, with the most recent occurrence coming in December 2019 by Breein Tyree. Murrell's performance also marks the most shots from deep by a player in the SEC this season.
ANOTHER ONE
With an average of 12.3 offensive rebounds per game, the Rebels have been among the best in the country in earning second chances on the glass, currently ranking 27th in the nation. The team is led by senior Myles Burns with 71 offensive rebounds (2.4 per game). On the season, Ole Miss is outscoring their opponents by 42 in second chance points 370 to 328.
THROUGH THE FIRE
Ole Miss has faced off with some of the best competition college basketball has to offer, as the Rebels current cumulative strength of schedule ranks 32nd in the nation. With a combined opponent record of 518-369 (0.584), they have played against foes with a current NET ranking in the top-100 17 times, including 13 games against a foe in the top-50 and two in the top-five.
BLOCK PARTY
The Ole Miss defense currently averages 68.9 points allowed per game, only letting their opponents top 70 points 10 times this year. A major part of their defensive identity has been enforcing the paint, as the Rebels rank 64th in the country in blocks per game (4.0). They are led down low by senior transfers Theo Akwuba (31 total blocks, 1.1 per game) and Jayveous McKinnis (30 total blocks, 1.0 per game).
On January 3 at No. 7 Alabama, Akwuba and McKinnis combined for seven blocks, with Akwuba's four bringing his collegiate career total to 200 (now at 213). He and McKinnis (262 career blocks) are the only two teammates in college basketball with over 200 swats in their careers, and each rank among the top-25 in active career leaders.
MB2K
Myles Burns scored 1,852 points during his career at Loyola New Orleans, and surpassed the 2,000-career points mark on February 4 at Vanderbilt with a dunk on an alley-oop. If his NAIA stats transferred to the NCAA, he would be one of just five active players across all divisions in college basketball with at least 2,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds. Other active student-athletes with at least 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds are Jayden Gardner (Virginia), KJ Williams (LSU), Kevin Obanor (Texas Tech), and Jordan Janssen (Wayne St. (NE)).
Burns would also be just one of three active players across all divisions with at least 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 100 steals, and 100 blocks in their career. Janssen of Wayne St. (NE) and Williams of LSU would be the only other active members of that club.
Myles Burns Collegiate Career Totals
Games Played: 150
Games Started: 138
Points: 2,084 (13.9/game)
Rebounds: 1,247 (8.3/game)
Steals: 426 (2.8/game)
Assists: 338 (2.3/game)
Blocks: 129 (0.9/game)
THEM REBS MOVE FAST
Ole Miss has been quick to react on defensive rebounds and turnovers, outscoring their opponents on fast-break opportunities by 111 this season (313-202). The Rebels have recorded more fast-break points than the other team in 21 of their 30 games.
THE MAGIC NUMBER IS 20
Junior guard Matthew Murrell has scored 20 or more points eight times this season, and averages 15.0 per game. A large part of his offense has come from deep, as he has made 59 threes on the year. Over a four-game stretch against Mississippi State, Auburn, Georgia, and South Carolina from Jan. 7-17, Murrell averaged 19.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game, while shooting 44.1% from the field and connecting on 10 threes.
EXPERIENCE FROM THE PORTAL
Ole Miss went into the portal looking for experienced big men, and came away with four of the most well-seasoned options available. Those four senior transfers -- F Theo Akwuba, F Myles Burns, F Josh Mballa and F Jayveous McKinnis -- hold an incredible combined career stat lines across their respective careers prior to Ole Miss:
Combined Career Stats (NAIA included for Burns):
• 530 games played
• 392 games started
• 5,204 points
• 3,909 rebounds
• 702 steals (426 from Burns alone)
• 679 blocks
