The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Heads to Arkansas This Weekend
1/18/2018 | Men's Basketball
Complete Notes 
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GAME 19
Matchup: Ole Miss (10-8, 3-3 SEC) at Arkansas (12-6, 2-4 SEC)
Date: Saturday, January 20, 2018
Time: 2:30 p.m. CT
Location: Fayetteville, Ark.
Arena: Bud Walton Arena (19,368)
Television: SEC Network
Richard Cross, play-by-play
Barry Booker, analyst
Radio: Ole Miss IMG Sports Network
David Kellum, play-by-play
Marc Dukes, analyst
Live Audio: OleMissSports.com
Live Video: WatchESPN.com
Series: Arkansas leads 45-32
Last Meeting: March 10, 2017
Arkansas won 73-72
Nashville, Tenn. (SEC Tournament)
TIPOFF TIDBITS
- Saturday's matchup will be a battle between the teams with the best assist/turnover ratios in the SEC.
- The Rebels rank 23rd nationally in assist/turnover ratio (1.4); Deandre Burnett ranks 21st individually (second in the SEC) with a 3.0 assist/turnover ratio, producing eight assists and zero turnovers Tuesday night at Texas A&M.
- Last season, Terence Davis and Deandre Burnett averaged 25.0 ppg and 21.5 ppg, respectively, versus Arkansas.
- The Rebels are playing back-to-back road games for the first time this season.
- Ole Miss is 12-7 versus Arkansas under Andy Kennedy.
- The Rebels have won five of the past seven contests in Bud Walton Arena.
- Ole Miss is coming off a heartbreaking setback at Texas A&M, 71-69.
- The Rebels are 98th in the RPI; Ole Miss has finished in the top 100 of the RPI in all 11 seasons under Andy Kennedy, one of 20 programs to do that.
- Ole Miss has alternated wins and losses through the first six games of SEC play (3-0 at home, 0-3 on the road).
- The Rebels are 9-1 when shooting over 30 percent from beyond the arc.
- Senior Deandre Burnett is averaging 19.7 ppg in the Rebels' three SEC wins.
- Sophomore Breein Tyree is averaging 13.0 ppg in SEC play.
- When he starts, junior Bruce Stevens averages 15.9 ppg; he is averaging 21.0 ppg over the last two contests.
- Guards are accounting for 70.5 percent of the Rebels' scoring.
- Ole Miss is in the 12th season of the Andy Kennedy era; Kennedy, the Dean of the SEC, is the winningest coach in school history with 244 victories. With 101 SEC wins, he is one of only 23 coaches all-time with 100 SEC victories.
- The Rebels are one of two SEC teams to have a .500-or-better SEC record in each of the last six seasons.
- Ole Miss has posted conference records over .500 in each of the last three seasons, the first time they have done that since 1936-1938.
- Senior Marcanvis Hymon ranks 10th in school history with 91 career blocks.
- Ole Miss is one of 11 teams nationwide to have at least 10 different starting lineups this season.
PARTY LIKE IT'S 1959
Playing their 108th season of college basketball, the Rebels are 1,291-1,290 all-time. After a win over Eastern Kentucky (Nov. 13) earlier this season, Ole Miss moved its all-time winning percentage over .500 for the first time since Jan. 12, 1959 when they were 441-440 overall. To put that in perspective, a gallon of gas cost 25 cents, while 1959 was also the year that Alaska and Hawaii became states. As a program, Ole Miss was 95 games under .500 when Andy Kennedy took over in Oxford prior to the 2006-07 season.
SCOUTING ARKANSAS
Arkansas enters Saturday's matchup with a 12-6 record, including a 2-4 mark in SEC play. The Razorbacks dropped a road battle to Florida 88-73 on Wednesday but held on to beat Missouri at home last weekend, snapping a three-game losing streak. Arkansas leads the SEC in assist/turnover ratio (1.5), ranking 17th in the nation. Taking care of the basketball, the Razorbacks' 10.7 turnovers per game are the 11th-fewest in the country. Senior guard Jaylen Barford leads the team in scoring, ranking third in the SEC with 18.9 ppg. Fellow classmate Daryl Macon adds 15.6 ppg, while leading the team in assists (74) and steals (22). Bursting onto the scene as a freshman, forward Daniel Gafford has scored 12.1 ppg to go along with a team-high 35 blocks. Another player averaging double figures is Anton Beard (10.6 ppg), one of only two Razorbacks that has started all 18 games. Mike Anderson is in his seventh season as Arkansas head coach. He spent 17 seasons as an assistant for the Razorbacks, then went on to lead UAB (2002-06) and Missouri (2006-11) before returning to Arkansas.
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's game will be the 78th meeting between the two schools, with the Razorbacks holding an all-time series lead of 45-32. The series began in 1937 and Arkansas won 32 of the first 38 meetings, but Ole Miss has won 24 of the last 36 meetings and 11 of the last 16. Arkansas swept last season's series with a win at home before knocking the Rebels out of the SEC Tournament. The Hogs hold a 16-11 advantage in Fayetteville, but the Rebels have won five of the past seven games at Bud Walton Arena. Head coach Andy Kennedy is 12-7 all time versus the Razorbacks, including 5-4 in Fayetteville.
LAST TIME WE MET
The last time the Rebels and Razorbacks met, Arkansas squeaked out a 73-72 win in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament (March 10, 2017). Ole Miss, fresh off beating Missouri in the Rebels' tournament opener, jumped out to a 17-8 lead on a 3-pointer by Terence Davis. After that, neither team led by more than six in a game featuring 13 ties, including 40-40 at halftime, along with 12 lead changes. Breein Tyree gave Ole Miss its last lead at 70-69 with a 3-pointer with 1:47 to go. The Rebels didn't score again until a layup that was too little and too late. An Arkansas layup made it 71-70, and Daryl Macon hit two free throws with 23.8 seconds left to pad the Razorbacks' lead. Arkansas needed every point as the Rebels took and missed a flurry of shots in the final 10 seconds before Justas Furmanavicius' layup at the buzzer. Officials reviewed the play before ruling the game over. Davis poured in 26 points and Deandre Burnett added 16, while Tyree had 13 for Ole Miss. It was the first time these teams have played in the SEC Tournament, and they turned in a doozy after Arkansas routed Ole Miss 98-80 earlier in the season (Feb. 18, 2017).
DYNAMIC DUO VERSUS ARKANSAS
Deandre Burnett and Terence Davis carried the bulk of the Rebels' scoring versus Arkansas last season. Over the two time the SEC foes met, the duo scored 46.5 of the team's 76 points (61.2 percent). Davis averaged 25.0 ppg, scoring 24 points at Arkansas (Feb. 18, 2017) before putting up 26 in the SEC Tournament matchup (March 10, 2017). Burnett tallied a team-high 27 points in Fayetteville, while adding 16 during the conference tournament battle. This season, the pair is back as the top two scorers on the team. Burnett averages 14.3 ppg with Davis close behind at 13.1 ppg.
OLE MISS SUFFERS HEARTBREAKING SETBACK TO TEXAS A&M
Breein Tyree's three-pointer at the buzzer spun around the hoop twice and was halfway down before it rolled off the rim, giving Ole Miss a heartbreaking 71-69 loss at Texas A&M Tuesday. Trailing by seven with less than three minutes remaining, the Rebels tied the game courtesy of a Terence Davis three with only 49 seconds left. However, an offensive putback by Tyler Davis proved to be the winning bucket for the Aggies. Junior Bruce Stevens scored 14 of his team-high 20 points in the second half and fell one rebound shy of his first career double-double, reaching the 20-point plateau for the second consecutive game. Davis added 12 points and six assists off the bench, while Tyree tallied 11 points. Deandre Burnett contributed seven points and dished out a team-high eight assists without committing a turnover. Burnett's performance was the best assist/turnover ratio by a Rebel in a single game since Cullen Neal had nine assists and zero turnovers versus South Alabama last season (Dec. 22, 2016).
REBELS HAND FLORIDA ITS FIRST SEC LOSS
The Florida Gators came into The Pavilion winners of six straight games and unbeaten in SEC play, but Ole Miss made sure they wouldn't leave that way. Shooting 60 percent (15 of 25) in the second half and making 22 of 26 free throws throughout the game, the Rebels protected their home floor with a 78-72 victory to hand the Gators their first conference loss of the season (Jan. 13). Bruce Stevens' 22 points and six rebounds lifted the Rebels to their biggest win of the year. The team played inside out around Stevens. The ball movement was better, and the Rebels shot 43.1 percent from the field as a result. It took the pressure off the guards. Ole Miss launched just 18 three-pointers, well below its season average. Deandre Burnett had 20 points on 5 of 8 shooting. Markel Crawford was 7 of 12 from the field and poured in 17. The 48 points the backcourt compiled seemed to come easier with Stevens being active down low. The Rebels won the battle on the glass 44-35.
GET TO THE LINE
When the Rebels get to the line often and convert their free throws, they usually come out on top. Ole Miss is 4-1 when making at least 20 free throws in a game, its lone loss versus Illinois State (Dec. 16) when the Rebels sank 28 free throws. In last week's win versus Florida, Ole Miss went 22 of 26 (84.6 percent) from the line to help knock off the Gators.
RELYING ON THE THREE
Ole Miss has relied on the long ball this season, making 8.3 threes per game (fourth in the SEC). The Rebels are 9-1 when they shoot over 30 percent from beyond the arc. The only time Ole Miss lost while shooting over 30 percent from three-point land was against Utah (Nov. 20); the Rebels went 8 of 24 (33.3 percent) from long distance versus the Utes.
TYREE STEPS UP IN SEC PLAY
Sophomore Breein Tyree enjoys playing SEC opponents. As a freshman last year, he averaged 7.3 ppg throughout the season but increased his scoring output to 9.3 ppg in conference play. This year has been no different. Tyree scored 8.6 ppg in non-conference play before bumping the scoring average to 13.0 ppg in the first six SEC games. On the road versus Georgia (Jan. 3), Tyree came off the bench and scored a team-high 17 points with the help of making 3 of 4 from long distance. Versus Mississippi State (Jan. 6), Tyree led the Rebels' comeback by scoring all 16 of his points in the second half. Trailing by as many as 11 in the second half, Ole Miss ended the game on a 20-5 run. Tyree scored seven of the team's final 11 points, including two buckets in the final minute to help the Rebels maintain the lead. During last week's game at No. 22 Auburn (Jan. 9), Tyree tied his career high with a game-best 24 points. He knocked down a career-high four three-pointers and went 6 of 6 at the free throw line.
BLOCK PARTY
Averaging 5.1 blocks per game, Ole Miss ranks 33rd in the country. Five Rebels have reached double digits in blocks, led by 20 from senior Marcanvis Hymon, who ranks 10th all-time in program history with 91 career rejections. Junior guard Terence Davis has 18 blocks, while senior forward Justas Furmanavicius has 16. With 11 blocks in the last eight games, seven-footer Dominik Olejniczak reached double figures with 13 rejections. In his first season as a Rebel, Bruce Stevens has 12 blocks.
GREEN LIGHT GUARDS
Andy Kennedy has proven to develop guards during his time at Ole Miss. Over Kennedy's 11 seasons in Oxford, 12 guards have earned All-SEC accolades to rank third among conference teams. This season, the depth at guard shows in terms of scoring. Ole Miss guards have accounted for 70.5 percent of the Rebels' points. Five of the top six scorers on the team are guards led by Deandre Burnett (14.3 ppg), Terence Davis (13.1 ppg), Markel Crawford (10.3 ppg) and Breein Tyree (10.1 ppg). Freshman Devontae Shuler adds 8.1 ppg (sixth on team).
PROTECTING THE ROCK
Ole Miss has taken care of the basketball this season. The Rebels have coughed up the rock only 205 times, ranking 29th nationally in fewest turnovers surrendered. Averaging only 11.4 turnovers per game, Ole Miss is 30th in the nation. Also the Rebels' 1.4 assist/turnover ratio sits second in the SEC and 23rd in the country. Senior guard Deandre Burnett holds the second-best individual assist/turnover ratio in the SEC at 3.0, which ranks 21st nationwide.
FINDING THE RIGHT FIVE
With more depth than last year's squad, head coach Andy Kennedy has experimented with starting lineups to try to find the best starting five. Through 18 games, the Rebels have sent out 10 different starting lineups. Ole Miss is one of 11 teams nationally that has had at least 10 different starting lineups this season. Ten Rebels have started at least one game this season, and only six teams nationwide have had at least 10 different players start at any point of the year.
DON'T FORGET ABOUT DRE
A first team preseason all-conference selection, senior Deandre Burnett is embracing his role as a leader. Burnett is averaging a team-high 14.3 ppg, while also leading the Rebels with 4.9 assists per game (fourth in the SEC). Not only does he pace Ole Miss in assists, but Burnett takes care of the ball by ranking second in the SEC in assist/turnover ratio (3.0). In the Rebels' conference wins, he is averaging 19.7 ppg. The Miami Gardens, Florida, native tallied team highs in points (18) and assists (6) in a victorious SEC opener versus South Carolina (Dec. 31). Against Mississippi State (Jan. 6), Burnett scored 13 in the first half to keep Ole Miss in the game before he finished with 21 to help his squad rally to victory. Last week, after missing the previous game at Auburn with the flu, Burnett returned to the court and recorded 20 points versus Florida. As an 86.3 percent shooter at the line for his career, he is on pace to finish as the second-best free throw shooter in Ole Miss history. Last season, his first as a Rebel, Burnett averaged a team-high 16.5 ppg and finished fifth in the SEC in both free throw percentage (.881) and three-point percentage (.376). Finishing eighth in the league in scoring, Burnett reached double figures in 26 of 33 games, including 10 20-plus performances and a career-high 41-point output (Nov. 18, 2016 vs. Oral Roberts). He also shared the rock, providing 104 assists throughout the season (3.2 apg).
BURNETT IN THE RANKS
Senior guard Deandre Burnett ranks second in the SEC in assist/turnover ratio (3.0) and fourth in assists per game (4.9). He also is sixth in free throws made (79). He sits top 100 nationally in all of those categories, including 21st in assist/turnover ratio.
BIG BRUCE'S BREAKOUT
When he's inserted into the starting lineup, junior college transfer Bruce Stevens puts together his best performances as a Rebel. Coming off the bench in 11 games, Stevens has scored a total of 75 points (6.8 ppg). In seven starts, he is averaging 15.9 ppg. Over the last two games, he has scored at least 20 points in both contests. On Tuesday night at Texas A&M, Stevens made a career-high nine field goals on his way to a 20-point output to go along with nine rebounds, another mark that tied his personal best. In Saturday's win over Florida, the Louin, Mississippi, native tallied a team-high 22 points on 8 of 13 shooting. Stevens was unstoppable versus Illinois State (Dec. 16), posting a career-high 27 points that included going 7 of 9 from the floor and 13 of 16 from the free throw line. It is the most points scored this season by a Rebel. Over the last nine games, Stevens has made 35 of 44 free throws (79.5 percent) to increase his season percentage to .726.
MARKEL MAKING HIS MARK
As a graduate transfer, Markel Crawford is making his mark in his only season with the Rebels. The Memphis product has started a team-high 15 games and leads the Rebels in minutes per game (30.3), which ranks 16th in the SEC. He also is second on the team in steals (18) and averages 10.3 points per game. Crawford tallied 17 points in two of the Rebels' three SEC wins, victories over South Carolina (Dec. 31) and Florida (Jan. 13). Against South Dakota State (Nov. 28), Crawford scored 19 points, his most as a Rebel, on 7 of 11 shooting.
TD SCORING
After a breakout sophomore season last year, averaging 14.9 points per game after only providing 1.8 points per game as a freshman (largest increase in scoring among any returning player in the conference), Terence Davis has become a go-to scorer for Ole Miss. The Southaven, Mississippi, native has scored in double figures in 27 of the last 33 games dating back to last season. Averaging 13.1 ppg, Davis has already reached the 20-point plateau four times, including a 25-point performance versus Bradley (Dec. 22). Davis recorded 21 in the season opener versus Louisiana (Nov. 10) before putting up 24 in a win over Georgia State one week later (Nov. 17). Against South Dakota State (Nov. 28), Davis scored 20 of his team-high 22 points in the second half. He has also showcased his skills on the defensive end, ranking second in blocks (18) and third in steals (16). As a sophomore last year, Davis ranked fourth in the league in field goal percentage (.482) and recorded 20+ points in six different games. He became a playmaker on both sides of the floor, leading the Rebels with 50 steals as well.
SHULER'S STATEMENT
A 4-star guard out of perennial powerhouse Oak Hill Academy, there was a lot of hype surrounding Devontae Shuler entering the season. The freshman is averaging 8.1 ppg in 20.9 minutes per game and swiping a team-high 25 steals (sixth in the SEC). Against South Dakota State (Nov. 28), he recorded a career-high 19 points on 8 of 14 shooting to go along with a team-high three steals. In his debut, Shuler recorded 14 points in 16 minutes off the bench; the Irmo, South Carolina, native knocked down four shots from beyond the arc versus Louisiana (Nov. 10), and his offensive output was the most points by a freshman in a season opener since Trevor Gaskins recorded 21 versus Mississippi Valley State, exactly 10 years ago (Nov. 10, 2007).
HYMON HELPING FILL SAIZ VOID
Heading into the season, a big question mark for Ole Miss was who would fill the void left by Sebastian Saiz. With the help of a school-record 409 rebounds, Saiz recorded 23 double-doubles a season ago. Senior Marcanvis Hymon has been part of the front court that has replaced Saiz. In his fourth year at Ole Miss, the Memphis, Tennessee, native is the only active player to spend all four seasons in Oxford. Through 18 games, Hymon leads the Rebels in blocks (20) and ranks second in rebounds (5.7 per game). Through 92 career games, Hymon is moving up the school's career blocks chart. He ranks 10th with 91 career rejections following a team-high 40 last season. He has reached double digits in rebounds three times this year, including a 12-point, 13-rebound performance in the season opener versus Louisiana (Nov. 10). The big opening game marked the third double-double in Hymon's career.
SWIPE RIGHT
Ole Miss has been active with their hands on the defensive end of the floor, averaging 6.6 steals per game to rank seventh in the SEC. Through 18 games, five Rebels have recorded double figures in steals. Devontae Shuler leads the way with 25 steals, ranking sixth in the SEC. Markel Crawford follows with 18 steals, while Terence Davis and Breein Tyree have 16 steals apiece. Seven-footer Dominik Olejniczak has 10 of his own. Olejniczak swiped a career-high three steals last week at Auburn (Jan. 9). Against Utah in Last Vegas (Nov. 20), the Rebels tallied 14 steals throughout the night, a season high for the Red and Blue.
FAVORING LARGE MARGINS
Ole Miss is 6-3 in games decided by double digits. When the margin is less than 10, the Rebels are 4-5. Three of those single-digit setbacks occurred in overtime, and the close encounters have hindered a better record. In half of their wins, the Rebels have never had to face a deficit. Ole Miss led throughout in victories over Eastern Kentucky (Nov. 13), Sam Houston State (Dec. 13) and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Dec. 19).
BENCH POINTS
The Ole Miss bench has played a prominent role in scoring, averaging 28.2 points per game. In five different games, the bench has scored at least 40 points. The season high for bench points occurred against Utah (Nov. 20) in Las Vegas, as the reserves tallied 46 of the team's 74 points. During a win over Bradley (Dec. 22), the Ole Miss bench accounted for 50 percent of the scoring (41 of 82).
12TH YEAR OF THE KENNEDY ADMINISTRATION
With the 12th season led by Mississippi native Andy Kennedy underway, Ole Miss has a 244-148 record, one SEC Tournament championship, two SEC West championships, nine 20-win campaigns and eight postseason berths, which includes two NCAA Tournament appearances and pair of trips to the NIT Final Four, throughout Kennedy's watch. The all-time winningest coach in school history, Kennedy has averaged more than 21 wins per season in his 11 years in Oxford after the Rebels posted just three 21-win seasons in the 96 years before his arrival.
KENNEDY EARNS 100TH SEC WIN
With a win versus Mississippi State (Jan. 6), head coach Andy Kennedy earned his 100th win in SEC regular season games to become the 23rd coach in conference history to accomplish the feat. Kennedy, the winningest coach in Ole Miss history, is also ranked 23rd all-time in winning percentage for SEC regular season games at .526 (101-91). He joined Kentucky head coach John Calipari as the only active SEC coaches with 100 SEC victories.
DEAN OF SEC COACHES
In his 12th season in the league, Ole Miss head coach Andy Kennedy is the Dean of SEC basketball coaches. Kennedy has faced 38 different head coaches in the SEC during his time in Oxford. He is also the longest tenured head coach in the league in both basketball and football having entered the league prior to Alabama football coach Nick Saban.
KENNEDY MOVING UP SEC COACHING WINS LIST
Ole Miss head coach Andy Kennedy is climbing the SEC coaching wins chart, ranking 18th with 244 career victories. See complete list below:
1. Adolph Rupp (Kentucky) - 875
2. Billy Donovan (Florida) - 467
3. Dale Brown (LSU) - 448
4. C.M. Newtown (UA/VU) - 340
Harry Rabenhorst (LSU) - 340
6. Kevin Stallings (Vanderbilt) - 332
7. Tubby Smith (UGA/UK) - 308
8. Joe B. Hall (Kentucky) - 297
Hugh Durhman (Georgia) - 297
10. Rick Stansbury (MSU) - 293
11. Ray Mears (Tennessee) - 278
Roy Skinner (Vanderbilt) - 278
13. Wimp Sanderson (Alabama) - 265
John Mauer (UK/UT/UF) - 265
15. Hank Crisp (Alabama) - 264
16. John Calipari (Kentucky) - 262
17. Nolan Richardson (Arkansas) - 249
18. Andy Kennedy (Ole Miss) - 244
19. Norm Sloan (Florida) - 232
20. Rick Pitino (Kentucky) - 219
21. Joel Eaves (Auburn) - 214
KENNEDY'S FIRST 12 YEARS RANK AMONG ALL-TIME SEC GREATS
Andy Kennedy is also fifth on the list for most wins by a coach in their first 12 years in the league after taking over an SEC program. See the list below:
1. Bill Donovan (Florida) - 285
2. Joe B. Hall (Kentucky) - 279
3. Wimp Sanderson (Alabama) - 265
4. Rick Stansbury (Mississippi State) - 255
5. Andy Kennedy (Ole Miss) - 244
6. Kevin Stallings (Vanderbilt) - 236
7. Hugh Durham (Georgia) - 219
8. Ray Mears (Tennessee) - 218
9. Dale Brown (LSU) - 212
10. C.M. Newton (Alabama) - 211
11. Roy Skinner (Vanderbilt) - 204
11. Adolph Rupp (Kentucky) - 204
NEXT ON THE HARDWOOD
Following the week on the road, the Rebels return home to face Alabama (Jan. 23). Tipoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. CT on SEC Network. After the midweek matchup with the Crimson Tide, Ole Miss will take a break from SEC play and hit the road once again. The Rebels will face off against Texas in the Big 12/SEC Challenge, Jan. 27, at 1 p.m. on ESPN2.
