“Books and Bears Night” at The Pavilion as Rebels Host MTSU at 7 P.M.

The Rebel Men’s Basketball team hits the floor tonight at 7 P.M to take on the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders at the Pavilion. The Rebels are 5-1 and took down the Montana Grizzles on Thanksgiving Day and are looking to continue their three-game home stand with a win ahead of Saturday’s matchup with Memphis. Head Coach Andy Kennedy’s 217 career wins is just 2 wins shy of tying Louisville Coach Rick Pitino for 19th on the all-time wins list.

The Rebels win over Montana saw their 18 point lead begin to fade down the stretch, but thanks to clutch free throws down the stretch by Deandre Burnett they were able to hold on. Burnett leads the SEC in scoring averaging 23.2 PPG and will need another big night to carry the Rebels to victory. The Rebels have been able to spread the defense out with Sebastian Siaz as a presence in the middle, Cullen Neal’s ability to shoot the 3 and Brunettes ability to score from anywhere on the floor. Terence Davis off the bench has added a spark for the Rebels offense, as he put up 18 in the Montana win, the Rebel bench scored 27 and a similar output tonight would certainly aid a Rebel victory.

The Blue Raiders are also 5-1 on the year and are led by head coach Kermit Davis. Davis is in his 15th season at Middle Tennessee and has reached the NCAA Tournament twice, including a trip last year. Senior F JaCorey Williams leads the Blue Raiders in scoring with 21.6 PPG, with the team averaging 77 PPG on the season.

Tonight’s game at the Pavilion is also “Books and Bears Night.” Admission is free for those who bring a new children’s book or teddy bear to be donated.

Ole Miss Football will also be selling official jerseys for $40 while supplies last, with a limit of 3 per person.

Doors to the Pavilion open at 5:30 with tip-off scheduled for 7 P.M. The game will be televised on the SEC Network Plus. The game can also be seen on WatchESPN.com. David Kellum is on the call for tonight’s game; the radio call can be heard on the Ole Miss Radio Network and OleMissSports.com. 

Steven Gagliano is a writer for HottyToddy.com. He can be reached at steven.gagliano@hottytoddy.com. 

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