It’s make or break time for Ole Miss Hoops. Boosting an overall record of 12-7 (3-4, ninth in SEC), the Rebels are firmly stuck in the dog days of SEC basketball. With four straight marquee matchups on the schedule, the Rebels’ tournament hopes will likely be predicated on how well they fare against conference opponents Texas A&M, Mississippi State, and Vanderbilt over the next two weeks, and not to mention No. 5 nationally ranked Baylor at The Pavilion Saturday night.
Despite a lackluster start to SEC play, head coach Andy Kennedy’s squad has won two in a row and looks to build on this momentum versus A&M Wednesday night. With a compelling and crucial stretch of games, along with the return of Deandre Burnett and impending return of Rasheed Brooks, here’s a list of five things to look forward to over the next week of Rebel basketball.
- As mentioned, the return of Rasheed Brooks will be monumental in determining success. After collapsing on the court last Tuesday against Tennessee, the do-it-all senior could return as soon as Wednesday night, but Kennedy wasn’t ready to make a call on Tuesday.
“He’s doing very well; he’ll be re-evaluated in the next 24-48 hours,” Kennedy said.
Averaging roughly eight points and three boards a game, Ole Miss needs Brooks’ veteran presence against the length and athleticism of Texas A&M. “He’s antsy to play. Rasheed is a senior, and he only has (potentially) 12 games left,” Kennedy said.
If doctors don’t clear him to play for Wednesday, all signs point to a return Saturday night against Baylor.
2. Look out for how the Rebels play in the first half against A&M and Baylor. So many of Ole Miss’ struggles this season can be derived from the simple fact that the team tends to come out of the gate unenthused. The point differential from first to second half is astonishing. Through 19 games, the Rebels are a -19 in the first half, while being +31 in the second. With the exception of the UT Martin and UMass games, the Rebels have lost every game in which they trailed at half, which happens to be six of their seven losses. Look for the Rebels to come out swinging, as The Pavilion should be packed for both of this week’s contests.
3. Watch out for the matchup between Sebastian Saiz and Baylor’s Jonathan Motley. The big Spaniard will likely have his hands full Saturday night with Motley. The high-flying power forward, averaging roughly 16 points and 10 rebounds, is known nationally for his high-flying dunks and emphatic finishes around the rim. Both teams will look to get their big men involved early, and with Saiz leading the SEC in rebounding (11.5 pg), the matchup on the glass could be an early sign of who will come out on top.
4. Newly crowned SEC player of the week Terence Davis has averaged 19 points, 11 rebounds and four assists in the Rebels’ last two contests, largely swinging the two wins in their favor. “I’m just proud that he’s competing at a high level,” Kennedy said of his sophomore forward. Kennedy went as far as saying that if Davis doesn’t play well, more than likely the team won’t play well as a whole. Essentially, as he goes, the Rebels go. Davis scores almost 15 points per game in games played at The Pavilion, so be on the lookout for two big games this week from him.
5. Lastly, look to see if Kennedy mirrors the game plan of West Virginia when they upset Baylor two weeks ago. West Virginia is a team very similar to Ole Miss, with a strong group of core players but no true alpha. Senior forward Nathan Adrian is another undersized big who can step out and shoot like Saiz, and junior guard Jevon Carter roughly mirrors Ole Miss’ Deandre Burnett. West Virginia forced chaos with their press (something the Rebels can do if they are engaged), made Motley a non-factor by doubling every touch and made nine threes on 45 percent shooting. It will be fascinating to see if Kennedy mirrors the game plan of Bob Huggins and West Virginia.
Although the upcoming schedule will be tough, there is still hope for Kennedy’s Rebels. Currently they sit at 46th in RPI, with seven games left against top 100 RPI teams, including Baylor who is sits atop the RPI rankings. Jay Bilas, when covering the Ole Miss-Kentucky game in December, praised the Rebels for their grit and effort, which could be a telling sign that they might pass the eye test come tournament time. After all, the road to March is paved by late-season success; all it takes is a winning streak and some momentum for the Rebels to punch their ticket.
