Mississippi guard Stefan Moody goes up for a shot during the second half of an NCAA college basketball exhibition game against Delta State in Oxford, Miss., Friday, Nov. 7, 2014. Mississippi won 97-58. (Photo/Thomas Graning)
The Ole Miss Men’s Basketball team followed the women’s team by blowing past Delta State with a score of 97-58 in their exhibition win Friday night.
After being close with Delta State at one point where it was 16-14, the Rebels proceeded to blow the game open to take a 50-26 halftime lead then go on to win in blowout fashion.
“Mission accomplished for us. It was a dress rehearsal, and we got a lot of guys a lot of minutes,” head coach Andy Kennedy said. “I was able to play a lot of the new guys a lot of minutes. We did some things that we can learn from in our upcoming days in preparation for our opener next Friday.”
Andy Kennedy used a multitude of players, including many newcomers.
Of those newcomers was junior Stefan Moody, who scored 14 points, along with junior Roderick Lawrence, who had 14 points as well, including 3-of-4 from behind the arc. Senior Terrance Smith also chipped in with 10 points.
“I played 11 guys in double figure minutes,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy’s new team forced 29 turnovers, which led to a ghastly 53 points off them. It seemed like every player Kennedy put in the game was locked in defensively. Whether it was being tight on ball pressure, getting hands in the passing lanes or contesting shots, the Rebels were there.
“We are more athletic. Moody, on the ball, is a difference maker because he is so quick and disruptive, and Newby is now a junior. He has a better understanding of angles,” Kennedy said. “We just have a lot of different pieces we can mix and match so that we can be productive.”
All of that productivity allowed the Rebels to shoot the ball at 50 percent from the field and over 40 percent from the three-point line. Sophomore Sebastian Saiz pulled down 11 rebounds for Ole Miss, and new frontcourt partner M. J. Rhett followed with eight points and four rebounds.
Ole Miss had 20 assists on 39 made baskets.
Jarvis Summers, while still nursing a sore ankle from preseason, led the Rebels in scoring with 16 points.
“No, not really – I’m just playing the game,” Summers said when asked if his ankle hurt during the game. “I just have a different mindset; I don’t feel the pain. ”
Andy Kennedy and the Rebels will open regular season play at 7 p.m. Friday night against Charleston Southern.
