COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Ole Miss men's basketball team is set to take on the Missouri Tigers in Mizzou Arena on Saturday night, with tip set for 7:30 p.m. on the SEC Network.
TEAM FACTS
Ole Miss Rebels (19-9, 6-9 SEC)
Head Coach: Chris Beard • 1st Season at Ole Miss (19-9) • 256-107 career record (12th Season)
Missouri Tigers (8-20, 0-15 SEC)
Head Coach: Dennis Gates • 2nd Season at Missouri (33-30) • 83-70 career record (5th Season)
ON THE AIR
Television/Online: SEC Network
Play-by-Play: Kevin Fitzgerald
Color: Pat Bradley
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: David Kellum
Color: Marc Dukes
SERIES HISTORY VS. ALABAMA
This will be the 185th meeting between Ole Miss and Alabama and is the third-most played series in the Rebels' program history. The Crimson Tide lead the all-time series 126-58, however Ole Miss leads when playing in Oxford 44-42. The two programs began their series back in 1921, with Ole Miss winning eight of the first 11 contests. The series has been more balanced recently, with Alabama leading since the year 2000 23-16.
LAST MEETING: JANUARY 3, 2023 (L, 62-84, TUSCALOOSA, ALA.)
• In Ole Miss' first road game during their SEC schedule last season, they trailed the seventh-ranked Crimson Tide 44-23 at the half before falling by 22.
• Jaemyn Brakefield led Ole Miss with 14 points, nearly securing his first career double-double with nine rebounds.
• Alabama was led by eventual second-overall NBA Draft pick Brandon Miller, who scored 17 points. Current Crimson Tide leading scorer Mark Sears added 16.
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. The Tigers lead 6-4 in the last 10 contests, but Ole Miss got the best of Missouri in their first matchup earlier this season. The Rebels lead 6-4 when playing in Columbia.
LAST MEETING: FEBRUARY 17, 2024 (W, 79-76, OXFORD, MISS.)
• Missouri led by three at the half after holding the Rebels to 34.4 percent shooting from the floor. A strong second-half by Ole Miss helped fuel a comeback for their 19th victory of the season.
• Matthew Murrell put on a show, leading Ole Miss with 26 points and connecting on six three pointers. Allen Flanigan added a double-double to the box score with 16 points and 10 boards, while Jaylen Murray scored 16 and hit four shots from beyond the arc.
• The Tigers were led by Sean East II, who scored 25 points and was a perfect 12-12 from the free throw line. He helped Missouri go an impressive 25-30 from the charity stripe in the game.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Missouri enters with a record of 8-20 and have gone 0-15 in SEC play. The Tigers are in 14th place in the current SEC standings.
The team is paced offensively by Sean East II, who averages 17.2 points per game in his fifth season of college basketball, and second at Missouri. Returning for a second season with the Tigers as well, Noah Carter paces the team in rebounding with a 5.0 clip while scoring 11.3 points per outing. Second on the team in scoring with an average of 13.6 points, Tamar Bates possess one of the best shots in all of college basketball, leading the SEC and ranking sixth in the NCAA in free throw percentage (91.8).
Led by Bates, Missouri ranks among the best at capitalizing at the free throw line with a team shooting percentage of 79.0, which ranks second in the SEC and 9th in the country. Four different players have collected 20 or more blocks on the season, with their team average of 5.0 per game ranking 24th in the NCAA.
Currently in his second season at the helm, head coach Dennis Gates has won 33 games while leading the Tiger program. Before winning 25 games in his first season last year, Gates was the head coach at Cleveland State for three seasons, where he won 50 games and secured a pair of postseason berths with the Vikings.
THA BLOCK IS HOT
Ole Miss ranks sixth 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 (2.33) and ranks second in blocks (63), ranking 12th and 17th in the nation in each category, respectively.
With 166 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 63 which ranks sixth, behind only 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, Aaron Jones (33 games, 2014)
69, Reginald Buckner (32 games, 2012)
5. 64, Reginald Buckner (31 games, 2010)
6. 63, Jamarion Sharp (27 games, 2024)
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 1,398 points in his career with the Rebels, Murrell ranks 18th in school history and sits 23 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-): 1,398
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.
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.
THE ADVENTURES OF STEALY
The Rebels' defensive strength doesn't just come from blocks, as they rank fourth in the SEC in steals per game at 8.0 and rank 52nd 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.
"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 17 games, three or more in 11, and four or more in seven. The Bronx native is averaging 13.4 points on the season, is shooting 39.0 percent from three, and owns an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.39 while averaging 4.2 assists per game. Murray has hit a three-point shot in 24 of 28 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 1.68 steals per game on the season, Murrell ranks seventh in the SEC.
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 256-107 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 70.5%.
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 430 assists compared to 299 turnovers, the Rebels' ratio of 1.44 ranks 47th in the nation.
The team is led in assists by Jaylen Murray (117 assists to 49 turnovers), who ranks fourth in the SEC in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.39) and sixth in assists per game (4.2).
*MIKE BREEN VOICE* "BANG!"
Shooting 37.6 percent from the three-point line this season, Ole Miss currently ranks 18th in the country in efficiency beyond the arc and third 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%)
I'LL TAKE A 20 PIECE, PLEASE
With their current record of 19-9, Ole Miss is aiming to record the 13th 20-win season for the Rebels since 2000. In his first year at the helm, head coach Chris Beard would become the 29th coach in SEC history to win 20 games during their initial season.
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, Joe Harvell (114 games, 1990-93)
6. 209, Matthew Murrell (117 games, 2020-)
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. 591, Matthew Murrell (117 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 (342) and career blocked shots per game (3.76). Establishing himself as a premier shot blocker as well, Cisse ranks 19th in blocks per game (1.75) and 19th in total blocks (194). Cisse also ranks 79th among active players in total rebounds with 723.
Sharp ranks as the second-most efficient active shot maker in the nation as well, with a career field goal percentage of 66.5. 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 seventh 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 3.76 blocks per game during his career is currently tied for the 19th-best average in college basketball history, while his 342 total blocks are 60th 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.)
18. 3.78 - Alonzo Mourning, Georgetown (120 GP, 453 blks.)
t19. 3.76 - Jamarion Sharp, Western Ky./Ole Miss (91 GP, 342 blks.)
19. 3.76 - Tim Duncan, Wake Forest (128 GP, 481 blks.)
Career Blocked Shots
59. 343 - A.J. Hammons, Purdue
60. 342 - Jamarion Sharp, Western Ky./Ole Miss
t61. 339 - Osun Osunniyi, Iowa State
t61. 339 - Derrick Lewis, Maryland
TEAM FACTS
Ole Miss Rebels (19-9, 6-9 SEC)
Head Coach: Chris Beard • 1st Season at Ole Miss (19-9) • 256-107 career record (12th Season)
Missouri Tigers (8-20, 0-15 SEC)
Head Coach: Dennis Gates • 2nd Season at Missouri (33-30) • 83-70 career record (5th Season)
ON THE AIR
Television/Online: SEC Network
Play-by-Play: Kevin Fitzgerald
Color: Pat Bradley
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: David Kellum
Color: Marc Dukes
SERIES HISTORY VS. ALABAMA
This will be the 185th meeting between Ole Miss and Alabama and is the third-most played series in the Rebels' program history. The Crimson Tide lead the all-time series 126-58, however Ole Miss leads when playing in Oxford 44-42. The two programs began their series back in 1921, with Ole Miss winning eight of the first 11 contests. The series has been more balanced recently, with Alabama leading since the year 2000 23-16.
LAST MEETING: JANUARY 3, 2023 (L, 62-84, TUSCALOOSA, ALA.)
• In Ole Miss' first road game during their SEC schedule last season, they trailed the seventh-ranked Crimson Tide 44-23 at the half before falling by 22.
• Jaemyn Brakefield led Ole Miss with 14 points, nearly securing his first career double-double with nine rebounds.
• Alabama was led by eventual second-overall NBA Draft pick Brandon Miller, who scored 17 points. Current Crimson Tide leading scorer Mark Sears added 16.
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. The Tigers lead 6-4 in the last 10 contests, but Ole Miss got the best of Missouri in their first matchup earlier this season. The Rebels lead 6-4 when playing in Columbia.
LAST MEETING: FEBRUARY 17, 2024 (W, 79-76, OXFORD, MISS.)
• Missouri led by three at the half after holding the Rebels to 34.4 percent shooting from the floor. A strong second-half by Ole Miss helped fuel a comeback for their 19th victory of the season.
• Matthew Murrell put on a show, leading Ole Miss with 26 points and connecting on six three pointers. Allen Flanigan added a double-double to the box score with 16 points and 10 boards, while Jaylen Murray scored 16 and hit four shots from beyond the arc.
• The Tigers were led by Sean East II, who scored 25 points and was a perfect 12-12 from the free throw line. He helped Missouri go an impressive 25-30 from the charity stripe in the game.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Missouri enters with a record of 8-20 and have gone 0-15 in SEC play. The Tigers are in 14th place in the current SEC standings.
The team is paced offensively by Sean East II, who averages 17.2 points per game in his fifth season of college basketball, and second at Missouri. Returning for a second season with the Tigers as well, Noah Carter paces the team in rebounding with a 5.0 clip while scoring 11.3 points per outing. Second on the team in scoring with an average of 13.6 points, Tamar Bates possess one of the best shots in all of college basketball, leading the SEC and ranking sixth in the NCAA in free throw percentage (91.8).
Led by Bates, Missouri ranks among the best at capitalizing at the free throw line with a team shooting percentage of 79.0, which ranks second in the SEC and 9th in the country. Four different players have collected 20 or more blocks on the season, with their team average of 5.0 per game ranking 24th in the NCAA.
Currently in his second season at the helm, head coach Dennis Gates has won 33 games while leading the Tiger program. Before winning 25 games in his first season last year, Gates was the head coach at Cleveland State for three seasons, where he won 50 games and secured a pair of postseason berths with the Vikings.
THA BLOCK IS HOT
Ole Miss ranks sixth 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 (2.33) and ranks second in blocks (63), ranking 12th and 17th in the nation in each category, respectively.
With 166 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 63 which ranks sixth, behind only 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, Aaron Jones (33 games, 2014)
69, Reginald Buckner (32 games, 2012)
5. 64, Reginald Buckner (31 games, 2010)
6. 63, Jamarion Sharp (27 games, 2024)
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 1,398 points in his career with the Rebels, Murrell ranks 18th in school history and sits 23 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-): 1,398
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.
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.
THE ADVENTURES OF STEALY
The Rebels' defensive strength doesn't just come from blocks, as they rank fourth in the SEC in steals per game at 8.0 and rank 52nd 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.
"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 17 games, three or more in 11, and four or more in seven. The Bronx native is averaging 13.4 points on the season, is shooting 39.0 percent from three, and owns an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.39 while averaging 4.2 assists per game. Murray has hit a three-point shot in 24 of 28 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 1.68 steals per game on the season, Murrell ranks seventh in the SEC.
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 256-107 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 70.5%.
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 430 assists compared to 299 turnovers, the Rebels' ratio of 1.44 ranks 47th in the nation.
The team is led in assists by Jaylen Murray (117 assists to 49 turnovers), who ranks fourth in the SEC in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.39) and sixth in assists per game (4.2).
*MIKE BREEN VOICE* "BANG!"
Shooting 37.6 percent from the three-point line this season, Ole Miss currently ranks 18th in the country in efficiency beyond the arc and third 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%)
I'LL TAKE A 20 PIECE, PLEASE
With their current record of 19-9, Ole Miss is aiming to record the 13th 20-win season for the Rebels since 2000. In his first year at the helm, head coach Chris Beard would become the 29th coach in SEC history to win 20 games during their initial season.
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, Joe Harvell (114 games, 1990-93)
6. 209, Matthew Murrell (117 games, 2020-)
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. 591, Matthew Murrell (117 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 (342) and career blocked shots per game (3.76). Establishing himself as a premier shot blocker as well, Cisse ranks 19th in blocks per game (1.75) and 19th in total blocks (194). Cisse also ranks 79th among active players in total rebounds with 723.
Sharp ranks as the second-most efficient active shot maker in the nation as well, with a career field goal percentage of 66.5. 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 seventh 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 3.76 blocks per game during his career is currently tied for the 19th-best average in college basketball history, while his 342 total blocks are 60th 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.)
18. 3.78 - Alonzo Mourning, Georgetown (120 GP, 453 blks.)
t19. 3.76 - Jamarion Sharp, Western Ky./Ole Miss (91 GP, 342 blks.)
19. 3.76 - Tim Duncan, Wake Forest (128 GP, 481 blks.)
Career Blocked Shots
59. 343 - A.J. Hammons, Purdue
60. 342 - Jamarion Sharp, Western Ky./Ole Miss
t61. 339 - Osun Osunniyi, Iowa State
t61. 339 - Derrick Lewis, Maryland
