ALEX EDWARDS | The Daily Mississippian
Ole Miss will look to stay in third place in the Southeastern Conference, as the Rebels (16-7, 7-3 SEC) head to Tuscaloosa to take on Alabama tonight.
Alabama (9-14, 3-7) is tied for 11th in the SEC standings but has played the second toughest schedule in the country, per WarrenNolan.com.
“Every game on the road is going to be tough,” senior guard Marshall Henderson said. “Alabama is definitely a lot better than their record shows.”
Alabama enters the game on a four-game losing streak and has lost six of its last seven games, although, in that stretch, Alabama has lost by single digits to the SEC-leading Florida twice. Florida, 10-0 in the SEC, has only played in four single-digit conference games this season.
In Alabama’s loss on Saturday at Florida, the Crimson Tide shot 55 percent against the Gator defense. That is the only time this season that a Florida opponent has shot over 50 percent.
Trevor Releford leads Alabama, as one of the best point guards in the SEC. Releford is shooting 50.2 percent from the field, 39.5 percent from three and 90.7 percent from the free-throw line.
Where Alabama has been a disappointment this season has been on the defensive end. They are 11th in the SEC in defensive rating at 102.3. Over the past three seasons, Alabama has finished the season either first or second in defensive rating and with a number never higher than 91.8.
Alabama is slightly better on the boards than Ole Miss, as Alabama has grabbed 48.8 percent of rebounds; Ole Miss is at 48.2, second worst in the SEC. The Rebels have struggled on the boards, but when they keep the rebounding margin close, or even win the battle of the boards, their chances of winning skyrocket.
“We definitely know we play a lot better when we got high energy, and down low when A.J. (Aaron Jones) and Sebastian (Saiz) really bring it,” Henderson said.
When Jones grabs 10 or more rebounds, Ole Miss is 6-0.
Over his last six games, LaDarius White has scored in double figures five times; he’s averaging 11 points in those six games. He tied his season high against Missouri with 16 points, but he did it on just six shots, as he went 5 of 6 from field, 4 of 5 from three.
“We weren’t counting on White going four for five when he’s a 22-percent shooter,” Missouri head coach Frank Haith said.
Before the Missouri game, White was actually a 28-percent shooter from beyond the arc this season — still not good. He’s now shooting 50 percent from three in his last six games, while attempting three per game. Ole Miss has needed that third scorer to emerge, and White has shown consistency in the latest stretch of games. Also, Ole Miss is 8-3 this season when White scores in double figures.
Alabama likes to slow the game down; it averages 65.9 possessions per game, the 11th fastest in the SEC. That style normally correlates to victories with a strong defense like Alabama has had over the past few seasons, but this year, it has been a struggle. Conversely, Ole Miss is the third-fastest team in the SEC, averaging 70.6 possessions per game.
Alabama’s RPI sits outside the top 100 at 109, but it could climb into the top 100 before the season ends. Ole Miss, RPI of 56, is 11-1 against teams outside the RPI top 100.
Ole Miss and Alabama will start at 8 p.m., and the game will be televised on ESPNU.
For continuing coverage of Ole Miss men’s basketball, follow @Tyler_RSR and @thedm_sports on Twitter.
— By Tyler Bischoff
tfbischo@go.olemiss.edu
