Game information
When | 5:00 p.m. CT
Or | The Sandy and John Black Pavilion; Oxford, Mrs.
TV | SEC Network
Radio | Tiger Radio Network
Twitter | @MizzouHoops
probability of victory ESPN | 44.0% chance
Entries
Mizzou (12-3, 2-0 SEC)
G: Anthony Robinson II (JR, 11.3 PPG)
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G: Jayden Stone (GR, 13.6 PPG)
F: Jacob Crews (GR, 13.1 PPG)
F: Mark Mitchell (SR, 17.2 PPG)
C: Shawn Phillips, Jr. (SR, 7.7 PPG)
Sixth notable man: Trent Pierce (JR, 7.5 PPG)
Ole Miss (8-7, 0-2 SEC)
F: James Scott (JR, 4.7 PPG)
F: Malik Dia (SR, 14.7 PPG)
G: Ilias Kamardine (SR, 11.3 PPG)
G: Eduardo Klafke (SO, 3.1 PPG)
G: Patton Pinkins (FR, 8.5 PPG)
Sixth notable man: AJ Storr (SR, 11.3 PPG)
Note: These starting compositions are projected.
Get to know Ole Miss: A rebuilding team looking for its first conference win
Unlike its football counterpart, the Ole Miss Rebels basketball team has slim playoff hopes. After a Sweet Sixteen run last season, the team’s deepest run in two decades, head coach Chris Beard had to build an entirely new team with two returning veterans: Malik Dia and Eduardo Klafke. The Rebs were middle of the pack for some media outlets in the preseason rankings, but a poor non-conference record doesn’t mesh well with an 0-2 conference start.
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Dia remained the star of the Ole Miss team averaging nearly 15 points per game. The 21-year-old also balances around 7 rebounds per game alongside his offensive prowess. Outside of Dia, much of the Rebels’ production was lost, I’m talking top five players in terms of minutes played and only three players remained on the roster at the end of the season. Behind Dia, the top three scorers are newcomers AJ Storr, Ilias Kamardine and Patton Pinkins.
Storr started at St. John’s before moving to Kansas and eventually Ole Miss, a classic example of what the Portal and NIL have become. In our season preview, he was described as a “talented but enigmatic scorer, finding his form after inconsistency derailed him at Kansas.” Kamardine hails from across the Atlantic in France, where he played professional ball with JDA Dijon, averaging eight points in 18.2 minutes per game. The guard also has the FIBA U20 Eurobasket MVP trophy on his list of accolades. Meanwhile, Pinkins is a freshman from Tennessee who shoots over 50 percent from the field and north of 46 percent from beyond the arc. In total, Beard added eight transfers, three freshmen as well as a French signee.
To begin conference play, the Rebels fell to the Oklahoma Sooners by 16 points on the road. Pinkins, a freshman, led the way with a game-high 25 points, but the offense wasn’t explosive enough to force its way into the game. The team then lost its second game to the #15 Arkansas Razorbacks at home, but not without a fight. A 55-point second-half spurt gave the team some life and the defense kept its heart pumping, but ultimately the Rebels were unable to find the missing piece for a victory.
The Rebels are hungry for a conference win. Last year they opened conference play 3-0, but now they’re looking at an 0-3 start. A three-game winless streak would be the first of its kind since the 2012 season.
3 keys to the game
Unit
Something in the air changed between December 22 and January 3. A colossal loss to Illinois seemed to have dampened the spirits of the Mizzou faithful; However, Dennis Gates and his team put it all aside against the reigning national champion Florida Gators.
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“I want to publicly thank our guys for allowing me to be the biggest asshole known to man last week,” Gates said. “And they took ownership and established their own identity without me being able to say a word, ultimately.”
One of the biggest takeaways after the Kentucky game was the new identity of this Mizzou group. Now the return of Jayden Stone and Trent Pierce brings a breath of fresh air, but this team looks solid on the field and is off to its best SEC start in program history. An image comes to mind as I see this team moving into March and I think they will continue to assert themselves against Ole Miss.
The need to play a full forty minutes
While the record may not be the best reflection of the struggle at Ole Miss, it still prevails and anything is possible when it comes to conference play. As previously mentioned, the Rebels are a scrappy and aggressive team capable of holding their own against any opponent. Case in point: Arkansas. The nationally ranked Hogs marched into Oxford hoping for a victory and were quickly surprised by a 55-point second half, the second-most in a single half during Beard’s tenure, that allowed the Rebels to come right back. Offensively, the Rebels aren’t that strong, but in their last outing, five players reached double figures.
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Something Mizzou hasn’t been able to do consistently this season is stay locked in for a full forty minutes. This may be a bit hypercritical of me, but it seems like the Tigers showed some energy in scoring bursts, but struggled to maintain the intensity in either halves. The team is capable of outplaying opponents on runs and playing with emotion, as they did after Trent Burns’ buzzer beater. On the other hand, they let the intensity get the best of them after big moments from the opposition and let the games drag on.
Ole Miss will take every chance they can and the Tigers will have to be ready from the jump.
Limit turnovers
That’s one of the first things you’re taught in Park District basketball: protect the basketball. It is crucial for Mizzou to follow this principle towards its third victory. Currently, seven Tigers average a turnover or more per game and that will need to be limited Saturday afternoon.
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Ole Miss forces opponents to turn the ball over about 12 times per game, averaging 7.3 steals. Beard has built effective defensive teams over the years, his livelihood, and even with significant roster turnover, the Rebels have become a defensive force to be reckoned with. According to KenPom, Ole Miss has the 68th best defensive efficiency compared to Mizzou’s place at 99. Handing the ball for free to the Rebels only ends with a downward spiral and a huge deficit to fill.
Currently, Mizzou is averaging 82.5 points per game while Ole Miss is allowing just 69.6. This will be Mizzou’s offense against Ole Miss’ defense. Another reason to thank Stone for being healthy to play in conference.
Game Prediction
My prediction: Mizzou 79 – Ole Miss 68
Keep the good times going, won’t you? The Tigers carry massive momentum alongside the SEC’s best start since joining the conference in 2012. They have a great opportunity to extend that against an indefinite Ole Miss slate. I think Ole Miss trails in the second half but Mizzou dominates them offensively and seals the game late.
