ADVERTISEMENT

HOOPS: Rebels to play host to Gators in SEC home opener Wednesday

Neal McCready

All-Pro NFL
Staff
Feb 26, 2008
65,847
378,856
113
Oxford, MS
OXFORD, Miss. – The No. 23 Ole Miss men's basketball team is back in the SJB Pavilion this week for a pair of SEC matchups, beginning with a game against Florida on Wednesday at 8 p.m. on the SEC Network.

TEAM FACTS
No. 23/RV Ole Miss Rebels (13-1)
Head Coach: Chris Beard • 1st Season at Ole Miss (13-1) • 250-99 career record (12th Season)

Florida Gators (10-4)
Head Coach: Todd Golden • 2nd Season at Florida (26-21) • 83-57 career record (5th Season)

ON THE AIR
Television/Online: SEC Network
Play-by-Play: Kevin Fitzgerald
Color: Richard Hendrix

OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: David Kellum
Color: Marc Dukes

SERIES HISTORY VS. FLORIDA
Ole Miss and Florida will meet on the court for the 119th time, with the Gators leading the all-time series 70-48. In Oxford, however, the Rebels hold an advantage 32-23, having won three straight when Ole Miss plays at home. Florida has gotten the better of the Rebels recently, winning seven of the last 10 games.

LAST MEETING: FEBRUARY 15, 2023 (L, 64-79, GAINESVILLE, FLA.)
• Florida held a 10-point lead at the half and would go on to defend their home court with a win.
Matthew Murrell led Ole Miss with 15 points while Jaemyn Brakefield added 14 points and eight rebounds.
• Five players scored in double-figures for Florida, led by 15 from Myreon Jones.

SCOUTING THE GATORS
Entering with a record of 10-4, Florida picked up wins in non-conference against Loyola Maryland, Florida A&M, Florida State, Pittsburgh, Merrimack College, Richmond, East Carolina, Michigan, Grambling State, and Quinnipiac. Their three non-con losses came by the hands of Virginia, No. 13 Baylor, and Wake Forest. The Gators began their SEC schedule this past Saturday with a hard-fought game at No. 6 Kentucky, narrowly falling 87-85.

Five players average double figures for Florida, led by Iona-transfer Walter Clayton Jr. at 15.7 points per game. The SEC leader in double-doubles with six this season, Tyrese Samuel leads the No. 1 rebounding team in the country with an average of 8.7 per game, while seven-foot-one forward Micah Handlogten averages 7.5 per contest.

Averaging 45.2 rebounds per game, Florida leads the nation while ranking fifth in offensive rebounds per game at 15.79 and No. 18 in defensive boards per contest at 29.43. Behind their five different players averaging double digits in scoring per game, the Gators have the No. 11 scoring offense in the nation, at 86.2 points per outing. Their scoring output comes by way of the free throw line (No. 9 in NCAA in free throw attempts per game) and fastbreak points (No. 30 in NCAA). The team's defensive strengths come from their forwards down low, as they average 5.4 blocks per game, the 19th-best margin in the country.

Head coach Todd Golden is in his second season with the Florida program, compiling a record of 26-21 since his hire in 2022. He previously spent three years at San Francisco, posting a pair of 20-win seasons. As an assistant, Golden spent 2016-19 on staff at San Francisco, and one season as an assistant at Auburn under Bruce Pearl after running operations for Auburn the year prior.

"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 2.14 steals per game on the season, Murrell ranks fifth in the SEC and No. 47 in the nation.

"THE SMOOTH CRIMINAL ON BEAT BRAKES"
Over the previous five games for the Rebels, senior Jaemyn Brakefield has been in a unique state of mind. Since December 16, the forward from Jackson, Miss. has shot 66.7 percent from the field (34-51) and 57.9 percent from three (11-19), averaging 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.8 steals per game.

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 1,155 points in his career with the Rebels, Murrell is 33rd in school history and sits 4 points behind next on the list, Ken Turner (1966-1969).

30. Rod Barnes (1984-88): 1,201
31. Rahim Lockhart (1997-2001): 1,160
32. Ken Turner (1966-69): 1,159
33. Matthew Murrell (2020-): 1,155
34. Jack Marshall (1945-50): 1,137

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 250-99 as an NCAA head coach since 2012, Beard holds one of the highest win percentages in the nation, ranking 10th among active head coaches with 10 or more years of experience at 71.6%.

The 2019 AP National Coach of the Year has led three different programs to the NCAA Tournament over the previous eight years, and is undefeated in the opening round at 5-0. His all-time record in the NCAA Tournament is 11-5 (.688).

"I CAN BE YOUR LONG LOST PAL"
After posting the third double-double of his career in the season opener (15 points, career-best 12 rebounds), Allen Flaniganfollowed it up with a career-best 29 points against Eastern Washington. The senior guard surpassed the 1,000 career-point mark against the Eagles, and played a key part in securing the victory by scoring eight of the last 11 points for the Rebels.

He once again led the team in scoring with 23 against Sam Houston, connecting on a career-best 14 makes from the free throw line. The senior helped lead Ole Miss to victory in their first road game at Temple with 26 points, the second-most scored in a game for his career, while tallying a then career-best seven assists. Flanigan added his second double-double of the year in a 20-point win over NC State in the ACC/SEC Challenge with 15 points and 10 rebounds and helped Ole Miss take down Memphis with 18. Against Troy, he increased his career-mark for most assists in a game with nine, following that up with his third double-double of the year against Southern Miss in Biloxi with 10 points and 11 boards.

He leads the team in rebounding at 7.2 per game and ranks second in scoring at 16.2 points per game, and is the only player in the SEC to sit in the top-10 in each category among conference teams.

*MIKE BREEN VOICE* "BANG!"
Shooting 40.2 percent from the three-point line this season, Ole Miss currently ranks No. 7 in the country in efficiency beyond the arc. Through 14 games, the Rebels have already shot 50 percent or better from deep five times, the most in an entire season since they hit that mark or better five times during the 2014-15 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%)

Their current clip of 40.2 percent from three would set a new school record for shooting percentage from deep in a season. The Rebels are one of just eight teams in the country averaging 40 percent or better from deep.

REAL RECOGNIZE REAL
In the latest top-25 polls, Ole Miss ranks No. 23 in the USA Today Coaches Poll and is receiving votes in the AP Top 25. Ole Miss has earned a spot in the USA Today Coaches Poll for five straight weeks for the first time since December and January of the 2009-10 season.

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.

RUNNING THE COURT LIKE MCKENZIE LONG
Ole Miss is averaging just over 13 fastbreak points per game to begin the season, with their clip of 13.14 ranking No. 69 in the NCAA. Outscoring their opponents 184-89 in fastbreak points this year, the Rebels have scored equal or more fastbreak points in 13 of 14 games.

Ole Miss has created their opportunities for quick change points by ranking No. 7 in the country in blocks per game and No. 39 in steals per game.

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 (315) and career blocked shots per game (4.04). Establishing himself as a premier shot blocker as well, Cisse ranks 14th in blocks per game (1.79) and 18th in total blocks (174).

Averaging 7.0 rebounds per game in his career, Sharp ranks No. 45 in the country, while Cisse's 653 career boards rank No. 78.

THA BLOCK IS HOT
Averaging 6.1 blocks per game, Ole Miss ranks seventh in the country and is keeping opponents to just 40.7 percent shooting from the floor which ranks No. 78 in the nation. The muscle in the paint for the Rebels has been Jamarion Sharp, who leads the SEC in blocks per game (2.57) and blocks (36), ranking eighth and 11th, respectively, in each category nationally.

Sharp's six blocks against Troy on December 19th are tied for the seventh-most in a game in school history.

PACING THE GAME LIKE VERSTAPPEN
Through 14 games this season in nine hours and 20 minutes of total gameplay, Ole Miss has held a lead for six hours, 59 minutes, and 16 seconds, nearly 75 percent of action during the 2023-24 campaign.

IT'S ELITE IN THE 'SIP
Ole Miss is one of just three FBS programs in the country to start at 10-0 in hoops and compile a 10-win season in football. They are joined by James Madison and Oklahoma.

The No. 11 Ole Miss football team defeated No. 10 Penn State 38-25 in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on December 30 in Atlanta.

"AROUND THE 'ARC', A PERIMETER CREATE"
Ole Miss has been strong at defending the three-point shot this season, holding opponents to 31.0% from deep, the 89th-best mark in the nation. The Rebels have kept their foe to 20% or less in five games this year:

• Nov. 10 vs. Eastern Washington: 4-22 (18.2%)
• Nov. 28 vs. NC State: 3-25 (12.0%)
• Dec. 2 vs. Memphis: 3-18 (16.7%)
• Dec. 5 vs. Mount St. Mary's: 5-25 (20.0%)
• Dec. 10 at UCF: 4-22 (18.2%)

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. 207, Breein Tyree (130 games, 2017-20)
7. 181, Stefan Moody (65 games, 2014-16)
8. 178, Devontae Shuler (124 games, 2018-21)
9. 176, Terence Davis (121 games (2016-19)
10. 172, Matthew Murrell (103 games, 2020-)

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. 581, Breein Tyree (130 games, 2017-20)
6. 528, Joe Harvell (114 games, 1990-93)
7. 523, Devontae Shuler (124 games, 2018-21)
8. 519, Terence Davis (121 games, 2016-19)
9. 501, Matthew Murrell (103 games, 2020-)
10. 494, Stefan Moody (65 games, 2015-16)

"I TAKE THE WORK, FLIP IT, ACROBATIC"
Through the first 14 games of the season, Ole Miss has shown elite ball control and movement on the offensive side. With a total of 222 assists compared to 147 turnovers, the Rebels' ratio of 1.51 ranks No. 35 in the nation.

The team is led in assists by Jaylen Murray (51 assists to 25 turnovers) and Allen Flanigan (47 assists to 29 turnovers).

HOW'S THE WEATHER?
The roster for Ole Miss this season has the tallest student-athlete in Division I in forward Jamarion Sharp, and has the shortest student-athlete in the country in guard Cam Brent. The two stand a full two feet apart in height, with Sharp at 7'5" and Brent at 5'5".

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 4.04 blocks per game during his career is currently the 14th-best average in college basketball history, while his 315 total blocks rank 81st all time.

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. 4.04 - Jamarion Sharp, Western Ky./Ole Miss (78 GP, 315 blks.)

Career Blocked Shots
t77. 318 - Derrick Coleman, Syracuse
t77. 318 - Chaz Crawford, Drexel
t77. 318 - Steven Hill, Arkansas
80. 317 - Keith Closs, Central Connecticut State
81. 315 - Jamarion Sharp, Western Ky./Ole Miss

PREPARED FOR A CHALLENGE
The remainder of the Ole Miss schedule ranks as one of the toughest in the country, as their upcoming opponents win-percentage of 71.7% ranks 30th in the NCAA. Among their 17 games left on the schedule, 13 are against a top-100 NET team, and 11 against a top-50 team.

"WE BALLIN' LIKE THE MARCH MADNESS"
Among the seven transfers for the Rebels, over half have been to the NCAA Tournament during their collegiate career, with a total of five appearances. Brandon Murray (LSU, 2022 First Round), Austin Nunez (Arizona State, 2023 First Round), and Jaylen Murray(Saint Peter's, 2022 Elite Eight) have each been to the postseason once in their careers, while Allen Flanigan has been twice (Auburn, 2022 and 2023 Second Round).

VALUED LEADERSHIP
The Ole Miss men's basketball coaching staff is one of the more experienced around the country. In his 14th year as a collegiate head coach, Chris Beard is joined on the court by former head coaches Win Case (16 years), Brian Burg (three years), and Wes Flanigan (two years). Assistant coach Bob Donewald Jr. has 16 years of head coaching experience at the professional and national level, while assistant Al Pinkins has been an associate or assistant coach at six different NCAA Division-I programs, including four within the SEC. The Ole Miss coaching staff has experience at five other SEC programs: Auburn, Florida, LSU, Mississippi State, and Tennessee.

"IT AIN'T GON' NEVER STOP"
Head coach Chris Beard and staff continue to work on securing the future for Ole Miss basketball, and did so with a pair of signees in the NLI early signing period in November:

John Bol • F • 7-1 • Buma • Overtime Elite
Ranked as the second-highest recruit in program history according to 247Sports, Bol is a consensus four-star recruit, ranking as high as No. 38 in the nation by 247Sports and No. 40 by ESPN. He is an elite shot blocker and rebounder who stands at 7'1" and is able to affect the game on both ends of the floor. Ranked as the top player in the state of Georgia by ESPN, Bol has developed a reputation as one of the hardest playing big men in the country.

Eduardo Klafke • G • 6-5 • Fanca-Sao Paulo, Brazil • NBA Academy Latin America
A combo guard from the prestigious NBA Academy Latin America, Klafke will come to Oxford from Franca-Sao Paulo, Brazil. One of the top international players in his age group, he has consistently played above his age while representing Brazil on the national stage, playing in U19 games as a 17-year-old. Klafke will help bring a spark to the offense as an elite shooter and is excellent in playing both on and off the ball.
 
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Go Big.
Get Premium.

Join Rivals to access this premium section.

  • Say your piece in exclusive fan communities.
  • Unlock Premium news from the largest network of experts.
  • Dominate with stats, athlete data, Rivals250 rankings, and more.
Log in or subscribe today Go Back