Preview: Ole Miss men’s basketball hosts Memphis in Saturday showdown
OXFORD, Miss. — The Memphis Tigers travel to Oxford to take on the undefeated Ole Miss Rebels in the SJB Pavilion Saturday at 1:00 p.m. in what promises to be an exciting non-conference matchup.
Memphis began the 2023-24 season with a record of 5-1, with victories over Jackson State (94-77), Missouri (70-55), Alabama State (92-75), Michigan (71-67), and No. 20 Arkansas (84-79). Following their games over Michigan and Arkansas at the Battle 4 Atlantis, Memphis fell to Villanova at the tournament 79-63. Ole Miss marks the third of five SEC teams the Tigers face this season, later facing Texas A&M and Vanderbilt as well.
The Tigers have had the chance to rest and will be motivated, as always, to face the Rebels.
Series history vs. Memphis
A series that dates back over 113 years, the Rebels and Tigers first played in just Ole Miss’ second season of men’s basketball. After Memphis (formally known as Memphis State) took the first two games, Ole Miss won six consecutive contests. While the Tigers would take the series lead (currently up 29-15), the two teams have been even 5-5 over the last 10 matchups, including a 4-2 record favoring Ole Miss over the last six.
The Rebels lead the all-time series when playing in Oxford 11-6, including a 2-0 record in the SJB Pavilion. In their last meeting on December 3, 2022, Ole Miss fell, 57-68, to the Tigers in Memphis.
- The Tigers took an early lead on Ole Miss, and were up 36-22 at halftime.
- While Ole Miss outscored Memphis in the second half, the comeback attempt fell short.
- Matthew Murrell led the Rebels with 13 points, while Myles Burns and Theo Akwuba each added 10.
- Memphis was led by senior forward DeAndre Williams, who posted a double-double with 17 points and 14 rebounds.
Coach Beard on Penny Hardaway
Earlier this week, Ole Miss head coach Chris Beard spoke about the Tigers’ head coach, former NBA player Penny Hardaway.
“In my opinion, he’s one of the best coaches in our game. His teams have identities, he’s a great recruiter. He’s shown the ability at Memphis, when players change, the identity stays the same, and this team is no different.”
Chris Beard on Penny Hardaway
Who to Watch
Over the Tigers’ first six games, their best scorer has been senior David Jones, who is potentially the most talented player the Rebs will have faced thus far. Jones is averaging around 17 points per game, including a 36-point performance to help Memphis defeat Arkansas, who recently beat Duke.
Jones also leads his team in rebounds, is in the top three in three-point percentage, and will open up the offense for his teammates.
“Offensively, they’re just really hard to guard. They have some of the best one-on-one players in college basketball and have real speed at their point guard position. We’ll have to play our best 40 minutes of the season to this point to have success in this game,” Beard said.
For Ole Miss, this will be the first time all season that we get to see the 7’0 center Moussa Cisse take the court, which should provide immediate depth for Jamarion Sharp and even Rashaud Marshall. Similarly to Sharp, Cisse specializes in blocking shots and getting rebounds, two components that will further improve this defense.
In order to win this game and win it convincingly, the Rebs are going to need a beneficial contribution off the bench, and TJ Caldwell has provided that. The sophomore came off the bench against North Carolina State and made two threes, finishing with eight points. If Ole Miss can find a way to get everyone involved, there is no doubt they can continue their winning streak.
The game will be broadcast on ESPN 2 at 1 p.m., and for the fans in attendance, wear red!
