The University of Mississippi Athletics
Shuler, Tyree Ready to Lead Ole Miss Basketball
10/9/2019 | Men's Basketball
Guards Are Leading Returners for This Year’s Squad
OXFORD, Miss. – The expectations are set. In the first year under SEC Coach of the Year Kermit Davis, and behind the play of All-SEC guards Breein Tyree and Terence Davis, Ole Miss went from 12-20 to 20-13 to earn a spot in March Madness. The eight-win improvement was the biggest turnaround season among Power 5 schools and ranked 11th nationally. Predicted to finish last in the SEC, Ole Miss tied for sixth with a 10-8 mark in conference play.
The Rebels rebooted with a top-25 recruiting class, but there is a big hole in the starting lineup with Terence Davis graduating, who signed with the Toronto Raptors this past summer.
Where to replace that lost production?
"It's hard, but number one, you have to look at the veteran back court that's coming back," Kermit Davis said. "Both those guys need to make a bigger jump, not so much in points scored, but in their leadership, how they defend and how they share the ball. You've got to start there."
Tyree returns as the leading scorer for the Rebels, starting in all 33 games during the 2018-19 season and averaging 17.9 ppg (third in the SEC). He was the only player in the SEC to rank in the conference's top 10 in scoring (3rd-17.9 ppg), free throw percentage (3rd-83.1), three-pointers made (7th-2.1 per game) and field goal percentage (10th-45.9).
After making a huge jump in scoring the past two seasons (10.8 ppg to 17.9 ppg), Tyree is focused on getting other parts of his game better.
"I'm just going to play my hardest and do what the team needs me to do to win," Tyree said. "I'm not focusing on scoring too many points, going for 30 a game every night. Whether it's scoring 10 points or 30 points, I'm going to do what the team needs me to do to win and that's what I'm focusing on. I want to work on my play-making ability and getting my assists higher to at least five a game. With the additions we have to this team, they'll help me do that."
Shuler moved to the point guard position last season with ease. He tallied a team-high 56 steals, the seventh-most in a single season in Ole Miss history and the most ever by a sophomore Rebel while playing in all 33 games, starting 31 of them. Shuler averaged 10.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg and 3.0 apg, all good for second on the team.
Shuler was bothered by a foot injury from January until the end of the year last year but still averaged over 32 minutes a game. Back at 100 percent, Shuler is prepared to take on a full work load running point this year for the Rebels.
"I just want to be more consistent this year," Shuler said. "I want to show my full potential which is what I've been wanting to do. Being leaders in practice is going to be huge because that sets the tone for the games, leading by example."
To Coach Davis, practice is everything to his program – how you practice the day before dictates how the team will play in the game. Tyree and Shuler know that as well as anyone, and with Terence Davis gone, it's up to them to set the tone during those practices in the Tuohy Basketball Center.
"We can tell them to do things and teach them, but ultimately I think players learn best by doing it themselves and watching the guy in front of them. So, if we do that to the best of our ability, that will help this team a lot," Tyree said.
The Rebels will find out where they are picked to finish in the SEC this year at the conference's media day on October 16, but the players know this year will be different after making the tournament and proving everyone wrong last year.
"There is definitely more of a target on our backs. That's what we want," Tyree said. "I think we proved ourselves, and we're not really worried about anyone coming at us harder this year. We're going to play our game and the rest will work out for itself."
The Rebels open up the 2019-20 season Friday, November 8 against Arkansas State inside The Pavilion at Ole Miss.
Season tickets for Ole Miss Hoops can be purchased today by going to OleMissTix.com or calling the Ole Miss Ticket Office at 1-888-REB-TKTS (732-8587).
For the latest news and updates regarding Ole Miss Men's Basketball, follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissMBB, on Facebook at Ole Miss Men's Basketball and on Instagram at olemissmbb.
The Rebels rebooted with a top-25 recruiting class, but there is a big hole in the starting lineup with Terence Davis graduating, who signed with the Toronto Raptors this past summer.
Where to replace that lost production?
"It's hard, but number one, you have to look at the veteran back court that's coming back," Kermit Davis said. "Both those guys need to make a bigger jump, not so much in points scored, but in their leadership, how they defend and how they share the ball. You've got to start there."
Tyree returns as the leading scorer for the Rebels, starting in all 33 games during the 2018-19 season and averaging 17.9 ppg (third in the SEC). He was the only player in the SEC to rank in the conference's top 10 in scoring (3rd-17.9 ppg), free throw percentage (3rd-83.1), three-pointers made (7th-2.1 per game) and field goal percentage (10th-45.9).
After making a huge jump in scoring the past two seasons (10.8 ppg to 17.9 ppg), Tyree is focused on getting other parts of his game better.
"I'm just going to play my hardest and do what the team needs me to do to win," Tyree said. "I'm not focusing on scoring too many points, going for 30 a game every night. Whether it's scoring 10 points or 30 points, I'm going to do what the team needs me to do to win and that's what I'm focusing on. I want to work on my play-making ability and getting my assists higher to at least five a game. With the additions we have to this team, they'll help me do that."
Shuler moved to the point guard position last season with ease. He tallied a team-high 56 steals, the seventh-most in a single season in Ole Miss history and the most ever by a sophomore Rebel while playing in all 33 games, starting 31 of them. Shuler averaged 10.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg and 3.0 apg, all good for second on the team.
Shuler was bothered by a foot injury from January until the end of the year last year but still averaged over 32 minutes a game. Back at 100 percent, Shuler is prepared to take on a full work load running point this year for the Rebels.
"I just want to be more consistent this year," Shuler said. "I want to show my full potential which is what I've been wanting to do. Being leaders in practice is going to be huge because that sets the tone for the games, leading by example."
To Coach Davis, practice is everything to his program – how you practice the day before dictates how the team will play in the game. Tyree and Shuler know that as well as anyone, and with Terence Davis gone, it's up to them to set the tone during those practices in the Tuohy Basketball Center.
"We can tell them to do things and teach them, but ultimately I think players learn best by doing it themselves and watching the guy in front of them. So, if we do that to the best of our ability, that will help this team a lot," Tyree said.
The Rebels will find out where they are picked to finish in the SEC this year at the conference's media day on October 16, but the players know this year will be different after making the tournament and proving everyone wrong last year.
"There is definitely more of a target on our backs. That's what we want," Tyree said. "I think we proved ourselves, and we're not really worried about anyone coming at us harder this year. We're going to play our game and the rest will work out for itself."
The Rebels open up the 2019-20 season Friday, November 8 against Arkansas State inside The Pavilion at Ole Miss.
Season tickets for Ole Miss Hoops can be purchased today by going to OleMissTix.com or calling the Ole Miss Ticket Office at 1-888-REB-TKTS (732-8587).
For the latest news and updates regarding Ole Miss Men's Basketball, follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissMBB, on Facebook at Ole Miss Men's Basketball and on Instagram at olemissmbb.
Players Mentioned
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