The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebels Renew Rivalry with MSU Saturday
2/15/2018 | Men's Basketball
Complete Notes 
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GAME 27
Matchup: Ole Miss (11-15, 4-9 SEC) at Mississippi State (18-8, 6-7 SEC)
Date: Saturday, February 17, 2018
Time: 7:30 p.m. CT
Location: Starkville, Miss.
Arena: Humphrey Coliseum (10,575)
Television: SEC Network
Mike Morgan, play-by-play
Dane Bradshaw, analyst
Radio: Ole Miss IMG Sports Network
David Kellum, play-by-play
Marc Dukes, analyst
Series: MSU leads 142-115
Last Meeting: January 6, 2018
Ole Miss won 64-58
Oxford, Miss.
TIPOFF TIDBITS
- Ole Miss will be playing on the road for the fifth consecutive weekend.
- The Rebels and the Bulldogs are the SEC's most-played rivalry, having met 257 times.
- Ole Miss has won eight of the last nine matchups against MSU, which is the Rebels' best streak against the Bulldogs since winning eight straight from 1980-83.
- The Rebels beat MSU 64-58 earlier this season with the help of 37 combined points between Deandre Burnett and Breein Tyree; Burnett and Tyree average 15.7 ppg apiece in the rivalry.
- Andy Kennedy is 13-11 versus MSU; his 13 wins are the most by any Ole Miss head coach against the Bulldogs.
- Ole Miss is one of two SEC teams to have a .500-or-better SEC record in each of the last six seasons.
- Deandre Burnett averages 20.8 ppg in the Rebels' SEC wins.
- Four Rebels are averaging double figures in conference play (Deandre Burnett-14.8 ppg, Bruce Stevens-11.2 ppg, Terence Davis-11.2 ppg, Breein Tyree-10.8 ppg).
- Ole Miss has five wins versus RPI top 100 teams; the Rebels had three during all of last season.
- The Rebels are 10-5 when shooting over 30 percent from beyond the arc.
- Ole Miss is one of six teams nationwide to have at least 15 different starting lineups this season.
- Guards are accounting for 70.7 percent of the Rebels' scoring.
- Head coach Andy Kennedy announced Monday that he will step down at the end of the season.
- 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 245 victories. With 102 SEC wins, he is one of only 23 coaches all-time with 100 SEC victories.
- Andy Kennedy coached his 400th game as Ole Miss head coach Tuesday, becoming the 11th man in SEC history to coach 400 games at one school.
- The Rebels posted conference records over .500 in each of the last three seasons, the first time they have done that since 1936-1938.
- Ole Miss is multiple games under .500 for the first time since the end of the 2005-06 season, right before Andy Kennedy became head coach; the Rebels are four games under .500 for the first time since 1996.
OPPORTUNITIES REMAIN
So far this season, Ole Miss has earned five victories over RPI top 100 teams, including two over opponents ranked in the top 50. Comparing to last year's run to the NIT Quarterfinals, Ole Miss had only three top 100 wins. With five regular season games remaining, the Rebels still have opportunities in front of them. Three of the five games left come against teams in the top 25 of the RPI, including two on the road.
SCOUTING MSU
MSU enters Saturday's rivalry contest with an 18-8 record, including 6-7 in the SEC, following back-to-back road losses to Missouri and Vanderbilt by a combined five points. Allowing only 66.8 ppg, the Bulldogs lead the SEC in scoring defense. Holding opponents to a 40.6 field goal percentage, MSU ranks 26th in the nation. Three Bulldogs are averaging double figures, led by junior guard Quinndary Weatherspoon (14.7 ppg). His brother, Nick, ranks third on the team in scoring at 11.2 ppg. Along with shooting 43.1 percent (28 of 65) from beyond the arc and pulling down 6.8 rebounds per game, forward Aric Holman averages 11.3 ppg. Abdul Ado adds a team-high 50 blocks to go along with 8.1 ppg. Ben Howland is in his third season as MSU's head coach. His 22nd season as a head coach, Howland's previous stops include Northern Arizona (1995-99), Pittsburgh (2000-03) and UCLA (2004-13).
SERIES HISTORY
The Bulldogs are Ole Miss' most-played opponent, having met 257 times on the hardwood, which is also the SEC's most-played rivalry. Mississippi State holds a 142-115 lead in the series, which began in 1914, but the Rebels have won eight of the last nine matchups, the best streak against the Bulldogs since winning eight straight from 1980-83. During the stretch, Ole Miss has averaged 79.1 ppg while only giving up 69.9 ppg. The Rebels have won two of the past three meetings in Starkville. Head coach Andy Kennedy is 13-11 against MSU in his career and has coached the Rebels to wins in eight of the last nine meetings. No Ole Miss coach has more wins over Mississippi State than Kennedy. B.L. "Country" Graham (1950-62) and Ed Walker (1931-35) had 10 wins apiece against the Bulldogs.
LAST TIME WE MET
Behind a stifling 1-3-1 zone defense and 16 second-half points from Breein Tyree, Ole Miss erased a nine-point deficit in the final eight minutes to continue its winning ways against Mississippi State. The Rebels outscored the Bulldogs 20-5 over the final 7:40 to claim a 64-58 victory Saturday afternoon (Jan. 6) at The Pavilion. The win was the Ole Miss' eighth over MSU in the past nine meetings of the in-state rivalry, and it also gave head coach Andy Kennedy his 100th SEC victory. This game was no work of art as the Rebels trailed by as many as 13 points. However, the defense stepped up as the Rebels held every MSU player to single digits in points, the first time they kept every opposing player out of double figures since Nov. 11, 2001 (vs. UL-Monroe). Deandre Burnett led all scorers with 21 points. Ole Miss shot 21 of 62 (33.9 percent) from the field, its lowest field goal percentage in a victory since March 8, 2014 versus Vanderbilt (33.3 percent).
RISING UP IN THE RIVALRY
Deandre Burnett and Breein Tyree have come to play in all three of their games against Mississippi State, averaging 15.7 ppg versus the Bulldogs. Burnett chipped in 16 points, five assists and a career-high four steals in his first taste of the rivalry last season, an 88-61 route in The Pavilion (Jan. 31, 2017). It marked the largest margin of victory over MSU for the Rebels since 1951. In Starkville (Feb. 21, 2017), Tyree led the Rebels with a career-high 24 points as Ole Miss pulled away from Mississippi State in overtime 87-82. Fast forward to this season, the duo combined for 37 of the Rebels' 64 points (57.8 percent) in a 64-58 victory (Jan. 6). Burnett tallied a game-high 21 points. Tyree scored all 16 of his points in the second half. He scored seven of the Rebels' final 11 points, including four in the final minute of play, to complete the comeback.
UNFAMILIAR TERRITORY
During the Andy Kennedy era, expectations for Ole Miss Basketball have been raised due to the success under the Louisville, Mississippi native. The Rebels have averaged more than 21 wins per season under Kennedy's watch, posting nine 20-win seasons after the program recorded only seven 20-win seasons in the 96 years prior to his arrival. Kennedy has led Ole Miss to two of the program's five NCAA Tournament victories. With eight of the school's 20 postseason appearances under Kennedy's guidance, winning has become the norm which is why the Rebels are in unfamiliar waters at this point of the season. Ole Miss is multiple games under .500 for the first time since the conclusion of the 2005-06 season, right before Kennedy arrived in Oxford. The Rebels are four games under .500 for the first time since Jan. 20, 1996 when they were 5-9 through the first half of the season.
THE END OF AN ERA
After 12 years of leading the Ole Miss basketball program, Andy Kennedy will step down as head coach at the conclusion of the 2017-18 season, it was announced Monday. "I have been truly blessed to have been given the opportunity to be a head coach in the Southeastern Conference in my home state for 12 years," said Kennedy. "I also know that it is time for a new voice and a new vision for this program moving forward. With that said, at the end of this season I will be stepping down in my role as the head coach of Ole Miss. I appreciate Ross (Bjork) and the working relationship that we have, which allows us to talk candidly and frankly that now is the time to move the program forward." In his 12th season in Oxford, Kennedy holds a 245-155 record as coach of the Rebels. With 11 postseason wins, eight postseason berths, nine 20-win seasons, two NCAA Tournament appearances, two NIT Final Fours, two SEC West titles and an SEC Tournament Championship, the two-time SEC Coach of the Year will leave Ole Miss as the winningest coach in program history. Averaging more than 21 wins per season, Kennedy ranks 18th in SEC history with 245 victories.
ANOTHER AK MILESTONE
On Tuesday against Arkansas, Andy Kennedy coached his 400th game as head coach of the Rebels. He became the 11th coach in SEC history to coach 400 games at one school. See complete list below:
1. Adolph Rupp (Kentucky) - 1,065
2. Dale Brown (LSU) - 749
3. Billy Donovan (Florida) - 653
4. Harry Rabenhorst (LSU) - 604
5. Kevin Stallings (Vanderbilt) - 552
6. Hugh Durham (Georgia) - 512
7. Rick Stansbury (MSU) - 459
8. Norm Sloan (Florida) - 424
9. Roy Skinner (Vanderbilt) - 413
10. Hank Crisp (Alabama) - 401
11. Andy Kennedy (Ole Miss) - 400
TRIO CONSIDERED FOR HOWELL TROPHY
Three Rebels are being considered for the Howell Trophy, awarded to the most outstanding college basketball player in the state of Mississippi. Deandre Burnett (14.8 ppg), Terence Davis (13.3 ppg) and Bruce Stevens (10.1 ppg) are Ole Miss players to watch for the annual trophy given out by the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame. An Ole Miss Rebel has won the Howell Trophy each of the past five seasons, beginning with Marshall Henderson in 2013. Jarvis Summers took home the award in 2014 before Stefan Moody earned the honor in back-to-back seasons. Last year, double-double machine Sebastian Saiz won the Howell Trophy. The award is named in honor of the legendary Bailey Howell who spent 12 seasons in the NBA and is in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
COLD SHOOTING DOOMS REBELS IN LOSS TO RAZORBACKS
A rough night shooting the basketball wrote another chapter in a frustrating season for Ole Miss as it fell to Arkansas 75-64 Tuesday night at The Pavilion. Ole Miss jumped out to an early 18-13 lead behind nine early points from Deandre Burnett. The senior guard finished with 24 points on 6 of 15 shooting, tying a season high. Markel Crawford added 17 points, and Terence Davis had a career-high 13 rebounds for the Rebels. Arkansas began to defend better over the course of the last eight minutes of the half and took a 34-23 lead into halftime. The deficit was trimmed in the early minutes of the second half. A 6-0 spurt from Burnett cut it to two at 36-34, despite the Rebels being just 9 of 37 from the field at the time. A Devontae Shuler triple cut the game to one point at 53-52 with just under nine minutes left, but Arkansas sealed the game with a 20-1 run over the next five minutes.
REBELS GO DOWN ON THE BAYOU
Ole Miss used a 13-3 run to bring the game to a 37-37 standstill at the half, but a strong start to the second half by LSU helped the Tigers claim an 82-66 victory on its home floor Saturday afternoon. Deandre Burnett and Bruce Stevens recorded 16 points apiece to pace the Rebels, while Breein Tyree added 10 points off the bench. Duop Reath posted a game-high 26 points on 10 of 12 shooting to lead LSU. While Ole Miss controlled the boards 40-36, the Tigers dominated the paint 44-22.
RELYING ON THE THREE
Ole Miss has relied on the long ball this season, making 8.2 threes per game (fifth in the SEC). The Rebels are 10-5 when they shoot over 30 percent from beyond the arc. When Ole Miss shoots under 30 percent from long distance, its record is 1-10.
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 70.7 percent of the Rebels' points. Five of the top six scorers on the team are guards led by Deandre Burnett (14.8 ppg), Terence Davis (13.3 ppg), Markel Crawford (9.8 ppg) and Breein Tyree (9.5 ppg). Freshman Devontae Shuler adds 6.7 ppg (sixth on team).
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 26 games, the Rebels have sent out 15 different starting lineups. Ole Miss is one of six teams nationally that has had at least 15 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 14.8 ppg, while also leading the Rebels with 4.2 assists per game (fifth in the SEC). Not only does he pace Ole Miss in assists, but Burnett takes care of the ball by ranking seventh in the SEC in assist/turnover ratio (2.0). In the Rebels' conference wins, he is averaging 20.8 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. After missing the previous game at Auburn with the flu, Burnett returned to the court and recorded 20 points versus Florida (Jan. 13). He tallied a season-high 24 points to lead the Rebels to a win over Alabama (Jan. 23) before matching that output versus Arkansas on Tuesday. As an 84.9 percent shooter at the line for his career, Burnett is on pace to finish as the fifth-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). A transfer from Miami, where he scored 195 points, Burnett went over 1,000 points for his career versus Alabama (Jan. 23). He scored the first five points of the game, all in the first minute, to reach the historic mark. Since then, Burnett increased his total to 1,109 (914 at Ole Miss).
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 32 of the last 41 games dating back to last season. Averaging 13.3 ppg, Davis has already reached the 20-point plateau six times, including last week's matchup versus Missouri (Feb. 6). At Arkansas (Jan. 20), he poured in 30 points on 10 of 15 shooting, scoring at least 30 points for the third time in his career; it was the most points scored by a Rebel this season. 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 tallied 25 versus Bradley (Dec. 22). He has also showcased his skills on the defensive end, leading the team in blocks (26) and ranking third in steals (20). 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.
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 8.3 ppg in non-conference play before bumping the scoring average to 10.8 ppg through the first 13 games of the SEC slate. 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. 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.
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 12 games, Stevens has scored a total of 91 points (7.6 ppg). In 14 starts, he is averaging 12.2 ppg. At Texas A&M (Jan. 16), 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 the win over Florida (Jan. 13), 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. Stevens has made 52 of his last 66 free throws (78.8 percent) to increase his season percentage to .737.
MARKEL MAKING HIS MARK
As a graduate transfer, Markel Crawford is making his mark in his only season as a Rebel. The Memphis product has started 19 games and leads the team in minutes per game (29.7). He is second on the team in steals (30) and averages 9.8 ppg. Last week against Missouri, the guard has tallied 11 points to go along with career highs in assists (6) without committing a turnover. He also matched his career high with five steals, putting together a five-steal game for the second time this season. Crawford tallied 17 points in three SEC games, including victories over South Carolina (Dec. 31) and Florida (Jan. 13). He added 15 points to help Ole Miss take down Alabama (Jan. 23). Against South Dakota State (Nov. 28), Crawford scored 19 points, his most as a Rebel, on 7 of 11 shooting. Scoring 761 points at Memphis to go along with 256 points this season, he has 1,017 for his career. Crawford went 4 for 4 at the charity stripe against LSU on Saturday to reach 1,000.
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 has made an immediate impact by averaging 6.7 ppg in 19.7 minutes per game and swiping a team-high 31 steals. 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 26 games, Hymon ranks second in blocks (22) and rebounds (5.2 per game). Through 100 career games, Hymon is moving up the school's career blocks chart. He ranks 10th with 93 career rejections following a team-high 40 last season. He has led the Rebels in rebounding nine times this season, including a 12-point, 13-rebound performance in the season opener versus Louisiana (Nov. 10). The big opening game marked the third double-double of Hymon's career.
PROTECTING THE ROCK
Ole Miss has taken care of the basketball this season. The Rebels have coughed up the rock only 295 times, ranking 44th nationally in fewest turnovers surrendered. Averaging only 11.3 turnovers per game, Ole Miss is 34th in the nation. Also, the Rebels' 1.3 assist/turnover ratio ranks second in the SEC and 46th in the country. Last week against Missouri (Feb. 6), Ole Miss only turned the ball over four times. It was the fewest turnovers in a game by the Rebels since only making four against George Mason in the Charleston Classic (Nov. 19, 2015).
FAVORING LARGE MARGINS
Ole Miss is 7-7 in games decided by double digits. When the margin is less than 10, the Rebels are 4-8. Three of those single-digit setbacks occurred in overtime, and the close encounters have hindered a better record. In three 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).
BLOCK PARTY
Averaging 4.2 blocks per game, Ole Miss ranks 69th in the country. Five Rebels have recorded at least 15 blocks, led by 25 from junior guard Terence Davis. Senior Marcanvis Hymon, who ranks 10th all-time in program history with 93 career rejections, is close behind with 22 blocks. Senior forward Justas Furmanavicius has 18. Dominik Olejniczak and Bruce Stevens have 15 blocks apiece.
SWIPE RIGHT
Ole Miss has been active with their hands on the defensive end of the floor, averaging 6.1 steals per game to rank eighth in the SEC. Through 26 games, six Rebels have recorded at least 14 steals which averages out to 0.5 per game. Devontae Shuler leads the way with 31 steals, ranking 10th in the SEC at 1.2 per game. Markel Crawford follows with 30 steals, coming off a five-steal game against Missouri last week. Terence Davis and Breein Tyree have 20 and 17 steals, respectively. Deandre Burnett has 14 steals after a season-high three at LSU on Saturday, and Justas Furmanavicius has 14 of his own. Against Utah in Last Vegas (Nov. 20), the Rebels tallied 14 steals throughout the night, a season high for the Red and Blue.
BENCH POINTS
The Ole Miss bench has played a prominent role in scoring, averaging 25.6 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).
HONOR ROLL REBELS
Four Rebels earned spots on the Ole Miss Honor Roll for the fall semester: D.C. Davis (3.20 GPA), Terence Davis (3.00 GPA), Marcanvis Hymon (3.25 GPA) and Ilya Tyrtyshnik (3.31 GPA).
12TH YEAR OF THE KENNEDY ADMINISTRATION
Ole Miss has a 245-155 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 Mississippi native Andy 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 26th all-time in winning percentage for SEC regular season games at .513 (102-97). 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 39 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 245 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 Durham (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) - 265
17. Nolan Richardson (Arkansas) - 249
18. Andy Kennedy (Ole Miss) - 245
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) - 245
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 weekend matchup against rival MSU, Ole Miss will remain on the road. The Rebels will travel to Missouri next Tuesday (Feb. 20), playing back-to-back SEC road games for the second time this year. Tipoff is slated for 8 p.m. on ESPN2. Ole Miss will return to The Pavilion a week from Saturday (Feb. 24), hosting Tennessee to complete a home-and-home series with the Volunteers. That contest will begin at noon on SEC Network.
