From UM Media Relations:
GAME 29
Date: Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020
Time: 12 p.m. CT
Location: Oxford, Miss.
Arena: The Pavilion at Ole Miss (9,500)
Television: SEC Network
Richard Cross, play-by-play
Joe Kleine, analyst
Radio: Ole Miss Sports Network (XM - 385, Sirius/XM Internet - 375)
Eli Savoie, play-by-play
Marc Dukes, analyst
Live Video: ESPN.com/ESPN app
Live Audio: OleMissSports.com/TuneIn app
Series: Vanderbilt leads 76-46
Last Meeting: Jan. 5, 2019
Ole Miss won 81-71
Nashville, Tenn.
PROMOTIONS
- Jersey Giveaway: Ole Miss replica jerseys given to the first 1,000 fans.
- 2020 SEC Legend Recognition: The late Eric Laird, represented by his family, will be honored as Ole Miss' 2020 SEC Legend.
- Coaching for Literacy: You'll see the Ole Miss coaching staff wearing green ties and green lapel pins on the sideline, helping promote childhood reading and end the literacy crisis. Coaching for Literacy's #Fight4Literacy initiative gives sports teams, athletes, businesses, and people like you the opportunity to promote childhood reading in communities nationwide through awareness and fundraising efforts. 100% of funds raised STAY local and go STRAIGHT to support effective literacy programming where a particular #Fight4Literacy initiative is being conducted. You can help by donating here.
TIPOFF TIDBITS
- Ole Miss has won seven of the last nine matchups against Vanderbilt.
- After leading the Rebels to victory over the Commodores last year with 31 points, the first SEC game under Kermit Davis, Breein Tyree was name SEC Player of the Week.
- Ole Miss will honor its 2020 SEC Legend, the late Eric Laird, during Saturday's game.
- The Rebels are playing on Leap Day for the first time since 1992; Ole Miss is 1-4 all-time on Leap Day with a victory over Mississippi State 78-61 (Feb. 29, 1964).
- All 10 of Ole Miss' home victories this season have been by double digits; all three in SEC play have been by an average of 18.7 points.
- Breein Tyree is averaging 27.6 ppg over the past seven games, his 20.4 ppg on the season rank 21st nationally.
- Breein Tyree averages 24.1 ppg in SEC play to lead the conference; he increased his scoring output from non-conference to SEC play in each of his first three seasons as well.
- The Rebels rank 14th nationally in defending the three-point line; opponents are shooting 29.0 percent.
- Eleven of Ole Miss' 13 victories have been by double digits, including all four in SEC play; the Rebels are 1-6 in games decided by five points or less, including an 0-5 mark in conference contests.
- Ole Miss starters have scored 910 of the team's 1,014 points in SEC play (89.7 percent).
- Breein Tyree was has made 32 of his last 33 free throws (97.0 percent).
- Blake Hinson is shooting a team-best 43.4 percent (23 of 53) from beyond the arc at home.
- All five starters are averaging double figures in wins: Breein Tyree (21.0 ppg), Blake Hinson (12.1 ppg), Devontae Shuler (11.5 ppg), KJ Buffen (11.5 ppg) and Khadim Sy (10.3 ppg).
- Breein Tyree (1,738 points, 201 three-pointers) is one of only three Rebels (Joe Harvell, Chris Warren) in history to make at least 200 three-pointers and score at least 1,700 points.
- With 137 career steals, Devontae Shuler is three steals away from tying NBA Rebel/Toronto Raptor Terence Davis for 10th in Ole Miss history.
SEC LEADERS
- Breein Tyree leads the SEC in scoring in conference play (24.1 ppg), while ranking second overall (20.4 ppg).
- Tyree is the SEC's active leader in career points (1,738) and field goals made (583).
- Tyree is one of three SEC players (Skylar Mays-LSU, Mason Jones-Arkansas) to rank in the top 10 in both field goal percentage (10th-42.6) and free throw percentage (10th-81.2); his field goal percentage (45.0) and free throw percentage (4th-84.5) are both better in conference play.
- Devontae Shuler ranks third in the SEC in steals (1.9 per game) during conference play and fifth overall (1.8 per game).
- Shuler is one of two SEC guards (Ashton Hagans-Kentucky) to average at least 1.8 steals per game and boast at least a 1.7 assist/turnover ratio; both marks rank top five in the SEC.
- The Rebels are limiting opponents to 29.0 percent from beyond the arc, ranking second in the conference.
- Ole Miss ranks third in steals (7.0) during SEC play.
SCOUTING VANDERBILT
The Commodores enter Saturday's contest with a 9-19 record, including a 1-14 mark in SEC play. Vanderbilt is coming off a 61-52 setback to Missouri at home, the team's sixth straight loss since beating LSU. As a team, the Commodores make an average of 8.2 threes per game to rank second in the SEC. Aaron Nesmith averaged 23.0 ppg through 14 games before suffering a season-ending injury. Saben Lee is scoring 17.8 ppg to lead the Commodores in Nesmith's absence, while Scotty Pippen Jr. adds 11.5 ppg. Lee also paces Vanderbilt in assists (4.2 per game and steals (1.6 per game). Both marks crack the SEC's top 10. Jerry Stackhouse is in his first season as a collegiate head coach after spending two seasons as head coach of the NBA G League's Raptors 905.
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's matchup will be the 123rd meeting between Ole Miss and Vanderbilt on the hardwood. The Commodores hold a 76-46 lead in the series, which began in 1925, but Ole Miss has won seven of the last nine meetings. Ole Miss has a 32-25 advantage in Oxford, while the two teams have split their two matchups in The Pavilion (opened January 2016). Vanderbilt is the only SEC team that Ole Miss has yet to face this season, while last year the Rebels and Commodores opened up SEC play.
LAST TIME WE MET
In the first SEC game during the Kermit Davis era, Breein Tyree scored 31 points (a career high at the time) and Ole Miss took its winning streak into SEC play with an 81-71 win over Vanderbilt at Memorial Gymnasium (Jan. 5, 2019). The Rebels won their eighth straight game, marking their longest winning streak in six seasons. Four Rebels scored in double figures led by Tyree. Terence Davis, who scored all 11 of his points in the second half, shot 50 percent from the field with a pair of three-pointers. Devontae Schuler had 11 points of his own, going 7 of 8 from the charity stripe with seven rebounds and six assists. Blake Hinson also scored in double figures (11 points). The Rebels cashed in at the free throw line, going 19 of 22 (86.4 percent) for the game, including 14 of 15 (93.3 percent) in the second half that allowed Ole Miss to keep the lead down the stretch.
LEAP DAY
With Leap Day (Feb. 29) only occurring every four years, Ole Miss has only played five times on the date over its 110-season history. The Rebels are 1-4 on Leap Day with the lone win coming over rival Mississippi State (78-61) to end the 1964 season. Ole Miss nearly upset No. 2 Kentucky in the 1980 SEC Tournament, falling 70-67, before heading to the NIT for the program's first ever postseason appearance.
TYREE THE TERROR
Breein Tyree has been a bucket all season long, but especially over the past seven games. The senior has averaged an astounding 27.6 ppg during the stretch. Tyree has shot 46.8 percent (59 of 126) from the floor, including 41.9 percent (18 of 43) from beyond the arc. Getting to the charity stripe, he is shooting 87.7 percent (57 of 65) through the seven contests.
HOME COOKIN'
When the Rebels are victorious at home, they win in dominating fashion. All 10 of Ole Miss' wins in The Pavilion have been by double digits, outscoring the opposition by an average of 18.8 ppg (76.9-58.1). The Rebels are shooting 49.8 percent in home victories. Meanwhile, Ole Miss has held the opposition to 37.2 percent, including just 23.5 percent from three-point range.
ERIC LAIRD NAMED 2020 SEC LEGEND
The late Eric Laird, a Rebel who earned All-SEC accolades twice during the 1980s, will be honored during Saturday's game. Laird's family members will represent him on Craddock Court as Ole Miss celebrates its 2020 SEC Legend. Laird will also be recognized along with the rest of the 2020 SEC Legends at the SEC Men's Basketball Tournament, March 11-15, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. A four-year letterwinner from 1982-85, Laird ranks 16th on the Ole Miss all-time scoring list with 1,421 points. He ranks third in school history with 179 career steals. Laird became an Honorable Mention All-America pick as a junior (1984-85), finishing fourth in the SEC in both scoring (17.3 ppg) and steals (55). He scored in double figures in 25 of 28 games that year and was named SEC Player of the Week after combining for 47 points in wins over Georgia and Tennessee. As a sophomore, Laird helped the Rebels reach the NIT, where he recorded a school-record eight steals in the third round encounter at DePaul. Sadly, Laird passed away February 15, 2007 at the age of 43, but his legacy will live on as an SEC Legend.
DEFENDING HOME COURT
Winning at home has been a trademark at Ole Miss. Over the past 14 seasons, the Rebels are 164-52 (.759 win pct.) in home games. In four-plus seasons (opened January 2016) playing in the $96.5 million Pavilion at Ole Miss, the Rebels hold a 51-26 (.662) advantage against the opposition. Ole Miss has won 289 of its last 373 games (.775 win pct.) in Oxford dating back to the 1996-97 campaign. Under second year head coach Kermit Davis, the Rebels are 21-10 (.677 win pct.) at home.
REBELS BATTLE, FALL AT NO. 15 AUBURN
Ole Miss battled for 40 minutes against one of the best teams in the Southeastern Conference, but No. 15 Auburn proved why it's unbeaten at home this season and delivered a 67-58 loss to the Rebels. Ole Miss slowed down the high-scoring Tigers, holding them to their fewest points in Auburn Arena this season. The Rebels were in it at the end despite somewhat of an off night from senior Breein Tyree. The SEC's leading scorer tallied 16 points on 3 of 19 shooting, while knocking down 8 of 9 free throws. As a team, the Rebels shot the ball well from the charity stripe, making 17 of 19 (89.5 percent). KJ Buffen had his best game in the month of February, matching Tyree with 16 points to go along with a team-high eight rebounds. Austin Wiley had a double-double (15 points, 11 rebounds) to pace Auburn, while Samir Doughty added 14 points. The Rebels limited the Tigers to 4 of 14 (28.6 percent) shooting from behind the arc.
BALANCED SCORING LEADS TO VICTORIES
It's no secret that a balanced offense helps in seeking victories. When Ole Miss finds that balance, it usually leads to positive outcomes. In wins, all five Rebel starters average double figures: Breein Tyree (21.0 ppg), Blake Hinson (12.1 ppg), Devontae Shuler (11.5 ppg), KJ Buffen (11.5 ppg) and Khadim Sy (10.3 ppg). In losses, Tyree (19.9 ppg) and Shuler (11.3 ppg) are the only Rebels scoring in double digits.
BREEIN LOVES SEC PLAY
Ole Miss senior Breein Tyree thrives during conference play. Not only is he the leading active scorer in the SEC (1,738 points), but he paces the conference in scoring during league games (24.1 ppg). This isn't new to Tyree as his scoring output increased from non-conference action to SEC play in each of his first three seasons. He has kept the trend going as a senior, scoring 26 points against Texas A&M (Jan. 7) in the conference opener before tallying 27 versus Arkansas (Jan. 11). After missing the Florida game due to a back injury, Tyree returned better than ever and scored 36 points versus LSU (Jan. 18). With those performances, Tyree became the first Rebel to score at least 25 points in each of the first three SEC games of the season since Joe Harvell (1992). During the 1991-92 campaign, Harvell started conference play with four consecutive 30-point games. Since then, Tyree added a 38-point performance against South Carolina (Feb. 5) and a 40-point night versus Mississippi State (Feb. 11).
Tyree's Seasons Non-Conference SEC
2016-17 (Freshman) 5.1 ppg 9.3 ppg
2017-18 (Sophomore) 9.0 ppg 12.3 ppg
2018-19 (Junior) 16.5 ppg 19.1 ppg
2019-20 (Senior) 16.5 ppg 24.1 ppg
DEFENDING THE LONG BALL
Ole Miss has become one of the best teams in defending the new three-point line this season. The Rebels rank 14th nationally as opponents have shot just 29.0 percent from long distance. Ole Miss has kept opponents under 25 percent in 10 games this season, including three of the past six contests. Before Alabama went on its rampage and made 13 threes last weekend, the opposition had shot a combined 15 for 83 (18.1 percent) from beyond the arc over a four-game stretch.
CLOSE HEARTBREAKERS
Close games have gone against the Rebels all season long. Ole Miss is 1-6 in games decided by five points or less, including 0-5 in SEC play. Four of the Rebels' five losses at home have been by single digits with three SEC games decided by four points or less. Had some of the close games gone in favor of the Red and Blue, Ole Miss would be looking at a chance to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season.
TYREE'S BIG GAMES
Breein Tyree has 15 20-point games on the season, producing three such contests in November and three in December to go along with nine in SEC play. He has 37 20-point games over his Ole Miss career. His biggest game as a Rebel was a career-high 40 points to lead Ole Miss to a blowout win over rival Mississippi State (Feb. 11), the most points by a Rebel since Deandre Burnett scored 41 points against Oral Roberts (Nov. 18, 2016). It was the most scored by an Ole Miss player in an SEC game since Stefan Moody dropped 43 to lead the Rebels over MSU on his senior night (March 3, 2016). Tyree also had 34 against Middle Tennessee (Dec. 14), 36 versus LSU (Jan. 18) and 38 against South Carolina to give him six 30-point games for his career.
CLIMBING THE CAREER CHARTS
In his final year as a Rebel, senior guard Breein Tyree ranks seventh on the all-time scoring list with 1,738 points. That career output leads all active players in the SEC. The Somerset, New Jersey, native scored 29 points at Missouri (Feb. 18) to pass current Ole Miss Athletics Director Keith Carter (1,682). Next on Tyree's climb up the charts is Justin Reed (1,785). Through 126 games in an Ole Miss uniform, Tyree has knocked down 201 three-pointers. Hitting a pair of treys at Auburn (Feb. 25), he became just the third Rebel in history to score at least 1,700 points and make at least 200 three-pointers over a career, joining Joe Harvell and Chris Warren.
VETERANS LEAD THE WAY
The Rebels are led by a veteran cast. Senior guard Breein Tyree (20.4 ppg), junior Devontae Shuler (11.4 ppg), sophomore Blake Hinson (10.2 ppg) and sophomore forward KJ Buffen (9.9 ppg) have accounted for 71.6 percent of the team's scoring this season. Tyree leads the league in scoring, while Buffen paces the team in rebounding (5.9 per game) and blocks (0.9 per game). Shuler also leads the Rebels in assists (3.4 per game) and steals (1.8 per game), both top 10 in the SEC, while ranking fifth in the conference in assist/turnover ratio (1.7). After missing four games due to injury, Hinson has put together 12 double-digit scoring performances, starting 23 games following the injury to Luis Rodriguez.
SHULER STATS
Junior guard Devontae Shuler leads the Rebels in assists (3.4) and steals (1.8). The Irmo, South Carolina, native is one of two players in the SEC to record at least 1.8 steals per game and a 1.7 assist/turnover ratio, joining Kentucky's Ashton Hagans in the conference's top five of each category. He has recorded at least two steals in 11 of the last 16 games, sitting just three steals away from cracking the top 10 on the Ole Miss career steals list. Shuler has provided some consistency offensively, reaching double figures in 14 of the past 20 games which include the best two games of his career. Over the past nine games, Shuler is averaging 14.6 ppg. Against No. 16 Auburn (Jan. 28), he took over after Breein Tyree fouled out and finished with 26 points in 48 minutes of the double overtime battle. Shuler followed that performance with a career-high 28 points at No. 22 LSU (Feb. 1). He has six 20-point games over his career, including five this season.
DAVIS EARNS 500TH CAREER WIN
Ole Miss head coach Kermit Davis picked up his 500th win as the Rebels defeated South Carolina at home (Feb. 5). In his 25th season as a college basketball head coach, Davis has collected 502 wins over 793 games (.633 winning percentage). His head coaching career started as a 24-year old at Southwest Mississippi Community College in 1984, the youngest junior college coach in the country, and he earned 66 victories over three season in the junior college ranks. Four years later at the age of 28, Davis became Idaho's head coach and was the youngest Division I head coach in the nation. Through 22 seasons as a Division I head coach, which includes becoming the winningest coach in Middle Tennessee and Sun Belt Conference history, Davis has 436 wins. He ranks 38th in victories among active Division I head coaches.
NEEDING BUFFEN
KJ Buffen was a primary bench player during his freshman campaign, but the 6-foot-7 forward is an important piece of the Ole Miss lineup as a sophomore. Starting all 28 games, one of only two Rebels to start each game, Buffen is averaging 9.9 ppg along with a team-best 5.9 rpg. His rebounding average is 19th in the conference. The Gainesville, Georgia, native is also leading the team in blocks (0.9). Buffen tallied a career-high 23 points in a win over Norfolk State (Nov. 12) before producing his second career 20-point game to close out the calendar year against Tennessee Tech (Dec. 29). In the return to his home state, Buffen was 5 of 6 from the field and made all four of his free throws, tallying 14 points to help Ole Miss beat Georgia (Jan. 25). His play factors into the outcome of games. Buffen averages 11.5 ppg and 7.2 rpg in wins, while tallying 8.5 ppg and 4.8 rpg in losses.
TD IN THE NBA
The Rebels are without 2018-19 Second Team All-SEC guard Terence Davis, who ranks 13th on the program's all-time scoring list with 1,512 points. After going undrafted, Davis turned heads in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas and quickly earned a multi-year deal with the reigning champion Toronto Raptors. Davis has become a regular in the Raptors' rotation to start the NBA season. The Southaven, Mississippi, native matched LeBron James with 13 points in the Raptors' win over the Lakers (Nov. 10). Last month (Jan. 8), Davis was called upon to make his first career start, and boy did he deliver. The NBA Rebel scored 23 points and pulled down a career-high 11 rebounds, both team highs, to record his first double-double and lead the Raptors to a victory over the Hornets. Kicking off February, Davis tallied a career-high 31 points off the bench to help the Raptors beat the Bulls (Feb. 2). Averaging 8.2 ppg, including 12.3 ppg since returning from the All-Star Break, he is only Raptor to play in all 58 of the team's games. Davis is the first Rebel to play in the NBA since Justin Reed (2005-07).
YEAR TWO OF THE DAVIS ERA
Kermit Davis is in his second season at the helm of Ole Miss Basketball. A nine-time conference coach of the year, Davis is 38th among active Division I head coaches with 436 career wins over 22 seasons, including stints at MT, Idaho and Texas A&M. In 25 seasons as a college basketball head coach, he has amassed 502 wins. Davis wasted no time making an impact in Oxford. With the Rebels coming off a last-place finish in 2017-18, the media picked Ole Miss to land at the bottom of the SEC standings again in 2018-19. However, the Rebels posted a 20-13 record to earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in four years. With a return to March Madness for the sixth time in his career, Davis joined a list of 63 coaches in college basketball history to take three different schools to the NCAA Tournament. Davis was named SEC Coach of the Year by his peers and the Associated Press, earning conference coach of the year accolades for the ninth time in his career. He became the sixth Ole Miss coach to earn SEC Coach of the Year honors, while joining Andy Kennedy as the only Rebel coaches to collect the award in their first year in Oxford.
NEXT ON THE HARDWOOD
Up next, the Rebels remain at home for their final game in The Pavilion this season. Ole Miss faces Missouri for the second time in 15 days (March 4), while honoring Breein Tyree on Senior Night. The Rebels will look for revenge after the Tigers won the first matchup (Feb. 18) in Columbia 71-68. Tipoff is slated for 8 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
GAME 29
Date: Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020
Time: 12 p.m. CT
Location: Oxford, Miss.
Arena: The Pavilion at Ole Miss (9,500)
Television: SEC Network
Richard Cross, play-by-play
Joe Kleine, analyst
Radio: Ole Miss Sports Network (XM - 385, Sirius/XM Internet - 375)
Eli Savoie, play-by-play
Marc Dukes, analyst
Live Video: ESPN.com/ESPN app
Live Audio: OleMissSports.com/TuneIn app
Series: Vanderbilt leads 76-46
Last Meeting: Jan. 5, 2019
Ole Miss won 81-71
Nashville, Tenn.
PROMOTIONS
- Jersey Giveaway: Ole Miss replica jerseys given to the first 1,000 fans.
- 2020 SEC Legend Recognition: The late Eric Laird, represented by his family, will be honored as Ole Miss' 2020 SEC Legend.
- Coaching for Literacy: You'll see the Ole Miss coaching staff wearing green ties and green lapel pins on the sideline, helping promote childhood reading and end the literacy crisis. Coaching for Literacy's #Fight4Literacy initiative gives sports teams, athletes, businesses, and people like you the opportunity to promote childhood reading in communities nationwide through awareness and fundraising efforts. 100% of funds raised STAY local and go STRAIGHT to support effective literacy programming where a particular #Fight4Literacy initiative is being conducted. You can help by donating here.
TIPOFF TIDBITS
- Ole Miss has won seven of the last nine matchups against Vanderbilt.
- After leading the Rebels to victory over the Commodores last year with 31 points, the first SEC game under Kermit Davis, Breein Tyree was name SEC Player of the Week.
- Ole Miss will honor its 2020 SEC Legend, the late Eric Laird, during Saturday's game.
- The Rebels are playing on Leap Day for the first time since 1992; Ole Miss is 1-4 all-time on Leap Day with a victory over Mississippi State 78-61 (Feb. 29, 1964).
- All 10 of Ole Miss' home victories this season have been by double digits; all three in SEC play have been by an average of 18.7 points.
- Breein Tyree is averaging 27.6 ppg over the past seven games, his 20.4 ppg on the season rank 21st nationally.
- Breein Tyree averages 24.1 ppg in SEC play to lead the conference; he increased his scoring output from non-conference to SEC play in each of his first three seasons as well.
- The Rebels rank 14th nationally in defending the three-point line; opponents are shooting 29.0 percent.
- Eleven of Ole Miss' 13 victories have been by double digits, including all four in SEC play; the Rebels are 1-6 in games decided by five points or less, including an 0-5 mark in conference contests.
- Ole Miss starters have scored 910 of the team's 1,014 points in SEC play (89.7 percent).
- Breein Tyree was has made 32 of his last 33 free throws (97.0 percent).
- Blake Hinson is shooting a team-best 43.4 percent (23 of 53) from beyond the arc at home.
- All five starters are averaging double figures in wins: Breein Tyree (21.0 ppg), Blake Hinson (12.1 ppg), Devontae Shuler (11.5 ppg), KJ Buffen (11.5 ppg) and Khadim Sy (10.3 ppg).
- Breein Tyree (1,738 points, 201 three-pointers) is one of only three Rebels (Joe Harvell, Chris Warren) in history to make at least 200 three-pointers and score at least 1,700 points.
- With 137 career steals, Devontae Shuler is three steals away from tying NBA Rebel/Toronto Raptor Terence Davis for 10th in Ole Miss history.
SEC LEADERS
- Breein Tyree leads the SEC in scoring in conference play (24.1 ppg), while ranking second overall (20.4 ppg).
- Tyree is the SEC's active leader in career points (1,738) and field goals made (583).
- Tyree is one of three SEC players (Skylar Mays-LSU, Mason Jones-Arkansas) to rank in the top 10 in both field goal percentage (10th-42.6) and free throw percentage (10th-81.2); his field goal percentage (45.0) and free throw percentage (4th-84.5) are both better in conference play.
- Devontae Shuler ranks third in the SEC in steals (1.9 per game) during conference play and fifth overall (1.8 per game).
- Shuler is one of two SEC guards (Ashton Hagans-Kentucky) to average at least 1.8 steals per game and boast at least a 1.7 assist/turnover ratio; both marks rank top five in the SEC.
- The Rebels are limiting opponents to 29.0 percent from beyond the arc, ranking second in the conference.
- Ole Miss ranks third in steals (7.0) during SEC play.
SCOUTING VANDERBILT
The Commodores enter Saturday's contest with a 9-19 record, including a 1-14 mark in SEC play. Vanderbilt is coming off a 61-52 setback to Missouri at home, the team's sixth straight loss since beating LSU. As a team, the Commodores make an average of 8.2 threes per game to rank second in the SEC. Aaron Nesmith averaged 23.0 ppg through 14 games before suffering a season-ending injury. Saben Lee is scoring 17.8 ppg to lead the Commodores in Nesmith's absence, while Scotty Pippen Jr. adds 11.5 ppg. Lee also paces Vanderbilt in assists (4.2 per game and steals (1.6 per game). Both marks crack the SEC's top 10. Jerry Stackhouse is in his first season as a collegiate head coach after spending two seasons as head coach of the NBA G League's Raptors 905.
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's matchup will be the 123rd meeting between Ole Miss and Vanderbilt on the hardwood. The Commodores hold a 76-46 lead in the series, which began in 1925, but Ole Miss has won seven of the last nine meetings. Ole Miss has a 32-25 advantage in Oxford, while the two teams have split their two matchups in The Pavilion (opened January 2016). Vanderbilt is the only SEC team that Ole Miss has yet to face this season, while last year the Rebels and Commodores opened up SEC play.
LAST TIME WE MET
In the first SEC game during the Kermit Davis era, Breein Tyree scored 31 points (a career high at the time) and Ole Miss took its winning streak into SEC play with an 81-71 win over Vanderbilt at Memorial Gymnasium (Jan. 5, 2019). The Rebels won their eighth straight game, marking their longest winning streak in six seasons. Four Rebels scored in double figures led by Tyree. Terence Davis, who scored all 11 of his points in the second half, shot 50 percent from the field with a pair of three-pointers. Devontae Schuler had 11 points of his own, going 7 of 8 from the charity stripe with seven rebounds and six assists. Blake Hinson also scored in double figures (11 points). The Rebels cashed in at the free throw line, going 19 of 22 (86.4 percent) for the game, including 14 of 15 (93.3 percent) in the second half that allowed Ole Miss to keep the lead down the stretch.
LEAP DAY
With Leap Day (Feb. 29) only occurring every four years, Ole Miss has only played five times on the date over its 110-season history. The Rebels are 1-4 on Leap Day with the lone win coming over rival Mississippi State (78-61) to end the 1964 season. Ole Miss nearly upset No. 2 Kentucky in the 1980 SEC Tournament, falling 70-67, before heading to the NIT for the program's first ever postseason appearance.
TYREE THE TERROR
Breein Tyree has been a bucket all season long, but especially over the past seven games. The senior has averaged an astounding 27.6 ppg during the stretch. Tyree has shot 46.8 percent (59 of 126) from the floor, including 41.9 percent (18 of 43) from beyond the arc. Getting to the charity stripe, he is shooting 87.7 percent (57 of 65) through the seven contests.
HOME COOKIN'
When the Rebels are victorious at home, they win in dominating fashion. All 10 of Ole Miss' wins in The Pavilion have been by double digits, outscoring the opposition by an average of 18.8 ppg (76.9-58.1). The Rebels are shooting 49.8 percent in home victories. Meanwhile, Ole Miss has held the opposition to 37.2 percent, including just 23.5 percent from three-point range.
ERIC LAIRD NAMED 2020 SEC LEGEND
The late Eric Laird, a Rebel who earned All-SEC accolades twice during the 1980s, will be honored during Saturday's game. Laird's family members will represent him on Craddock Court as Ole Miss celebrates its 2020 SEC Legend. Laird will also be recognized along with the rest of the 2020 SEC Legends at the SEC Men's Basketball Tournament, March 11-15, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. A four-year letterwinner from 1982-85, Laird ranks 16th on the Ole Miss all-time scoring list with 1,421 points. He ranks third in school history with 179 career steals. Laird became an Honorable Mention All-America pick as a junior (1984-85), finishing fourth in the SEC in both scoring (17.3 ppg) and steals (55). He scored in double figures in 25 of 28 games that year and was named SEC Player of the Week after combining for 47 points in wins over Georgia and Tennessee. As a sophomore, Laird helped the Rebels reach the NIT, where he recorded a school-record eight steals in the third round encounter at DePaul. Sadly, Laird passed away February 15, 2007 at the age of 43, but his legacy will live on as an SEC Legend.
DEFENDING HOME COURT
Winning at home has been a trademark at Ole Miss. Over the past 14 seasons, the Rebels are 164-52 (.759 win pct.) in home games. In four-plus seasons (opened January 2016) playing in the $96.5 million Pavilion at Ole Miss, the Rebels hold a 51-26 (.662) advantage against the opposition. Ole Miss has won 289 of its last 373 games (.775 win pct.) in Oxford dating back to the 1996-97 campaign. Under second year head coach Kermit Davis, the Rebels are 21-10 (.677 win pct.) at home.
REBELS BATTLE, FALL AT NO. 15 AUBURN
Ole Miss battled for 40 minutes against one of the best teams in the Southeastern Conference, but No. 15 Auburn proved why it's unbeaten at home this season and delivered a 67-58 loss to the Rebels. Ole Miss slowed down the high-scoring Tigers, holding them to their fewest points in Auburn Arena this season. The Rebels were in it at the end despite somewhat of an off night from senior Breein Tyree. The SEC's leading scorer tallied 16 points on 3 of 19 shooting, while knocking down 8 of 9 free throws. As a team, the Rebels shot the ball well from the charity stripe, making 17 of 19 (89.5 percent). KJ Buffen had his best game in the month of February, matching Tyree with 16 points to go along with a team-high eight rebounds. Austin Wiley had a double-double (15 points, 11 rebounds) to pace Auburn, while Samir Doughty added 14 points. The Rebels limited the Tigers to 4 of 14 (28.6 percent) shooting from behind the arc.
BALANCED SCORING LEADS TO VICTORIES
It's no secret that a balanced offense helps in seeking victories. When Ole Miss finds that balance, it usually leads to positive outcomes. In wins, all five Rebel starters average double figures: Breein Tyree (21.0 ppg), Blake Hinson (12.1 ppg), Devontae Shuler (11.5 ppg), KJ Buffen (11.5 ppg) and Khadim Sy (10.3 ppg). In losses, Tyree (19.9 ppg) and Shuler (11.3 ppg) are the only Rebels scoring in double digits.
BREEIN LOVES SEC PLAY
Ole Miss senior Breein Tyree thrives during conference play. Not only is he the leading active scorer in the SEC (1,738 points), but he paces the conference in scoring during league games (24.1 ppg). This isn't new to Tyree as his scoring output increased from non-conference action to SEC play in each of his first three seasons. He has kept the trend going as a senior, scoring 26 points against Texas A&M (Jan. 7) in the conference opener before tallying 27 versus Arkansas (Jan. 11). After missing the Florida game due to a back injury, Tyree returned better than ever and scored 36 points versus LSU (Jan. 18). With those performances, Tyree became the first Rebel to score at least 25 points in each of the first three SEC games of the season since Joe Harvell (1992). During the 1991-92 campaign, Harvell started conference play with four consecutive 30-point games. Since then, Tyree added a 38-point performance against South Carolina (Feb. 5) and a 40-point night versus Mississippi State (Feb. 11).
Tyree's Seasons Non-Conference SEC
2016-17 (Freshman) 5.1 ppg 9.3 ppg
2017-18 (Sophomore) 9.0 ppg 12.3 ppg
2018-19 (Junior) 16.5 ppg 19.1 ppg
2019-20 (Senior) 16.5 ppg 24.1 ppg
DEFENDING THE LONG BALL
Ole Miss has become one of the best teams in defending the new three-point line this season. The Rebels rank 14th nationally as opponents have shot just 29.0 percent from long distance. Ole Miss has kept opponents under 25 percent in 10 games this season, including three of the past six contests. Before Alabama went on its rampage and made 13 threes last weekend, the opposition had shot a combined 15 for 83 (18.1 percent) from beyond the arc over a four-game stretch.
CLOSE HEARTBREAKERS
Close games have gone against the Rebels all season long. Ole Miss is 1-6 in games decided by five points or less, including 0-5 in SEC play. Four of the Rebels' five losses at home have been by single digits with three SEC games decided by four points or less. Had some of the close games gone in favor of the Red and Blue, Ole Miss would be looking at a chance to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season.
TYREE'S BIG GAMES
Breein Tyree has 15 20-point games on the season, producing three such contests in November and three in December to go along with nine in SEC play. He has 37 20-point games over his Ole Miss career. His biggest game as a Rebel was a career-high 40 points to lead Ole Miss to a blowout win over rival Mississippi State (Feb. 11), the most points by a Rebel since Deandre Burnett scored 41 points against Oral Roberts (Nov. 18, 2016). It was the most scored by an Ole Miss player in an SEC game since Stefan Moody dropped 43 to lead the Rebels over MSU on his senior night (March 3, 2016). Tyree also had 34 against Middle Tennessee (Dec. 14), 36 versus LSU (Jan. 18) and 38 against South Carolina to give him six 30-point games for his career.
CLIMBING THE CAREER CHARTS
In his final year as a Rebel, senior guard Breein Tyree ranks seventh on the all-time scoring list with 1,738 points. That career output leads all active players in the SEC. The Somerset, New Jersey, native scored 29 points at Missouri (Feb. 18) to pass current Ole Miss Athletics Director Keith Carter (1,682). Next on Tyree's climb up the charts is Justin Reed (1,785). Through 126 games in an Ole Miss uniform, Tyree has knocked down 201 three-pointers. Hitting a pair of treys at Auburn (Feb. 25), he became just the third Rebel in history to score at least 1,700 points and make at least 200 three-pointers over a career, joining Joe Harvell and Chris Warren.
VETERANS LEAD THE WAY
The Rebels are led by a veteran cast. Senior guard Breein Tyree (20.4 ppg), junior Devontae Shuler (11.4 ppg), sophomore Blake Hinson (10.2 ppg) and sophomore forward KJ Buffen (9.9 ppg) have accounted for 71.6 percent of the team's scoring this season. Tyree leads the league in scoring, while Buffen paces the team in rebounding (5.9 per game) and blocks (0.9 per game). Shuler also leads the Rebels in assists (3.4 per game) and steals (1.8 per game), both top 10 in the SEC, while ranking fifth in the conference in assist/turnover ratio (1.7). After missing four games due to injury, Hinson has put together 12 double-digit scoring performances, starting 23 games following the injury to Luis Rodriguez.
SHULER STATS
Junior guard Devontae Shuler leads the Rebels in assists (3.4) and steals (1.8). The Irmo, South Carolina, native is one of two players in the SEC to record at least 1.8 steals per game and a 1.7 assist/turnover ratio, joining Kentucky's Ashton Hagans in the conference's top five of each category. He has recorded at least two steals in 11 of the last 16 games, sitting just three steals away from cracking the top 10 on the Ole Miss career steals list. Shuler has provided some consistency offensively, reaching double figures in 14 of the past 20 games which include the best two games of his career. Over the past nine games, Shuler is averaging 14.6 ppg. Against No. 16 Auburn (Jan. 28), he took over after Breein Tyree fouled out and finished with 26 points in 48 minutes of the double overtime battle. Shuler followed that performance with a career-high 28 points at No. 22 LSU (Feb. 1). He has six 20-point games over his career, including five this season.
DAVIS EARNS 500TH CAREER WIN
Ole Miss head coach Kermit Davis picked up his 500th win as the Rebels defeated South Carolina at home (Feb. 5). In his 25th season as a college basketball head coach, Davis has collected 502 wins over 793 games (.633 winning percentage). His head coaching career started as a 24-year old at Southwest Mississippi Community College in 1984, the youngest junior college coach in the country, and he earned 66 victories over three season in the junior college ranks. Four years later at the age of 28, Davis became Idaho's head coach and was the youngest Division I head coach in the nation. Through 22 seasons as a Division I head coach, which includes becoming the winningest coach in Middle Tennessee and Sun Belt Conference history, Davis has 436 wins. He ranks 38th in victories among active Division I head coaches.
NEEDING BUFFEN
KJ Buffen was a primary bench player during his freshman campaign, but the 6-foot-7 forward is an important piece of the Ole Miss lineup as a sophomore. Starting all 28 games, one of only two Rebels to start each game, Buffen is averaging 9.9 ppg along with a team-best 5.9 rpg. His rebounding average is 19th in the conference. The Gainesville, Georgia, native is also leading the team in blocks (0.9). Buffen tallied a career-high 23 points in a win over Norfolk State (Nov. 12) before producing his second career 20-point game to close out the calendar year against Tennessee Tech (Dec. 29). In the return to his home state, Buffen was 5 of 6 from the field and made all four of his free throws, tallying 14 points to help Ole Miss beat Georgia (Jan. 25). His play factors into the outcome of games. Buffen averages 11.5 ppg and 7.2 rpg in wins, while tallying 8.5 ppg and 4.8 rpg in losses.
TD IN THE NBA
The Rebels are without 2018-19 Second Team All-SEC guard Terence Davis, who ranks 13th on the program's all-time scoring list with 1,512 points. After going undrafted, Davis turned heads in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas and quickly earned a multi-year deal with the reigning champion Toronto Raptors. Davis has become a regular in the Raptors' rotation to start the NBA season. The Southaven, Mississippi, native matched LeBron James with 13 points in the Raptors' win over the Lakers (Nov. 10). Last month (Jan. 8), Davis was called upon to make his first career start, and boy did he deliver. The NBA Rebel scored 23 points and pulled down a career-high 11 rebounds, both team highs, to record his first double-double and lead the Raptors to a victory over the Hornets. Kicking off February, Davis tallied a career-high 31 points off the bench to help the Raptors beat the Bulls (Feb. 2). Averaging 8.2 ppg, including 12.3 ppg since returning from the All-Star Break, he is only Raptor to play in all 58 of the team's games. Davis is the first Rebel to play in the NBA since Justin Reed (2005-07).
YEAR TWO OF THE DAVIS ERA
Kermit Davis is in his second season at the helm of Ole Miss Basketball. A nine-time conference coach of the year, Davis is 38th among active Division I head coaches with 436 career wins over 22 seasons, including stints at MT, Idaho and Texas A&M. In 25 seasons as a college basketball head coach, he has amassed 502 wins. Davis wasted no time making an impact in Oxford. With the Rebels coming off a last-place finish in 2017-18, the media picked Ole Miss to land at the bottom of the SEC standings again in 2018-19. However, the Rebels posted a 20-13 record to earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in four years. With a return to March Madness for the sixth time in his career, Davis joined a list of 63 coaches in college basketball history to take three different schools to the NCAA Tournament. Davis was named SEC Coach of the Year by his peers and the Associated Press, earning conference coach of the year accolades for the ninth time in his career. He became the sixth Ole Miss coach to earn SEC Coach of the Year honors, while joining Andy Kennedy as the only Rebel coaches to collect the award in their first year in Oxford.
NEXT ON THE HARDWOOD
Up next, the Rebels remain at home for their final game in The Pavilion this season. Ole Miss faces Missouri for the second time in 15 days (March 4), while honoring Breein Tyree on Senior Night. The Rebels will look for revenge after the Tigers won the first matchup (Feb. 18) in Columbia 71-68. Tipoff is slated for 8 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
