Ole Miss Men’s Basketball Ready for Road Test at No. 20 Kentucky

LEXINGTON, Ky. – (Release) The grueling SEC schedule continues for the Ole Miss men’s basketball team, with an 8 p.m. CT game at No. 20 Kentucky tonight on ESPN.

TEAM FACTS
Ole Miss Rebels (18-5, 5-5 SEC)
Head Coach: Chris Beard • 1st Season at Ole Miss (18-5) • 255-103 career record (12th Season)

No. 20 Kentucky Wildcats (16-7, 6-4 SEC)
Head Coach: John Calipari • 15th Season at Kentucky (403-120) • 806-258 career record (32nd Season)

ON THE AIR
Television/Online: ESPN
Play-by-Play: Karl Ravech
Color: Jay Bilas
Sideline: Marty Smith

OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: David Kellum
Color: Marc Dukes

SERIES HISTORY VS. KENTUCKY
A series that has gone Kentucky’s way for a majority of history, Ole Miss began the all-time series winning two of the first three matchups. The Wildcats lead 110-14 since 1925, and have won 58 of 60 previous games played in Lexington. The Rebels’ two victories playing in Kentucky’s home arena came in 1998, and in the second game of the series back in 1927.

LAST MEETING: JANUARY 31, 2023 (L, 66-75, OXFORD, MISS.)
• The two teams entered halftime tied at 32-all, before the Wildcats grabbed a double-digit lead midway through the second half.
• Freshman guard Amaree Abram led the Rebels with 17 points, while TJ Caldwell scored 12.
• Current Kentucky guard Antonio Reeves came off the bench and scored 27 points, shooting 6-7 from the three-point line, while Oscar Tshiebwe posted a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds.

SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
Kentucky enters with a record of 16-7 on the season, having gone 6-4 in SEC play, and sit in sixth-place in the conference standings. They’ve picked up SEC wins over Florida, Missouri, Mississippi State, Georgia, Arkansas, and Vanderbilt, while falling to Texas A&M, South Carolina, Florida, and Tennessee. Most recently, the Wildcats took a break from their conference schedule to host Gonzaga, falling 89-85.

Returning for a fifth-year of college basketball and his second at Kentucky, Antonio Reeves leads the Wildcats in scoring with an average of 19.6 points per game. The team has a total of five players averaging over 10 points per game, as Reeves is joined by Rob Dillingham (15.0 PPG), Reed Sheppard (12.4 PPG), Tre Mitchell (12.3 PPG), and D.J. Wagner (11.5 PPG). Mitchell is their leading rebounder, averaging 7.6 boards per contest.

One of the elite offenses in all of college basketball, they lead the NCAA in three-point shooting percentage at 41.0, and average the third-most points per game in the nation at 89.5. Kentucky’s team shooting percentage from the field of 49.1 this year ranks No. 16 in the country, leading to 17.7 assists per game, which ranks 13th in the NCAA.

On the defensive end, Kentucky ranks fourth in the country with 6.1 blocks per game, as three players have over 20 blocks on the season: Ugonna Onyenso (38), Tre Mitchell (25), and Reed Sheppard (20). Sheppard also paces the team in steals, collecting 55 on the year which leads the SEC. As a team, the Wildcats average 7.8 swipes per game.

The second-winningest head coach among active leaders in college basketball, John Calipari is in his 32nd season and 15th at Kentucky. Collecting his 800th career win early this year, Calipari became just the 14th person to hit the milestone in division-1 history. Since joining Kentucky in 2009, he has won 25 games or more in 11 of his previous 14 seasons.

PARTY IN THE ‘SIP
After setting a record for student attendance on January 24th against Arkansas, the Ole Miss faithful showed out on January 30th for the basketball iteration of the Egg Bowl. Taking on in-state rival Mississippi State, the Rebels picked up an 86-82 victory in front of a record crowd of 10,630 fans. The attendance number topped the record by over 1,000 for the largest crowd at a basketball game in Ole Miss history, and is the fifth-largest crowd ever at an on-campus college basketball game in the state of Mississippi.

In their next game against Auburn, the Rebel fans came out in droves once again, as they filled the SJB Pavilion beyond capacity with the second-largest crowd at 9,631.

“THE FUTURE IS NOW, OLD MAN”
The 2024 early signing class for Ole Miss is already making its mark for the program. Ranked as the second-highest recruit according to 247Sports in school history, forward John Bol was selected to play in the prestigious McDonald’s All-American game on April 2nd. The two rosters, representing the east and west, are made up of 24 of the best high school basketball players the country has to offer.

Joining Bol in the early signing period in November, Eduardo Klafke has enrolled at Ole Miss early and began taking classes in the 2024 spring semester. The guard, who trained with the NBA Academy Latin America, has been able to train with the team recently since beginning school.

LOOKIN’ FOR A DIME THAT’S TOP OF THE LINE
Against Mississippi State on January 30, Jaylen Murray put on a MasterClass in point-guard play. The junior dished out 11 assists to just one turnover, tying him for the 10th-most dimes in a single game in school history.

Murray didn’t just dish out the points, as he scored a team-best 21 as well. He became the first player since Chris Warren in November of 2007 to score 20 or more points with 10 or more assists.

“PUT ME ANYWHERE ON GOD’S GREEN EARTH, I’LL TRIPLE MY WORTH”
Jaylen Murray has been on fire from the three-point line this season, especially as of late. In 11 of the last 13 games, “Juju” has connected on two or more threes, sinking 36 total buckets on 79 attempts from beyond the arc. The Bronx native is averaging 14.3 points on the season, is shooting 42.5 percent from three, and owns an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.51 while averaging 4.04 assists per game. Murray has sunk a three point shot in 21 of 23 games for Ole Miss this year.

SHARING IS CARING
With 22 assists on January 30 against Mississippi State and 20 assists on February 3 against Auburn, Ole Miss posted back-to-back 20-plus assist games against SEC opponents for the first time in 34 seasons. The last time that happened was February 14 and 17 in 1990, when they had 22 assists against Tennessee and 20 against Auburn.

“TEN OUGHTA DO IT, DON’T YOU THINK?”
On December 19 against Troy, Matthew Murrell secured 10 steals to set a new program record for Ole Miss, adding 18 points for the first double-double involving steals in school history. His 10 steals also tied the SEC record for most in a game, the most since 1991, and tie him for the 25th-most in a game in NCAA history. Murrell helped Ole Miss collect 16 steals in the game against Troy, setting a new SJB Pavilion record.

With an average of 1.83 steals per game on the season, Murrell ranks sixth in the SEC and 86th in the nation.

A NEW 1K KING
With 12 points in Ole Miss’ win over NC State, Matthew Murrell surpassed the 1,000-career point mark, becoming the 42nd student-athlete in program history to do so. Now at 1,311 points in his career with the Rebels, Murrell ranks 22nd in school history and sits two points behind next on the list, Cob Jarvis.

20. Devontae Shuler (2017-2021): 1,319
21. Cob Jarvis (1951-54): 1,313
22. Matthew Murrell (2020-): 1,311
23. Stefan Moody (2014-16): 1,294

ALL-AMERICAN DR. PARTY
The Rebels hosted a block party on January 10 in the SJB Pavilion, setting a school record with 16 team blocks. Breaking the previous best by three, their total against the Gators tied the SEC record for most blocks in a conference game all-time. Ole Miss was led in the paint by forward Jamarion Sharp, who set a program record of his own with a nine-block performance.

A NEW ERA BEGINS
With the hiring of Chris Beard last March, the Ole Miss men’s basketball program is prepared to take the next step forward, bringing in one of the most successful coaches of the last decade.

Compiling a record of 255-103 as an NCAA head coach since 2012, Beard holds one of the highest win percentages in the nation, ranking 11th among active head coaches with 10 or more years of experience at 71.2%.

The 2019 AP National Coach of the Year has led three different programs to the NCAA Tournament over the previous eight years, and is undefeated in the opening round at 5-0. His all-time record in the NCAA Tournament is 11-5 (.688).

A RECORD START
Ole Miss matched the program record for best start to a season and longest overall win streak, going a perfect 13-0 in non-conference play (also in 2007-08). The Rebels were one of three teams in the nation to start 13-0, joined by James Madison and Houston.

Ole Miss is the third different program head coach Chris Beard has taken to a 10-0 start to begin a season during his nine years as a Division-I coach, having done so in 2015-16 with Little Rock and 2018-19 at Texas Tech.

“I TAKE THE WORK, FLIP IT, ACROBATIC”
Ole Miss has shown elite ball control and movement on the offensive side. With a total of 362 assists compared to 234 turnovers, the Rebels’ ratio of 1.55 ranks 24th in the nation.

The team is led in assists by Jaylen Murray (93 assists to 37 turnovers), who ranks fourth in the SEC in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.51) and seventh in assists per game (4.04).

THA BLOCK IS HOT
Ole Miss ranks sixth in college basketball averaging 6.0 blocks per game. The muscle in the paint for the Rebels has been Jamarion Sharp, who leads the SEC in blocks per game (2.59) and blocks (57), ranking seventh and ninth in the nation in each category, respectively.

With 139 blocks through 23 games, Ole Miss is on pace to challenge the program record for blocks in a season of 185 set during the 2012-13 season. Sharp has also already entered the top-10 for most blocks in a single season at Ole Miss, now with 57 which ranks sixth, only behind Reginlad Buckner and Aaron Jones.

Blocked Shots in a Single Season
1. 98, Reginald Buckner (36 games, 2013)
2. 95, Reginald Buckner (34 games, 2011)
3. 69, Aaron Jones (33 games, 2014)
69, Reginald Buckner (32 games, 2012)
5. 64, Reginald Buckner (31 games, 2010)
6. 57, Jamarion Sharp (22 games, 2024)
7. 56, David Dean (28 games, 1993)
8. 52, David Dean (22 games, 1994)
9. 49, Rahim Lockhart (35 games, 2001)
49, Sean Murphy (28 games, 1991)

*MIKE BREEN VOICE* “BANG!”
Shooting 38.7 percent from the three-point line this season, Ole Miss currently ranks 11th in the country in efficiency beyond the arc and second in the SEC. The Rebels have shot 50 percent or better from deep five times, the most in a single season since they hit that mark or better five times during the 2014-15 campaign.

• Nov. 14 vs. Detroit Mercy: 9-18 (50.0%)
• Nov. 22 at Temple: 10-18 (55.6%)
• Dec. 2 vs. Memphis: 11-22 (50.0%)
• Dec. 16 vs. California: 12-21 (57.1%)
• Dec. 23 vs. Southern Miss: 11-19 (57.9%)

I’LL TAKE A 20 PIECE, PLEASE
With their current record of 18-5, Ole Miss is currently on track to record the 13th 20-win season for the Rebels since 2000. In his first year at the helm, head coach Chris Beard could become the 29th coach in SEC history to win 20 games during their initial season.

AMONG THE BEST
Forwards Jamarion Sharp and Moussa Cisse rank among the nation’s best in active career leaders in a handful of statistical categories. After becoming the fifth player ever to lead the NCAA in blocks in two seasons, Sharp ranks first in both career blocks (336) and career blocked shots per game (3.91). Establishing himself as a premier shot blocker as well, Cisse ranks 18th in blocks per game (1.75) and 20th in total blocks (185). Cisse also ranks 81st among active players in total rebounds with 698.

Sharp ranks as the second-most efficient active shot maker in the nation as well, with a career field goal percentage of 67.0. While he doesn’t qualify for the minimum made field goals for the all-time list, his career field goal percentage would rank as the fifth-highest in college basketball history.

“I CAN BE YOUR LONG LOST PAL”
After posting the third double-double of his career in the season opener (15 points, career-best 12 rebounds), Allen Flanigan followed it up with a career-best 29 points against Eastern Washington. The senior guard surpassed the 1,000 career-point mark against the Eagles, and played a key part in securing the victory by scoring eight of the last 11 points for the Rebels.

He once again led the team in scoring with 23 against Sam Houston, connecting on a career-best 14 makes from the free throw line. The senior helped lead Ole Miss to victory in their first road game at Temple with 26 points, the second-most scored in a game for his career, while tallying a then career-best seven assists. Flanigan added his second double-double of the year in a 20-point win over NC State in the ACC/SEC Challenge with 15 points and 10 rebounds and helped Ole Miss take down Memphis with 18. Against Troy, he increased his career-mark for most assists in a game with nine, following that up with his third double-double of the year against Southern Miss in Biloxi with 10 points and 11 boards.

Flanigan helped the Rebels take down Arkansas 77-51 on January 24 with his sixth double-double of his career. He posted his sixth 20-point performance of the season on February 3 against Auburn and his seventh against South Carolina with 26 on February 6.

RUNNING THE COURT LIKE MCKENZIE LONG
Ole Miss is averaging 12.00 fastbreak points this season, ranking No. 84 in the NCAA. Outscoring their opponents 277-151 in fastbreak points this year, the Rebels have scored equal or more fastbreak points in 20 of 23 games.

Ole Miss has created their opportunities for quick points by ranking sixth in the country in blocks per game and 46th in steals per game.

CLIMBING THE LEADERBOARDS
Senior Matthew Murrell has been a consistent threat from three-point range throughout his four years at Ole Miss. This season, he has entered the top-10 career lists in school history for three-point field goals made and attempts.

Three-Point Field Goals Made
1. 334, Chris Warren (115 games, 2008-11)
2. 278, Aaron Harper (123 games, 2001-04)
3. 267, Marshall Henderson (66 games, 2013-14)
4. 249, Keith Carter (117 games, 1996-99)
5. 214, Joe Harvell (114 games, 1990-93)
6. 207, Breein Tyree (130 games, 2017-20)
7. 194, Matthew Murrell (112 games, 2020-)
8. 181, Stefan Moody (65 games, 2014-16)
9. 178, Devontae Shuler (124 games, 2018-21)
10. 176, Terence Davis (121 games (2016-19)

Three-Point Field Goals Attempted
1. 900, Chris Warren (115 games, 2008-11)
2. 771, Marshall Henderson (66 games, 2013-2014)
3. 720, Aaron Harper (123 games, 2001-04)
4. 686, Keith Carter (117 games, 1996-99)
5. 581, Breein Tyree (130 games, 2017-20)
6. 555, Matthew Murrell (112 games, 2020-)
7. 528, Joe Harvell (114 games, 1990-93)
8. 523, Devontae Shuler (124 games, 2018-21)
9. 519, Terence Davis (121 games, 2016-19)
10. 494, Stefan Moody (65 games, 2015-16)

SKEE-LO’S HERO
Transfer forward Jamarion Sharp stands as the tallest student-athlete in NCAA Division I men’s basketball this season at 7’5″, a title he has held for three-straight seasons now, and is even listed as one of the tallest living humans on Wikipedia. After spending his first two college years at John A. Logan College, Sharp played two years at Western Kentucky from 2021 to 2023. In 64 games played, he averaged 7.8 points per game, 7.6 rebounds per game, and became just the fifth person ever to lead the NCAA in blocks twice. His margin of 3.91 blocks per game during his career is currently the 16th-best average in college basketball history, while his 336 total blocks are tied for 62nd all time. Against Vanderbilt on January 13, Sharp passed former Rebel-great Reginald Buckner who had 326 swats during his career.

With career block No. 300, Sharp became the 95th player in NCAA history to hit that mark. He is one of just 14 on that list to hit the 300-block mark in three years or less.

Career Blocked Shot Average (min. 225 blocks)
1. 5.87 – Keith Closs, Central Conn. St. (54 GP, 317 blks.)
2. 5.66 – Adonal Foyle, Colgate (87 GP, 492 blks.)
3. 5.34 – Shawn James, Northeastern/Duquesne (83 GP, 443 blks.)
4. 5.24 – David Robinson, Navy (67 GP, 351 blks.)
5. 4.66 – Mickell Gladness, Alabama A&M (85 GP, 396 blks.)
6. 4.65 – Wojciech Myrda, La.-Monroe (115 GP, 535 blks.)
7. 4.58 – Shaquille O’Neal, LSU (90 GP, 412 blks.)
8. 4.48 – Jerome James, Florida A&M (81 GP, 363 blks.)
9. 4.42 – Deng Gai, Fairfield (100 GP, 442 blks.)
10. 4.28 – Emeka Okafor, UConn (103 GP, 441 blks.)
11. 4.21 – Justin Williams, Wyoming (58 GP, 244 blks.)
12. 4.17 – Hasheem Thabeet, UConn (100 GP, 417 blks.)
13. 4.11 – Justin Rowe, Maine (55 GP, 226 blks.)
14. 4.00 – Jarvis Varnado, Mississippi St. (141 GP, 564 blks.)
15. 3.96 – Travis Williams, Hampton (114 GP, 452 blks.)
16. 3.91 – Jamarion Sharp, Western Ky./Ole Miss (86 GP, 336 blks.)

Career Blocked Shots
t60. 339 – Osun Osunniyi, Iowa State
t60. 339 – Derrick Lewis, Maryland
t62. 336 – Jamarion Sharp, Western Ky./Ole Miss
t62. 336 – Nick Billings, Binghamton
t62. 336 – Marcus Camby, Massachusetts
t62. 336 – David Van Dyke, UTEP
t62. 336 – Luc Longley, New Mexico

“THE SMOOTH CRIMINAL ON BEAT BRAKES”
From December 16 to January 10, senior Jaemyn Brakefield was playing in a unique state of mind. The forward from Jackson, Miss. shot 67.2 percent from the field (45-67) and 56.5 percent from three (13-23), averaging 20.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. He set career-highs for points in a game twice during that stretch, first with 27 against Cal before scoring 28 in the Rebels’ win over Florida.

“AROUND THE ‘ARC’, A PERIMETER CREATE”
Ole Miss has been strong at defending the three-point shot this season, holding opponents to 32.6% from deep. The Rebels have kept their foe under 25% in seven games this year:

• Nov. 10 vs. Eastern Washington: 4-22 (18.2%)
• Nov. 28 vs. NC State: 3-25 (12.0%)
• Dec. 2 vs. Memphis: 3-18 (16.7%)
• Dec. 5 vs. Mount St. Mary’s: 5-25 (20.0%)
• Dec. 10 at UCF: 4-22 (18.2%)
• Jan. 13 vs. Vanderbilt: 4-18 (22.2%)
• Jan. 24 vs. Arkansas: 5-22 (22.7%)

IT’S ELITE IN THE ‘SIP
Ole Miss is one of just three FBS programs in the country to start at 10-0 in hoops and compile a 10-win season in football. They are joined by James Madison and Oklahoma.

The No. 11 Ole Miss football team defeated No. 10 Penn State 38-25 in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on December 30 in Atlanta.

“IT AIN’T GON’ NEVER STOP”
Head coach Chris Beard and staff continue to work on securing the future for Ole Miss basketball, and did so with a pair of signees in the NLI early signing period in November:

John Bol • F • 7-1 • Buma • Overtime Elite
Ranked as the second-highest recruit in program history according to 247Sports, Bol is a consensus four-star recruit, ranking as high as No. 38 in the nation by 247Sports and No. 40 by ESPN. He is an elite shot blocker and rebounder who stands at 7’1″ and is able to affect the game on both ends of the floor. Ranked as the top player in the state of Georgia by ESPN, Bol has developed a reputation as one of the hardest playing big men in the country.

Eduardo Klafke • G • 6-5 • Fanca-Sao Paulo, Brazil • NBA Academy Latin America
A combo guard from the prestigious NBA Academy Latin America, Klafke will come to Oxford from Franca-Sao Paulo, Brazil. One of the top international players in his age group, he has consistently played above his age while representing Brazil on the national stage, playing in U19 games as a 17-year-old. Klafke will help bring a spark to the offense as an elite shooter and is excellent in playing both on and off the ball.

HOW’S THE WEATHER?
The roster for Ole Miss this season has the tallest student-athlete in Division I in forward Jamarion Sharp, and has the shortest student-athlete in the country in guard Cam Brent. The two stand a full two feet apart in height, with Sharp at 7’5″ and Brent at 5’5″.

VALUED LEADERSHIP
The Ole Miss men’s basketball coaching staff is one of the more experienced around the country. In his 14th year as a collegiate head coach, Chris Beard is joined on the court by former head coaches Win Case (16 years), Brian Burg (three years), and Wes Flanigan (two years). Assistant coach Bob Donewald Jr. has 16 years of head coaching experience at the professional and national level, while assistant Al Pinkins has been an associate or assistant coach at six different NCAA Division-I programs, including four within the SEC. The Ole Miss coaching staff has experience at five other SEC programs: Auburn, Florida, LSU, Mississippi State, and Tennessee.

“WE BALLIN’ LIKE THE MARCH MADNESS”
Among the seven transfers for the Rebels, over half have been to the NCAA Tournament during their collegiate career, with a total of five appearances. Brandon Murray (LSU, 2022 First Round), Austin Nunez (Arizona State, 2023 First Round), and Jaylen Murray (Saint Peter’s, 2022 Elite Eight) have each been to the postseason once in their careers, while Allen Flanigan has been twice (Auburn, 2022 and 2023 Second Round).