Rebels Host Mizzou on the Hardwood

By Adam Brown
Sports Editor
adam.brown@hottytoddy.com

Devontae Shuler Photo by Joshua McCoy/Ole Miss Athletics
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The Ole Miss basketball team returns to the confines of the Pavilion on Saturday as they play host to the Missouri Tigers. Tip-off is set for 2:30 p.m. on SEC Network.

Ole Miss (17-7, 7-4) is currently riding a three-game winning streak after defeating Auburn 60-55 on Wednesday as junior Breein Tyree and Sophomore Devontae Shuler each drained four three-pointers in the win.

The Rebels defense is only allowing their opponents to average 63.3 ppg over the winning streak.

Tyree is averaging 23.3 ppg over the last six games, as he has reached the 20-point mark in each game.

Coach Kermit Davis has the second-best all-time record of Ole Miss first-year coaches through his first 24 games as head coach (17-7); he is only behind Homer Hazel (1926-27) with a record of 21-3.

Missouri enters Saturday’s matchup with a 12-11 record, including a 3-8 mark in SEC after a home win versus Arkansas on Tuesday. Three Tigers average double figures with Jordan Geist leading the way at 13.8 ppg. Geist also paces Missouri in assists (3.2 per game) and steals (1.0 per game). Mark Smith (12.6 ppg) and Jeremiah Tilmon (11.2 ppg) are close behind, while Tilmon pulls down a team-leading 5.8 rebounds per game.

Cuonzo Martin is in his second season as Missouri’s head coach after spending three years at California. Prior to heading out west, Martin coached in the SEC by guiding Tennessee for three seasons (2012-14). He began his head coaching career at Missouri State (2009-11).

Ole Miss and Missouri have met just 12 times with all 12 meetings coming since the Tigers joined the SEC in 2012-13. The Rebels lead the all-time series 10-2 and have won nine of the last 10 after splitting the home-and-home series last season. Ole Miss and Mizzou have squared off five times in Oxford, with the Rebels holding a 4-1 advantage. Missouri’s lone victory over Ole Miss in Oxford occurred last year (Feb. 6, 2018). The two teams will play a home-and-home series for the fourth consecutive season.

Fans not able to make it to the Pavilion can watch the game on the SEC Network or listen to all the action on the Ole Miss Radio Network.