Rebels Open SEC Play in the Lone Star State

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

The Ole Miss men’s basketball team steps into the conference slate on Tuesday for the first time this season as they travel to College Station, Texas to take on Texas A&M. Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m. on SEC Network.

Breein Tyree scores 20 points in the win over Western Michigan. Photo by Sarah Kane.

Ole Miss (9-4, 0-0 SEC) concluded non-conference action after a loss to No. 23 Wichita State 74-54 on Saturday. The Rebels were led in the game by Devontae Shuler and Khadim Sy who both scored 12 points apiece.

Senior Breein Tyree is the SEC’s leading active scorer with 1,401 career points, which also ranks 17th on the Ole Miss all-time scoring list; Tyree also ranks eighth in Ole Miss history with 168 made three-pointers. The Somerset, NJ native has increased his scoring output from non-conference to SEC play in each of his first three seasons.

Coach Kermit Davis’ squad enters league play as one of 15 teams in the NET’s top 70 to play at least four non-conference Quadrant 1 games. Only two SEC teams played four non-conference Quadrant 1 games, and the Rebels join the Georgia Bulldogs.

Texas A&M (6-6, 0-1 SEC) enters after a road loss to Arkansas 69-59. The setback snapped a three-game winning streak that included a victory over Oregon State (Dec. 21). The Aggies have protected their home floor, posting a 6-1 record in Reed Arena; the only home loss is to Gonzaga, currently, the No. 1 ranked team in the country. As a team, Texas A&M commits the fewest fouls per game in the SEC and 19th nationally (14.5 fouls per game). Senior forward Josh Nebo leads the Aggies in scoring (11.3 ppg) and rebounding (7.7 rpg). He paces the SEC in blocks (2.7 bpg). Savion Flagg averages double figures as well (11.1 ppg), while leading Texas A&M in assists (1.9 apg) and steals (1.3 spg).

Tuesday will be the 10th all-time meeting between these two programs. Ole Miss trails the Aggies 6-3 in the series. Last season the Rebels defeated Texas A&M 75-71 in Oxford.

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