Coach Chris Beard and the Rebels are treating their upcoming SEC opener as a chance for a clean slate.
“It’s a new season,” says Beard. “When you get into conference play, it’s different.”
The Rebels have not seen what they’d hoped for in the non-conference part of their schedule, suffering from poor shot selection, difficulty rebounding and a lack of defensive success. Their struggles have led coach Beard’s team to a KenPom ranking of 57 just a year after playing in the Sweet Sixteen.
After managing to put together back-to-back wins against Southern Miss and Alabama A&M, their hopes to be stronger going into conference play were put on hold with a crushing loss to NC State. They rebounded with a win on Monday against Alcorn State, where coach Beard saw several things they could carry with them.
“As specific as some defensive positioning and rim protection, trying to be the second jumper and not the first jumper,” said Beard, “I thought tonight we were able to get some threes in transition, so lots of examples of the carryover from practice.”
Malik Dia, who has been perhaps the most consistent player for the Rebs, comes into SEC play having put together a double-double in back to back contests. Including Dia, 14 Rebels saw the floor on Monday night; the lack of a consistent rotation has been a point of concern so far, and it doesn’t look like there will be a set rotation on Saturday either.
“I’ve never been in this situation going into conference play, but that’s okay,” was Beard’s response when asked about the rotation (or lack thereof). “Guys will earn more playing time, more opportunity based on their game performance. And for us, that starts Saturday in Norman, Oklahoma.”
KNOW THE FOE
The Oklahoma Sooners are feeling very proud of their non-conference slate with two of their only three losses to AP top 15 teams. Having scored over 90 points in consecutive wins, the Sooners have a potent offense led by guards Nijel Pack and Xzayvier Brown. The upperclassmen are each averaging over 15 point per game. The Sooners run a fast paced offense, relying on quick breaks and getting open looks early in the shot clock. They play a defense based on creating mismatches swapping guards and forwards; they also heavily utilize gap positioning to help close some of the driving opportunities their swaps create.
What To Watch
CAN THE REBELS CONTINUE TO REBOUND?
Against Alcorn State the Rebels won the battle for boards 53-28, a margin of twenty five, which is by far their largest of the season. The Sooners enter Saturday’s matchup giving up 33.2 rebounds per game, which ranks 10th in the SEC, while the Rebels are 15th in the league getting just 36.3 rebounds per game.
WILL WE SEE THE FORMATION OF A ROTATION?
Ole Miss has played 11 or more players in all but three games this season. If the Rebels hope to make a run in SEC play and position themselves well for the postseason, they have to develop a solid, consistent rotation.
WHO BRINGS THE SPARK?
Having committed 5 turnovers on their first eleven possessions, the Rebels were behind 8-0 on
Monday night against Alcorn State. Then, Koren Johnson made an improbable 3 pointer and the offense rumbled to life. Where will that spark come from Saturday in Norman?
NOTEBOOK
Head Coach Chris Beard is 1-1 in SEC openers during his tenure in Oxford.
Senior F Malik Dia became the first Ole Miss player with back-to-back double-doubles since Sebastian Saiz in 2017 Junior James Scott joined Dia in the double-double club on Monday, which also his first time scoring double digits in either category this season.
Corey Chest made it a hat trick for Rebels and double digit rebounds Monday, grabbing 10. This marks the first time since 2016 that three or more Rebels had ten or more rebounds.
Ole Miss is 2-3 all time against Oklahoma. Coach Beard is 4-0 all time against the Sooners.
