The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebels To Host Rival Mississippi State
1/10/2000 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 10, 2000
The Ole Miss Rebels (12-3, 0-2 SEC) will end their Southeastern Conference two-game homestand on Wednesday, Jan. 12 when they host in-state rival Mississippi State (9-5, 1-1 SEC). Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. (CT) at Tad Smith Coliseum. The Rebels enter Wednesday's contest on a two-game skid after falling to Arkansas, 71-64 on Jan. 5 and No. 6 Florida, 75-71 on Jan. 8. Prior to that setback, Ole Miss had a six-game winning streak with victories over Virginia Commonwealth (75-62, Dec. 7), Memphis (74-64, Dec. 11), Southeastern Louisiana (77-46, Dec. 15), Louisiana-Monroe (76-60, Dec. 19), Prairie View A&M (98-74, Dec. 29) and Birmingham-Southern (89-48, Jan. 2). The Bulldogs also enter Wednesday's game after a loss, suffering a narrow 77-74 overtime setback at Alabama on Jan. 8. Mississippi State won its SEC opener over Georgia, 71-59 on Jan. 5.
Game #16
Mississippi St. (9-5, 1-1) at Ole Miss (12-3, 0-2)
Wednesday, January 12 - 7:00 p.m. (CT)
Tad Smith Coliseum - Oxford, Miss.
PROBABLE STARTERS
No. Player (Yr.) Pos. Ht. Wt. PPG/RPG Hometown11 Jason Harrison (So.) G 5-5 150 7.5/2.8 Little Rock, Ark.20 Jason Holmes (Jr.) G 6-5 200 5.5/2.1 Tylertown, Miss.24 Marcus Hicks (Sr.) F 6-6 200 14.9/5.7 Jackson, Tenn.25 Lataryl Williams (Sr.) F 6-7 200 9.3/2.7 Oxford, Miss.44 Rahim Lockhart (Jr.) F 6-8 250 14.1/10.0 Mendenhall, Miss.* Based on last game's starters
RESERVES
No. Player (Yr.) Pos. Ht. Wt. PPG/RPG Hometown15 Ray Waddell (Jr.) G 5-9 165 1.0/0.6 Philadelphia, Miss.21 Darrian Brown (So.) G/F 6-6 200 6.9/3.6 West Memphis, Ark.22 Jason Flanigan (Jr.) G 6-1 175 8.3/3.0 Little Rock, Ark.23 Syniker Taylor (Fr.) G 6-0 195 4.0/1.0 Gulfport, Miss.30 Josh Hayes (Fr.) G 6-7 190 5.0/2.0 Little Rock, Ark.#31 John Gunn (Fr.) F/C 6-10 245 2.3/1.5 Oxford, Miss.32 Emmanuel Wade (Fr.) G 6-3 185 3.8/1.3 Marianna, Ark.45 Richard Kirklin (Fr.) F 6-9 200 2.4/2.1 Pine Bluff, Ark.54 John Engstrom (So.) C 7-0 245 0.7/1.2 Paragould, Ark.
# - will seek a medical redshirt at the end of the season
Rebels on Television and Radio
Television: None
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network (David Kellum, play-by-play, Sean Tuohy, color analyst, Stan Sandroni, pregame/halftime/postgame host)
OLE MISS-MISSISSIPPI STATE SERIES
Wednesday's game will the 219th meeting between the two schools, with the Bulldogs holding an all-time series lead of 119-99. Last year, the teams split their two meetings, with the Rebels posting an 81-68 victory in Oxford and the Bulldogs recording a 72-69 win in Starkville. Ole Miss holds a 72-36 lead in games played in Oxford, taking the last four contests played in Tad Smith Coliseum in the 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99 seasons. The last time the Bulldogs won in Oxford was the 1994-95 campaign when they defeated Ole Miss by a narrow four-point margin of 46-42. Overall, Ole Miss has won five of the last seven meetings in the series, dating back to the Rebels' upset victory over then-No. 25 Mississippi State, 71-64 in February 1996.
LAST YEAR'S MEETINGS
First Game - January 20, 1999
Ole Miss 81, Mississippi State 68
Sophomore guard Jason Flanigan scored a career-high 20 points, and senior Michael White also netted a career best with 17 points to lead Ole Miss to an 81-68 win over in-state rival Mississippi State. Senior All-America candidate Keith Carter (14 points) and Jason Smith (10) also scored in double figures for the Rebels. Sophomore Rahim Lockhart pulled down a career-best 12 boards.
Detrick White led Mississippi State with 14 points. Bart Hyche (11 points), Oral Roberts (10) and Robert Jackson (10) also scored in double figures for the Bulldogs. The Rebel defense held the Bulldog big man, Tyrone Washington, in check, limiting the 6-foot-10 center to only six points and five rebounds.
The Rebels held a 38-32 halftime advantage, but used a 14-6 run to open the second half to build their lead to 12 points at 50-38. White and Flanigan each hit a three-pointer to key the Ole Miss run. The Bulldogs were able to cut the Ole Miss lead to under double digits (nine points) at 54-45 with 11:58 left, but were unable to get any closer the remainder of the contest.
The contest was close throughout the first half, as the Rebels had the largest lead at 38-32 just before the intermission. Mississippi State had one-point leads on two occasions in the first half, but was unable to build on its advantages.
Miss. State FG-A 3P-A FT-A Reb Pts Ast Blk StlWhite, D. 4-13 3-8 3-4 3 14 9 0 2Hamilton 3-5 0-2 0-0 2 6 0 0 0Hyche 3-10 3-7 2-2 2 11 2 0 1Washington 3-3 0-0 0-0 5 6 2 2 0Roberts 3-5 0-0 4-8 8 10 0 0 0Billups 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0Marshall 1-4 0-1 2-2 2 4 0 0 0Gholar 0-0 0-0 0-0 2 0 1 0 0Patterson 0-2 0-0 1-2 2 1 1 0 0Boswell 3-4 0-0 0-2 5 6 0 0 0Jackson 4-8 0-0 2-3 1 10 0 0 0 TEAM 3Totals 24-54 6-18 14-23 35 68 15 2 4LAST YEAR'S MEETINGS
Ole Miss FG-A 3P-A FT-A Reb Pts Ast Blk StlFlanigan 6-12 1-4 7-7 3 20 1 0 1Smith 4-7 0-0 2-4 5 10 4 0 1White, M. 6-8 4-5 1-3 1 17 3 0 2Carter 4-11 1-5 5-6 4 14 1 0 4Lockhart 2-4 0-0 2-5 12 6 3 3 1Carpenter 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 2 0 0 0Harrison 1-6 0-4 1-3 1 3 3 0 0Rogers 0-0 0-0 0-0 1 0 0 1 0Pruitt 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0Brown 3-7 1-3 0-0 6 7 1 0 1Hicks 1-2 0-0 0-0 1 2 0 0 0Williams 0-2 0-1 0-0 0 0 1 0 0TEAM 3Totals 28-60 7-22 18-28 37 81 17 4 10
Mississippi State 32 36 - 68Ole Miss 38 43 - 81
Officials: Monje, Guardiola, PooleAttendance: 7,812
Second Game - February 20, 1999
Mississippi State 72, Ole Miss 69
Mississippi State's Tyrone Washington posted a double-double of 21 points and 11 rebounds, and Detrick White netted a career-high 21 points to lift the Bulldogs to a thrilling 72-69 Southeastern Conference victory over Ole Miss. Todd Myles also scored in double figures for the Bulldogs with 15 points.
Jason Smith led Ole Miss with 20 points, while All-America candidate Keith Carter added 17 points. Rahim Lockhart led the Rebels on the boards with 10 rebounds.
Ole Miss had a 63-52 lead with 6:43 left after a Carter jumper, but that's when Mississippi State began its comeback. Four consecutive points by Washington cut the lead to 63-56 at the 6:02 mark. After a Myles basket and a Jason Smith free throw made the score 64-58, the Bulldogs scored six unanswered points to tie the contest at 64-all with 3:35 left. Mississippi State then continued its run when Myles converted a three-point play at the 3:06 mark to give the Bulldogs a 67-64 lead. A Jason Smith bucket cut the Mississippi State lead to 67-66 with 2:40 remaining, but the Bulldogs made five of eight free throws in the final two minutes to seal the win.
In the first half, Ole Miss jumped out to an early 10-point lead at 15-5, but Mississippi State responded with a 13-2 run to take its first lead of the game at 18-17 with 8:53 left before halftime. From that point, there were four ties and six lead changes till the intermission.
The Rebels shot 42.4 percent from the field, while the Bulldogs hit 42.9 percent from the floor.
Ole Miss FG-A 3P-A FT-A Reb Pts Ast Blk StlSmith 8-13 0-0 4-7 6 20 2 0 1Hicks 3-8 0-0 2-2 6 8 0 2 0Flanigan 0-4 0-0 0-0 3 0 1 0 0White 2-4 0-1 1-3 4 5 3 0 0Carter 7-15 2-7 1-2 4 17 0 0 1Harrison 2-4 2-4 2-2 2 8 1 0 1Brown 2-6 1-4 2-2 1 7 1 0 0Williams 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0Lockhart 1-4 0-0 2-3 10 5 1 4 0TEAM 2Totals 25-59 5-16 14-21 38 69 9 6 3SCOUTING MISSISSIPPI STATE
Miss. State FG-A 3P-A FT-A Reb Pts Ast Blk StlHamilton 2-5 0-2 0-0 1 4 0 0 0Patterson 1-4 0-1 1-2 8 3 3 0 0Washington 7-12 0-0 7-8 11 21 0 1 1White 7-16 5-10 2-3 1 21 3 0 0Marshall 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0Billups 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0Myles 6-9 1-2 2-3 0 15 2 0 1Gholar 1-4 0-1 1-5 3 3 0 1 0Hyche 0-1 0-0 2-2 1 2 1 0 0Roberts 0-1 0-0 0-0 4 0 0 0 0Jackson 0-4 0-0 3-4 3 3 1 1 0TEAM 4Totals 24-56 6-16 18-27 36 72 10 3 2
Ole Miss 34 35 - 69Mississippi State 37 35 - 72
Officials: Dodge, Day, GreeneAttendance: 10,226
Mississippi State enters Wednesday's game with a 9-5 overall record and a 1-1 Southeastern Conference mark, and has won seven of its last 10 games. After winning their SEC opener over Georgia on Jan. 5, the Bulldogs dropped an overtime contest at Alabama, 77-74 on Jan. 8. Mississippi State has four players averaging in double figures with junior forward Tang Hamilton leading the way with a 15.3 scoring average. Junior Antonio Jackson (13.3 ppg), sophomore Marckell Patterson (11.6 ppg) and sophomore Robert Jackson (10.9 ppg) are also averaging double figures. Hamilton leads the Bulldogs on the boards, grabbing 6.8 boards per game. Mississippi State is averaging 77.7 points per contest, and is out-rebounding its opposition by 5.3 boards per game (39.1-33.8). The Bulldogs are shooting 47.3 percent from the floor, 35.6 percent from the three-point arc and 65.7 percent from the free throw line.
MISSISSIPPI STATE PROBABLE STARTERS
No. Player (Yr.) Pos. Ht. Wt. PPG/RPG Hometown20 Tang Hamilton (Jr.) F 6-7 215 15.3/6.8 Jackson, Miss.24 Marckell Patterson (So.) F 6-5 190 11.6/4.6 Eupora, Miss.55 Robert Jackson (So.) C 6-8 245 10.9/6.4 Milwaukee, Wis. 4 T.J. Billups (Jr.) G 6-4 205 2.2/1.1 Jackson, Miss.11 Antonio Jackson (Jr.) G 6-4 185 13.3/3.2 Huntsville, Ala.* Based on last game's starters
TOP RESERVES
No. Player (Yr.) Pos. Ht. Wt. PPG/RPG Hometown 5 Todd Myles (Sr.) G 6-4 175 8.8/2.5 Brooklyn, N.Y.33 Quentin Smith (Jr.) F 6-9 250 5.5/4.3 Vicksburg, Miss.25 Tyrus Boswell (So.) F 6-7 235 5.1/3.9 Mtn. Brook, Ala.22 Derrick Zimmerman (Fr.) G 6-2 185 4.3/1.8 Monroe, La.BARNES IN SECOND SEASON AS REBEL MENTOR
Rod Barnes is in his second season at the helm of the Ole Miss Rebel basketball program. With the Rebels' setback to Florida on Jan. 8, Barnes' overall coaching record now stands at 32-16. In his first season in 1998-99, Barnes guided Ole Miss to a 20-13 overall record and a third straight NCAA Tournament appearance. The Satartia, Miss., native became the first head coach in the history of Rebel basketball to win 20 games in his first season. Last season, Barnes also guided the Rebels to a 72-70 win over Villanova in the NCAA Tournament first round, marking the program's first-ever victory in NCAA play. Barnes was hired as the Rebel head coach on April 9, 1998, after Rob Evans left to take the h ead coaching position at Arizona State on April 6. A 1988 graduate of Ole Miss, Barnes served as an assistant under Evans from 1993-98. During his time as an assistant coach, the Rebels compiled a record of 76-63 and won back-to-back Southeastern Conference Western Division titles and received consecutive NCAA Tournament berths in 1997 and 1998. Barnes played at Ole Miss from 1984-88 and was named All-SEC his senior season. He still ranks on the Ole Miss career charts in scoring (17th, 1,201 points), assists (2nd, 456) and steals (6th, 154).
AN ALL-STAR REUNION
Wednesday's contest will be an all-star reunion-of sorts. Ole Miss head coach Rod Barnes, Rebel senior forward Marcus Hicks (Jackson, Tenn.) and Mississippi State junior forward Tang Hamilton were all members of the Southeastern Conference All-Stars that traveled to Japan last August. Barnes, who served as the team's co-head coach with LSU's John Brady, guided the SEC All-Stars to a 4-1 record versus the Japan National Team. Hicks averaged 10 points and 6.2 boards, and led the team in rebounding, blocked shots and field goal percentage. Hamilton led the SEC All-Stars with a 15.6 scoring average.
REBELS START WITH 12-1 RECORD FOR SECOND TIME IN THREE SEASONS Prior to its losses to Arkansas and Florida, Ole Miss had started the 1999-2000 season with a 12-1 record, marking the second time in three seasons the Rebels had done so. The 1997-98 Rebel squad also began its year with a 12-1 record. The last time an Ole Miss team started a campaign with a better record was 1925-26 when that squad had a 15-1 record to begin the year. That team finished the season with a 15-2 mark.
"TAD PAD" SWEET "TAD PAD"
Yes, the school-record 29-game homecourt winning streak came to an end last year, but Tad Smith Coliseum (a.k.a. the "Tad Pad") is still one of the toughest arenas in the nation for opposing teams to play. Despite dropping four games at home last season, Ole Miss has still won 56 of its last 61 games (.918 winning percentage) at home, including homecourt winning streaks of 15 and 29 games. The Rebels are 8-1 at Tad Smith Coliseum this season. Ole Miss also owns the third longest homecourt winning streak versus non-conference opponents in the nation at 33 (Maryland is first at 70 straight). In the past eight seasons (1992-present), Ole Miss has an overall home record of 84-26 (.764 winning percentage).
BROWN HAS CAREER GAME VERSUS FLORIDA
Sophomore Darrian Brown (West Memphis, Ark.) had the proverbial "hot hand" against the nationally-ranked Gators on Jan. 8, and in turn, had a career game versus Florida. The 6-foot-6 guard netted a career-best 18 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field, including 4-of-7 from the three-point arc, and 4-of-4 from the charity stripe. The four treys were also a career best for him. For the season, Brown is averaging 6.9 points and 3.6 rebounds. He is shooting 38.6 percent from the floor and 72.4 percent from the free throw line.
REBELS VERSUS THE SEC WESTERN DIVISION
The Rebels have a 38-43 regular-season record versus teams from the SEC Western Division. Ole Miss is 38-44 versus the SEC Western Division teams, including tournament play. The Rebels, however, have been successful versus their SEC Western Division foes the last three years (1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99), posting a 21-9 record. The following charts show the Rebels' year-by-year record versus the SEC Western Division and their mark against each school from the Western Division (includes tournament games):
Year-By-Year Versus Record Against The SE
The SEC Western Division Western Division Teams(Regular Season Only) (Includes Tourney Games)1991-92 2-8 Alabama 7-91992-93 4-6 Arkansas 6-111993-94 4-6 Auburn 7-91994-95 3-7 LSU 10-7 1995-96 4-6 Miss. State 8-81996-97 7-3 Total 38-441997-98 8-21998-99 6-41999-2000 0-1Total 38-43"GET THAT SHOT OUTTA HERE!!!"
With more one blocked shot, junior Rahim Lockhart (Mendenhall, Miss.) will move into the top five on the Ole Miss career blocked shot chart. The 6-foot-8 forward currently has 67 career blocks and needs one more to tie former Rebel Patrick Eddie, who recorded 68 blocked shots in his two year-career from 1989-91. Lockhart leads the Rebels in blocked shots this season with 30, and is ranked fourth in the SEC in blocks.
THE MAGIC NUMBER IS...
Well, for the Rebels, it seems as if that number is 70. In the past four seasons (1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99, 1999-2000), Ole Miss has an incredible 66-8 record (.892 winning percentage) when it scores 70 points or more in a game. On the other hand, the Rebels are 7-24 when they net less than 70 points in a game. Last season, Ole Miss had an 18-3 record (.857 winning percentage) when it eclipsed the 70-point plateau. This year, the Rebels are 11-2 when scoring 70 points or more. In Southeastern Conference action the last four seasons (1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99, 1999-2000), Ole Miss has a 30-5 record (.857 winning percentage) when scoring 70 or more points.
HARRISON TIES TWO CAREER HIGHS VERSUS FLORIDA
Sophomore Jason Harrison (Little Rock, Ark.) was also "on fire" versus the Gators on Jan. 8, and as a result of his shooting touch, he tied two career highs. The 5-foot-5 guard tied career bests with five field goals and three treys against Florida. He also hit five field goals earlier this year versus Oklahoma (Dec. 4), and recorded three treys on five other occasions in his career. For the season, Harrison is averaging 7.5 points and is shooting 35.8 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from the arc.
HICKS PASSES 600-POINT MILESTONE VERSUS FLORIDA
Senior Marcus Hicks reached another milestone in his career as a Rebel, passing the 600-point plateau. Hicks hit point No. 600 on a free throw at the 16:53 mark of the first half versus the Gators, and finished the game with 11 points. After his 11-point performance versus Florida on Jan. 8, the 6-foot-6 senior now has scored 610 points in 48 career games. Earlier this season, Hicks reached the 500-point plateau in the Rebels' game at Oklahoma on Dec. 4. Hicks entered the game with 492 points, and scored his 500th point on a free throw at the 3:10 mark of the first half versus the Sooners.
REBEL DOMINATION ON THE BOARDS
Despite being out-rebounded by VCU on Dec. 7, Ole Miss simply dominated its opponents on the boards in the non-conference portion of the season-and that domination has continued into Southeastern Conference play for the Rebels. After 15 games, the Rebels are averaging 40.0 rebounds per contest, while the opposition has a rebounding average of 29.0 boards-a margin of 11.0 boards per game, which is first in the SEC. In the NCAA stats released on Jan. 3, the Rebels were fifth in the nation in rebounding margin. The following chart shows the Rebels' domination on the boards:
Opponent Rebel Rebs. Opp. Rebs. MarginJacksonville St. 50 36 +14McNeese St. 49 27 +22Furman 48 26 +22Oregon St. 46 28 +18Wisconsin-GB 41 32 +9Alabama St. 36 27 +9Oklahona 31 24 +7VCU 28 31 -3Memphis 37 28 +9Southeastern La. 31 29 +2Louisiana-Monroe 41 29 +12Prairie View A&M 50 37 +13Birmingham-So. 36 23 +13Arkansas 44 29 +15Florida 32 29 +3Avg. 40.0 29.0 +11.0BARNES THIRD FASTEST TO 30 WINS
With the Rebels' win over Louisiana-Monroe on Dec. 19, Ole Miss head coach Rod Barnes posted his 30th victory in only the 44th game in his career as the Rebel mentor. Barnes reached the 30-win plateau the third fastest of any head coach in Ole Miss basketball history. See the following chart:
Head Coach Overall Coaching Game Which Record at Time of Recorded 30th win 30th WinHomer Hazel 30-9 39thGeorge Bohler 30-13 43rdRod Barnes 30-14 44thB.Y. Walton 30-26 56thEd Murphy 30-29 59thBonnie Graham 30-34 64thLee Hunt 30-35 65thCob Jarvis 30-40 70thBob Weltlich 30-42 72ndRob Evans 30-43 73rdLOCKHART DOUBLES HIS PLEASURE-A 10TH TIME
Junior Rahim Lockhart has certainly doubled his pleasure for the Rebels in 1999-2000, as he has recorded 10 double-doubles in the Rebels' 15 games. Lockhart is currently averaging a double-double of 14.1 points (11th in SEC) and 10.0 rebounds (1st in SEC, 10th in the nation). The following charts Lockhart's double-doubles this season:
Opponent Points Rebs NotesJacksonville St. 29 11 career high ptsMcNeese St. 13 16 career high rebsFurman 15 14 tied car-high blks (4)Oregon St. 11 12Wisconsin-GB 13 13Alabama St. 12 10Oklahoma 13 10Memphis 22 13Louisiana-Monroe 18 11Arkansas 14 10The junior forward now has 11 career double-doubles, as his first came last season against Tennessee (Feb. 17, 16 pts-12 rebs).
REBELS GETTING THEIR SHOOTING TOUCH BACK
Despite their "off" shooting night versus Arkansas on Jan. 5, the Rebels are still shooting over 50 percent from the field in their last nine games.
Ole Miss is shooting a combined 51.6 percent (264-of-514) from the floor in the last 10 contests, and is shooting 47.6 percent from the field overall, which is fifth in the SEC. The Rebels started the 1999-2000 campaign on a subpar note in terms of shooting from the field, but that changed in early December. Since Dec. 1, Ole Miss has shot over 50 percent from the floor against Alabama State, Oklahoma, Southeastern Louisiana, Louisiana-Monroe and Birmingham-Southern and nearly hit 50 percent from the field versus VCU, Memphis, Prairie View A&M and Florida. The lone outing during the nine-game stretch in which the Rebels did not come close to hitting 50 percent was the Jan. 5 Arkansas game. The following chart shows the Rebels' improvement from the field in the last 10 games:
First five games
Jacksonville St. 27-78 .346McNeese St. 35-71 .493Furman 25-56 .446Oregon St. 24-56 .429Wisconsin-GB 18-50 .375Total 129-311 .415Last 10 games
Alabama St. 29-55 .527Oklahoma 28-53 .528VCU 19-39 .487Memphis 22-45 .489Southeastern La. 29-46 .630Louisiana-Monroe 32-59 .542Prairie View A&M 35-72 .486Birmingham-Southern 31-50 .620Arkansas 17-48 .354Florida 22-47 .468Total 264-514 .514TIP-INS...
Wednesday's game will feature two of the top field goal shooting teams in the SEC. Ole Miss is fifth in the SEC (47.6 percent), while Mississippi State is sixth (47.3 percent)...Junior Ray Waddell (Philadelphia, Miss.) and junior John Engstrom (Paragould, Ark.) both made the UMAA Honor Roll (3.00-3.49 gpa) for the fall semester...The Ole Miss-Auburn game, scheduled for a 12:00 p.m. tip on Jan. 22, is sold out. The contest will be televised by Jefferson-Pilot...Rahim Lockhart became the second Rebel to pass the 500-point plateau this year. With his 19 points versus Florida, Lockhart now has 512 career points...Jason Harrison needs three more assists to reach 150 for his career. He has 147 entering Wednesday's game.
