Ole Miss Men’s Basketball Seeking Upset Over No. 12 Florida on Saturday

OXFORD, Miss. — The Rebels have returned to Oxford to face off against the No 12-ranked Gators on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. CT. Ole Miss comes home off a road trip to College Station where the Rebels saw their eighth-straight loss in a three-point defeat to Texas A&M.

ON THE AIR

Television: ESPN
Play-by-Play: Richard Cross
Analyst: Chris Spatola

OLE MISS RADIO

Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: Gary Darby
Analyst: Murphy Holloway

Where they stand

Ole Miss lost its eighth straight this week, this time coming at the hands of the Texas A&M Aggies in College Station. It was another heartbreaking loss for the Rebels, who held a three-point lead with as little as 2:46 left in the game before the Aggies went on a 6-0 scoring run to take the lead and seal the game. With the loss, the Rebels now hold a 3-10 record in the SEC, which places them at No. 14 in the league, just ahead of LSU and South Carolina, who both sit at 2-11. Ole Miss holds an 11-15 overall record.

Florida has been on a hot streak recently, having gone 11-1 in its last 12 games. The Gators have won six straight and worked their way up the rankings to No. 12, and will now hit the road and head to Oxford after two home games. With the Gators’ recent 14-point defeat of the Gamecocks, Florida stands at No. 1 in the conference with an 11-2 conference record, which is two wins more than Alabama, currently No. 2 in the SEC Standings. Overall, the Gators sit at 20-6 on the season.

Scouting the Gators

The Gators, coming off a national title, entered the season ranked No. 3 in the nation before it fell to the then-No. 13-ranked Arizona Wildcats in their season-opener. From there, Florida compiled a 9-5 record, dropping all the way to No. 22 after surprising losses to teams like TCU and Missouri. However, the Gators have only dropped one game since then and beat ranked teams in Georgia, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Alabama and Kentucky. KenPom ranks Florida No 6 overall, particularly because of its standout defensive play, which KenPom ranks No. 4 in the nation. Meanwhile, offensive efficiency is a bit lower at No. 16.

Florida’s roster consists of five players who average at least 11 points per game, with one other player right on the edge, averaging 9.9 points. Forwards Thomas Haugh and Alex Condon lead the team in scoring, with Haugh usually securing about 17. and Condon averaging a bit less at 13.6. Center Rueben Chinyelu, also the third-leading scorer on the team, is the main rebounder for the Gators, consistently averaging 12 boards a game, while Haugh is next at 8.1, and Condon right behind with 6.1. Guard Urban Klavzar leads the team with the deep ball, having made 55 threes and shooting for 38.7% on the season. Haugh also makes an impact from behind the arc, having made just six fewer while making about 34.8% of his attempts.

Florida’s Notable NCAA Team Statistical Rankings:

– Rebounds per game, 46.0, 1st
– Rebound margin, +14.7, 1st
– Offense rebounds per game, 16.4, 1st
– Defensive rebounds per game, 29.6, 6th
– Scoring margin, +15.0, 13th
– Points per game, 86.1, 18th
– Fastbreak points per game, 16.3, 16th
– Blocks points per game, 5.0, 22nd

Keys to the game

1. Contain Florida’s size: The Gators have a big team, and their big guys are the ones to get most of the work done, and they do it well. Ole Miss will need to attempt to limit what Florida’s big men are capable of in the paint. That means playing strong, physical defense and disrupting the boards early to knock the Gators rhythm off balance and limit second-chance points. If the Rebels can successfully manage to do that, especially early on, they’ll keep themselves in the game.

2. Smart, patient offense: Florida has one of the best defenses in the country, which is also partially due to size. The Rebels will need to work around this by taking their time offensively and taking the shots that they like. They’ll also need to play tough offense, as that will be necessary for driving to the paint. But the more that shots are rushed and difficult shots are taken, the more Ole Miss will struggle to keep itself in the game. It will need a patient offense on Saturday.

3. Everybody needs to contribute: Although the Rebels may not have the deepest bench, they can’t rely on just one or a few plays to take over and win the game; they will need everybody to play a role and become a factor. If the team can work together, execute the minor details, secure the boards and score consistently for all 40 minutes, then it could win the game. Everyone knows what the Rebels are capable of; they just need everybody firing on all cylinders at the same time.

Why this game matters

Each loss is getting tougher and tougher to swallow, but with five games left, the Rebels need something positive. A win over a top-ranked Florida team would be tremendous for morale to close the season out, and with LSU up next, and South Carolina as the season finale, the potential for a few more wins before the SEC Tournament is entirely realistic.

Although many fans already be focused on the offseason, or next season entirely, it’s important to keep in mind that the season isn’t over yet. It may not have all been positive up to this point, but any game is a chance for improvement, and who knows when the Rebels could find the spark they need in the middle of a game and close the season out with some nice wins. No matter what, though, there’s still the SEC Tournament. And if it treats it like the NCAA Tournament, maybe Ole Miss could leave its mark on the season in Nashville before it starts its offseason work and begins to prepare for the next season.

Game info

• Matchup: No. 12 Florida at Ole Miss
• Time: 11 a.m. CT
• Location: SJB Pavilion, Oxford, MS.
• TV: ESPN