Stock Report: Ole Miss Basketball

By: David Collier

David is a junior broadcast major in the Meek School of Journalism and New Media at Ole Miss.

dlcollie@go.olemiss.edu

Follow David on Twitter @DavidLCollier

The Ole Miss basketball team is off to a hot 3-0 start in SEC play, and if they continue that trend, this could be the year head coach Andy Kennedy gets over the hump and into the NCAA Tournament.

Let’s take a look at who’s stock is rising and falling for Rebel basketball.

Stock Up

* Marshall Henderson: The junior guard has certainly made his presence known for Ole Miss so far this season, and Tuesday’s buzzer beater to send the game to overtime in the 89-79 win over Vanderbilt only added to praise. He is leading the scorer in the SEC, averaging 19.1 points per game.

* Jarvis Summers: The 6-foot-3 point guard has been more aggressive on the offensive end of the court the past few games, averaging 14 points per game in SEC play. Summers also boast an assist to turnover ratio of 4 to 1.

* Free Throw Shooting: Anyone who has watched Ole Miss over the years knows the Rebels have had their share of problems at the free throw line. Ole Miss has improved their average this year, shooting 70.3 percent from the charity stripe, but that number has been very good the past six games where the Rebels have shot 79. 7 percent from the line. The most improved player from the free throw line has been senior forward Reginald Buckner, who is shooting 84.2 percent (16 of 19) during that span.

Stock Down

* Nick Williams: The senior guard has not started the past four games, and against Vanderbilt Tuesday was the first time all season he has not played over 20 minutes of the game. Williams averaged 11 points per game and shot 40.6 percent in the non-conference schedule, but that average is just six points per contest on 35 percent shooting in SEC play. He is a nice option off the bench for the Rebels, but they need him to be the player he can be to get back in the starting rotation.

* Demarco Cox: Injuries have not been kind to the Yazoo City native, who injured the same foot that kept him out to start the year against San Francisco in the Diamond Head Classic in Hawaii. Cox has played in just seven games this season, so there’s been limited depth in the front court.