The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Basketball Announces 2001-02 Schedule
7/23/2001 | Men's Basketball
July 23, 2001
OXFORD, Miss. --The Ole Miss men's basketball squad will face a challenging schedule in the 2001-02 campaign, announced Rebel Head Coach Rod Barnes Monday. In addition to the Southeastern Conference slate, the Rebels will have tough non-league tests at home versus George Mason and Memphis and on the road at Kansas State and regular-season tournaments at Alaska-Fairbanks and UTEP.
The 2001-02 schedule has 13 teams which advanced to the postseason in 2000-01, including seven NCAA Tournament squads. Ole Miss already has four television appearances slated versus Memphis (Dec. 7, ESPN), Tennessee (Jan. 6, JP), Kentucky (Jan. 15, ESPN) and Alabama (Mar. 2, CBS). Games times and additional television contests will be announced at a later date.
"We have a challenging schedule for this year's team," said Barnes, the 2001 Naismith Coach of the Year. "The schedule is balanced, and it is one in which we can be successful and also be tested. We will meet teams with a lot of different styles of play."
After two exhibition contests in early November, the Rebels tip off their campaign at the BP Top of the World Classic in Fairbanks, Alaska, Nov. 15-18. Ole Miss opens tournament play versus Bowling Green, and other teams in the field include Washington, Butler and Delaware. Following the Alaska trip, the Rebels travel to Kansas State on Nov. 25. Ole Miss' only other non-league road trip will be to El Paso, Texas, Dec. 21-22 to compete in the Sierra Providence SunClassic. The tournament field includes UTEP, Mississippi Valley State and IUPUI.
"We have some great trips, beginning with our opening games at the Top of the World Classic in Alaska," said Barnes. "After that tournament, we play at Kansas State, which is a program with great tradition. We also have the opportunity to compete in the SunClassic at Texas-El Paso. In past years, several outstanding programs have played in the SunClassic, and it is one of the best tournaments over the Christmas break."
The Rebels' Nov. 28 home opener versus Morris Brown begins a four-game homestand for Ole Miss. After the home opener, the Rebels host George Mason (Dec. 1), Louisiana-Monroe (Dec. 3) and Memphis (Dec. 7). Ole Miss also has non-league games at Tad Smith Coliseum against Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Dec. 29) and David Lipscomb (Jan. 2). The Rebels' Dec. 16 contest versus Tennessee-Martin is slated for the DeSoto County Civic Center in Southaven, Miss.
"Our home non-conference schedule includes Memphis, which will be one of our toughest games next year," Barnes said. "The Tigers will be ranked in the top 25 when they come to Oxford. George Mason will be another exciting game for our fans to watch in Tad Smith Coliseum. George Mason has a quality program and played in the NCAA Tournament last year, nearly upsetting Maryland in the first round."
Ole Miss opens defense of its SEC Western Division title at Tennessee on Jan. 6. The Rebels play each Western Division opponent (Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, LSU and Mississippi State) twice on a home-and-home basis. The Rebels host SEC Eastern Division foes South Carolina (Jan. 26), Vanderbilt (Jan. 30) and Florida (Feb. 16), and travel to Kentucky (Jan. 15) and Georgia (Feb. 2) in addition to Tennessee. The SEC Tournament returns to the Georgia Dome in Atlanta Mar. 7-10.
"The Southeastern Conference will be tough again, as several teams in the league return several top players," Barnes said. "In the SEC West, Alabama, Arkansas and Auburn all return key starters and will be picked to contend for the division title. Kentucky, Tennessee and Florida return a lot of firepower in the East and will battle for the division and league's overall crown. The SEC will, once again, be one of the toughest conferences in the country. The positive side of playing in a tough league like the SEC is that it prepares you for postseason play."
The Rebels return two starters and eight lettermen from last year's team that posted a 27-8 record, won the SEC Western Division title with an 11-5 league mark, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament "Sweet Sixteen." The 27 victories were a school record, and the 2001 NCAA Tournament berth was the program's fifth straight postseason appearance.
2001-02 Ole Miss Men's Basketball Schedule
November - 3, Global Basketball (Exhibition), 10, Carson-Newman (Exhibition), 15-18, at BP Top of the World Classic (Fairbanks, Alaska), 25, at Kansas State, 28, Morris Brown
December - 1, George Mason, 3, Louisiana-Monroe, 7, Memphis, 16, Tennessee-Martin (at DeSoto County Civic Center, Southaven, Miss.), 21-22, at Sierra Providence SunClassic (El Paso, Texas), 29, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
January - 2, David Lipscomb, 6, at Tennessee, 9, Auburn, 12, Mississippi State, 15, at Kentucky, 19, at Arkansas, 23, LSU, 26, South Carolina, 30, Vanderbilt
February - 2, at Georgia, 6, at Alabama, 9, Arkansas, 13, at Auburn, 16, Florida, 23, at Mississippi State, 27, at LSU
March - 2, Alabama, 7-10, SEC Tournament (Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Ga.)
