Ole Miss Men’s Basketball to Host Georgia Saturday

The Ole Miss men’s basketball team returns to the confines of the Pavilion on Saturday as they host the Georgia Bulldogs. Tip-off is slated for 2:30 p.m. on the SEC Network.

Ole Miss (18-8, 8-5 SEC) had a four-game winning streak snapped on the road in Columbia, South Carolina by the Gamecocks, 79-64. Junior Breein Tyree led the Rebels in scoring with 19 points.

Coach Kermit Davis’ squad is averaging 9.6 steals per game and 21.6 points off turnovers over the last five games.

The Rebels lead the SEC and rank ninth nationally in free throw percentage (76.9); Ole Miss has shot over 85.0 percent from the free throw line in nine games this season, including 93.0 percent-or-better in three games.

Georgia enters Saturday’s game with a 10-16 record. After defeating Texas at home in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge, the Bulldogs have lost seven straight conference games to fall to 1-12 in SEC play. Georgia has used its size to become one of the best rebounding and shot-blocking teams in the nation.

The Bulldogs rank 11th in the country with 5.0 blocks per game, while their 39.6 rebounds per game rank 20th nationally and lead the SEC. Sophomore Nicolas Claxton is the SEC’s leader in blocks at 2.5 per game, a mark that places him 10th in the country. Claxton also paces the conference with 9.0 boards per game. He is the team’s leading scorer at 12.7 ppg followed by fellow sophomore forward Rayshaun Hammonds (12.4 ppg). 

Saturday ’s game will be the 117th meeting between the two schools, with Georgia holding a 73-43 lead in the series. The series has been close as of late with the Bulldogs having a slight 10-9 edge over the last 19 meetings. Ole Miss has a 27-23 advantage when facing Georgia in Oxford. The series is 1-1 in contests at The Pavilion.

The Rebels beat the Bulldogs 72-71 in the second game ever played in The Pavilion (Jan. 9, 2016). Georgia claimed a 69-47 victory the last time the two conference foes met in Oxford (Jan. 11, 2017). Earlier this month, Ole Miss defeated Georgia 80-64 in Athens as Tyree scored a career-high 31 points to become the 40th member of the 1,000 point club.

Fans can watch the action on the SEC Network or listen to the call on the Ole Miss Radio Network.