By Adam Brown
Sports Editor
adam.brown@hottytoddy.com
The Ole Miss Rebels return home to the Pavilion on Saturday as they host the Vanderbilt Commodores in an SEC showdown. Tip-off is slated for noon on the SEC Network.
Ole Miss (13-15, 4-11 SEC) is coming off of a 67-58 loss to the Auburn Tigers on Tuesday. The Rebels were led on the court by senior Breein Tyree and sophomore KJ Buffen with 16 points apiece.
The senior guard is averaging 27.6 ppg over the past seven games.
Junior Devontae Shuler ranks third in the SEC in steals (1.9 per game) during conference play and fifth overall (1.8 per game). As a team, the Rebels rank third in the conference in steals (7.0) during league play.
Coach Kermit Davis’ squad is holding opponents to 29.0 percent from beyond the arc and are second in the conference.
Vanderbilt (9-19, 1-14 SEC) rolls in after a 61-52 setback to Missouri at home, the team’s sixth straight loss since beating LSU. As a team, the Commodores make an average of 8.2 threes per game to rank second in the SEC. Aaron Nesmith averaged 23.0 ppg through 14 games before suffering a season-ending injury. Saben Lee is scoring 17.8 ppg to lead the Commodores in Nesmith’s absence, while Scotty Pippen Jr. adds 11.5 ppg. Lee also paces Vanderbilt in assists (4.2 per game and steals (1.6 per game). Both marks crack the SEC’s top 10.
Saturday’s matchup will be the 123rd meeting between Ole Miss and Vanderbilt on the hardwood. The Commodores hold a 76-46 lead in the series, which began in 1925, but Ole Miss has won seven of the last nine meetings. Ole Miss has a 32-25 advantage in Oxford, while the two teams have split their two matchups in The Pavilion (opened January 2016). Vanderbilt is the only SEC team that Ole Miss has yet to face this season, while last year the Rebels and Commodores opened up SEC play.
At halftime, Mary Ann Wakefield will receive the car she won after sinking a 94-foot putt during the Alabama game.
Fans not able to make it to Oxford can listen to the call on the Ole Miss Radio Network or watch all the action on SEC Network. Follow HottyToddySprts on Twitter for live updates.
