Toree Thompson shoots the ball during last weeks game. FILE PHOTO: JASON ZHANG
Regular Season Opener
Ole Miss vs. Grambling State
11:00 a.m. C.T.
TV: SEC Network +
Tad Smith Coliseum
The 2014-2015 Ole Miss women’s basketball team tips off their season today at 11 a.m. against Grambling State in the annual School Day Game, which will feature thousands of screaming children in the Tad Smith Coliseum. Going into this matchup, the Rebels will have won six straight season openers; they haven’t lost a home-opener since the 1998-1999 season. Ole Miss head coach Matt Insell plans on playing a deep rotation in this game to figure out the ten players he wants in his consistent rotation. On the other hand, Grambling State is also a young team with seven new freshman joining the program, and they only have one returning player.
Tonight’s game begins a five game home-stretch that will be an early test for the Rebels. It is vital to pick up a win against Grambling State as this game will be one of, if not the biggest crowd of the season. Two players to watch out for are senior power forward Tia Faleru and freshman point guard Toree Thompson as those two will anchor the offense. Ole Miss should be favored in their next five games until they travel to Reno, Nevada, to play in the John Ascuaga Nugget Classic.
Impact Player- Ole Miss
Junior power forward Tia Faleru is nearly approaching the 1,000-point milestone as a Rebel. She only needs 41 points to accomplish that historic achievement. It is likely that she will reach that benchmark this weekend as she’ll have a chance against Grambling State and a game on Sunday against Mississippi Valley State. Expect the Rebels to get the ball to Faleru early in the post as she should dominate against a young and small Grambling State front line.
Impact Player- Grambling State
The only returning player for the Tigers last season is senior small forward Jaylan Bodiford. In only 28 games last season, Bodiford only averaged 2.4 points. Bodiford has been in the program, and she will be one of the key players to look out for as she has the most experience on this young Grambling squad.
Regular Season Opener
Ole Miss vs. Charleston Southern
6:00 p.m. C.T.
TV: SEC Network +
Tad Smith Coliseum
The 2014-2015 Ole Miss men’s basketball team tips off their season tonight against Charleston Southern. Ole Miss is on a hot streak winning their last ten season openers. The backcourt duo everyone talks about is senior point guard Jarvis Summers and junior shooting guard Stefan Moody. This backcourt has potential to be even better than Summers and Marshall Henderson. Moody is expected to come off a lot of those baseline screens that Henderson came off of in his tenure at Ole Miss. Andy Kennedy will treat this game almost like the exhibition, and give a lot of his guys minutes. The Rebels have a few tune-up games before they begin the Emerald Coast Classic, which starts on November 20. Last season, the Buccaneers of Charleston Southern lit it up offensively averaging 81.4 points per game, which ranked tenth in the nation. The Bucs return three starters from a season ago including a duo of preseason All-Big South selections in senior point guard Saah Nimley and shooting guard Arlon Harper. This experienced Rebels squad should have no trouble against Charleston Southern as Ole Miss has ten upperclassmen, and returns six of its top-seven rotation players from last season.
Impact Player- Ole Miss
Sophomore center Dwight Coleby has many eyes on him this season as fans are hoping he will be able to bring the production that Reggie Buckner and Murphy Holloway brought to the Rebels not long ago. In disappointing fashion, Coleby only averaged 2.2 points and 1.8 rebounds. It is crucial to get Coleby going early on the offensive glass as rebounding will be critical to the Rebels’ success this season. If Ole Miss can get Coleby off to a good start early this season, it will bode well for his future success. He needs to have a big game tonight if he wants to keep his starting spot for the rest of the season.
Impact Player- Charleston Southern
Senior point guard Saah Nimley returns as Charleston Southern’s leading scorer from last year after averaging 13.3 points per game. Nimley can bring pressure to Ole Miss point guard Jarvis Summers, who is still nursing an ankle injury. If Nimley can bring toughness and make outside shots, he could be a problem early on for the Rebels.
