Ole Miss Men’s Basketball Travels to Knoxville Looking to Get in Win Column

OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss is headed to Knoxville to face the No. 25 Tennessee Volunteers tonight, the third of the Rebels’ four-game road trip for which they are currently 0-3. The teams will tip off on Rocky Top at 6:00 p.m. CT.

ON THE AIR

Television: ESPN2
Play-by-Play: Karl Ravech
Analyst: Jimmy Dykes
Reporter: Alyssa Lang

OLE MISS RADIO

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

Where they stand

The Rebels were in Nashville over the weekend, facing a Top-25 Vanderbilt team, where they suffered a disappointing three-point loss after a late-game comeback attempt was thwarted by the Commodores. Ole Miss now holds an 11-10 overall record and a 3-5 conference record, which places the team at No. 12 in the SEC, a one-spot drop following the loss to Vanderbilt. It’s been an unfortunate series of losses for the Rebels, who last saw a victory on Jan. 17, when they beat Mississippi State in Starkville, the finale of a three-game winning streak, which included a win over a Top-25-ranked Georgia in Athens.

The Volunteers, on the other hand, sit at 15-6 on the season and have just made their reentry into the Top 25 after winning three-straight games, which began with a victory over No. 17-ranked Alabama, and just finished with a win over Auburn. Tennessee currently holds the all-time series lead over the Rebels, but lost the last matchup between the two in March last season.  KenPom currently ranks the Vols at No. 18, placing them at No. 3 in the SEC, also holding the No. 14 defensive efficiency rating.

Scouting the Volunteers

Tennessee enters the matchup with the No. 5-best overall record and the No. 6-ranked conference record at 5-3. The Vols’ most notable victories on the season came over Houston, Louisville and Alabama, ranked No. 3, No. 11 and No. 17 at the time, respectively. Tennessee entered the season with a preseason ranking of No. 18 in the AP Poll and No. 17 in the Coaches Poll, but fell out of the rankings after losing to Kentucky on Jan. 17. The Coaches Poll still has the Vols unranked.

The Volunteers have two players averaging double-digit points: guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie and forward Nate Ament. Ament is one of the best freshmen in the country and helps lead a Vols team that averages 82 points per game. He also leads Tennessee in rebounds per game with 6.4, just ahead of forward Jaylen Carey with 6.3. Gillespie leads the team from three-point range, averaging almost three made on almost eight attempts per game. He’s shot 35% on 58 three-point attempts on the season.

Tennessee’s Notable NCAA Team Statistical Rankings:

– Offensive rebounds per game, 15.7, 2nd
– Rebounds per game, 43.1, 4th
– Rebound margin, +12.8, 4th
– Three-point percentage defense, 29.4, 19th
– Field goal percentage defense, 39.9, 25th
– Assists per game, 17.5, 26th
– Free throw attempts per game, 24.9, 36th
– Defensive rebounds per game, 27.4, 36th
– Scoring margin, +12.4, 39th

Keys to the game

1. Force the Vols to shoot the three: Tennessee’s offense is inconsistent game-to-game, and their three-point game is a bit weak overall, so the Rebels need to ensure they don’t let the Vols’ offense get hot. Although Ole Miss lost to Vanderbilt, the Rebels played some nice defense throughout the game and will need to again in Knoxville. If Ole Miss can do its best to force the Volunteers to shoot from outside of the paint, specifically from outside of the arc, then they’ll be in a good position.
2. Control the glass: The Volunteers average 43 total rebounds per game, tied for fourth in the nation, 15 of which come on the offensive side of the ball, which ranks second in the nation. The Rebels will need their big men in the paint, along with everyone else on the court, to contribute to gathering rebounds. If Ole Miss can successfully outrebound the Vols, limiting their possessions while also forcing tough shots, then the Rebels could easily come out on top.
3. Limit turnovers and second-chance points: As previously mentioned, Tennessee is among the best in the country at gathering rebounds. But the Vols also average seven steals per game and do well at controlling the pace, allowing them to take their time to take the shots they like, in turn, allowing them to gather offensive rebounds and outscore their opponents. Against Georgia, two games ago, the Vols had a plus-20 margin in second-chance points; the Rebels can’t allow that to happen. Ole Miss will need to focus on protecting the ball and prioritizing meaningful possessions to take control of the game.

Why this game matters

Ole Miss is in a rough spot, both in the season overall and in the SEC standings. It felt like the Rebels were gaining momentum after beating Georgia and Mississippi State, but then came the losses to Auburn and Kentucky. When the Rebels arrived in Nashville, winning the game was within reach through all 40 minutes, but Ole Miss just couldn’t pull it out in the end. It feels like the Rebels are on the brink of success and a momentum-changing win with each game; they just need to execute.

If Ole Miss can walk into Thompson-Boiling Arena, execute and secure a win, they could be heading to Austin with renewed energy and momentum to face the Longhorns before returning to Oxford to face the Crimson Tide. Only two more ranked games remain on the Rebels’ schedule after Tennessee, all of which are winnable, and a win over a ranked Tennessee team would go a long way in boosting the morale for the Rebels. The outcome of the next 10 games may all start with the Volunteers.

Game info

• Matchup: Ole Miss at Tennessee
• Time: 6 p.m. CT
• Location: Thompson-Boiling Arena at Food City Center, Knoxville, TN.
• TV: ESPN2