Rebels Clash with Razorbacks on the Hardwood

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

The Ole Miss basketball team travels to Fayetteville, Arkansas to tangle with the Arkansas Razorbacks in Bud Walton Arena Saturday. Tip off is set for noon on the SEC Network.

Ole Miss is coming off a heartbreaking 73-71 loss to No. 7 Tennessee on Wednesday night. Against the Volunteers, Bruce Stevens recorded his first double-double of the season and third of his career with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Senior Terence Davis averages 27.0 ppg in two career games in Bud Walton Arena, scoring 24 points as a sophomore before a season-high 30 last year.

The duo of Breein Tyree and Terence Davis are the highest scoring duo in the SEC averaging 34.5 ppg.

Arkansas enters Saturday’s matchup with a 14-14 record, including 5-10 in SEC play. After collecting three straight wins, the Razorbacks have dropped their last six games. On Tuesday, Arkansas took No. 4 Kentucky down to the wire before falling 70-66 at Rupp Arena. Arkansas is one of the nation’s best teams in defending the rim and sharing the ball, ranking 18th nationally in blocks per game (4.9) and 26th in assists per game (16.0). Daniel Gafford leads the team in blocks (2.0 per game) as well as scoring (16.5 ppg) and rebounding (8.9 rpg).

A threat in the post, Gafford leads the SEC and ranks seventh nationally in field goal percentage at 65.5 percent (182 of 278, all two-point attempts). Isaiah Joe uses his SEC-best percentage from beyond the arc (42.6 percent) to tally 14.3 ppg, while Mason Jones adds 13.7 ppg. Dishing out 154 assists compared to only 51 turnovers, Jalen Harris leads the SEC and ranks 13th in the country in assist/turnover ratio (3.0).

Tomorrow’s game will be the 81st meeting between the two schools, with the Razorbacks holding an all-time series lead of 47-33. The series began in 1937 and Arkansas won 32 of the first 38 meetings, but Ole Miss has won 27 of the last 42 meetings and 12 of the last 19. Arkansas swept last season’s series with a victory at home (97-93) before winning for the first time at The Pavilion (75-64). The Rebels won the first game this season, protecting their home floor for an 84-67 victory. The 17-point win was the team’s largest margin of victory in SEC play since 2017. Arkansas holds a 17-11 advantage in Fayetteville, but Ole Miss has won five of the last eight contests in Bud Walton Arena.

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