Rivalry Renewed as Ole Miss Battles MSU in The Pavilion Tuesday

			OLE MISS (12-11, 3-7 SEC) vs. MSU (15-8, 6-4 SEC) Tuesday, February 11 • 6 PM • Oxford, Miss. The Pavilion at Ole Miss (9,500)
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GAME 24
Date: Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020
Time: 6 p.m. CT
Location: Oxford, Miss.
Arena: The Pavilion at Ole Miss (9,500)
Television: ESPNU
   Dave Neal, play-by-play
   Daymeon Fishback, analyst
Radio: Ole Miss Sports Network (XM - 384, Sirius/XM Internet - 974)
   David Kellum, play-by-play
   Marc Dukes, analyst
Live Video: ESPN.com/ESPN app
Live Audio: OleMissSports.com/TuneIn app
Series: MSU leads 144-116
Last Meeting: Feb. 2, 2019
   MSU won 81-75
   Oxford, Miss.

TIPOFF TIDBITS
- Ole Miss is playing its third straight home game; the Rebels are 2-0 during the homestand after double-digit victories over South Carolina and Florida.
- Holding Florida to 51 points in Saturday's win was the fewest surrendered by Ole Miss in an SEC game since a 67-47 win at Missouri (Jan. 31, 2015).
- Breein Tyree is the reigning SEC Player of the Week after averaging 30.5 ppg over two victories.
- All three of the Rebels' SEC wins have come by double digits.
- The Rebels and the Bulldogs are the SEC's most-played rivalry, having met 260 times.
- Ole Miss has won nine of the last 12 matchups against MSU, including an 81-77 victory in Starkville last year, which is the Rebels' best streak against the Bulldogs since winning nine of 12 from 1980-85 including eight straight from 1980-83.
- Blake Hinson scored a career-high 26 points in his taste of the rivalry, the most points scored by an Ole Miss freshman since Jarvis Summers scored 27 points at Penn State (Dec. 4, 2011).
- Over his career, Breein Tyree is averaging 13.3 ppg; in six career games against MSU, he is averaging 17.7 ppg.
- Breein Tyree is averaging 22.8 ppg in SEC play to lead the conference; he increased his scoring output from non-conference to SEC play in each of his first three seasons as well.
- Devontae Shuler is averaging 18.8 ppg over the past four contests.
- Ole Miss starters have scored 591 of the team's 665 points in SEC play (88.9 percent).
- Breein Tyree is the SEC's leading active scorer with 1,606 career points, ranked ninth on the Ole Miss all-time scoring list; he is also sixth in program history in three-pointers made (190).
- The backcourt duo of Breein Tyree and Devontae Shuler are averaging a combined 35.0 ppg in conference play, 52.6 percent of the Rebels' scoring average in SEC games.
- Kermit Davis has 501 victories over his 25-year career as a college basketball head coach.
- Devontae Shuler and Franco Miller celebrated birthdays on Sunday.

SEC LEADERS
- Breein Tyree leads the SEC in scoring in conference play (22.8 ppg) and ranks third overall (19.0 ppg); he is the SEC's active leader in career points (1,606) and field goals made (545).
- Tyree is shooting 45.1 percent from beyond the arc in SEC play, ranking second in the conference.
- Tyree is the only player in SEC play to rank in the top five in three-point percentage (2nd-45.1 percent) and top 10 in field goal percentage (7th-45.5 percent).
- Devontae Shuler ranks second in the SEC in steals (2.1 per game) during conference play and fourth overall (1.8 per game).
- Shuler is one of two SEC guards (Ashton Hagans-Kentucky) to average at least 1.8 steals per game and boast at least a 1.6 assist/turnover ratio.
- In SEC play, Ole Miss ranks third in scoring defense (69.4 ppg) and turnover margin (+0.9).

SCOUTING MSU
MSU enters Tuesday's rivalry contest with a 15-8 record, including a 6-4 mark in SEC play. After starting off 0-3 in league action, the Bulldogs have won six of their past seven conference games. MSU protected its home court with an 80-70 win over Vanderbilt on Saturday. The Bulldogs are one of the best rebounding teams in the country, ranking 10th nationally and leading the SEC with a +8.3 rebounding margin. MSU also defends the rim, averaging 5.0 blocks per game to rank 22nd in the nation. Reggie Perry averages a double-double to pace MSU with 17.4 ppg and 10.0 rpg. Tyson Carter adds 13.3 ppg and leads the team in assists (3.2 per game). Nick Weatherspoon (12.6 ppg) and Robert Woodard III (11.7 ppg) also average double figures. Ben Howland is in his fifth season as MSU's head coach. His 24th 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 260 times on the hardwood, which is also the SEC's most-played rivalry. Mississippi State holds a 144-116 lead in the series, which began in 1914, but the Rebels have won nine of the last 12 matchups, the best streak against the Bulldogs since winning nine of 12 from 1980-85. Included in that stretch were eight straight wins from 1980-83. Ole Miss holds an 84-44 advantage in Oxford, winning seven of the past eight at home that includes a 3-1 mark in The Pavilion (opened 2016).

LAST SEASON'S SERIES
Game 1 (Starkville, Miss.) - Ole Miss 81, No. 14 MSU 77: In a hostile environment, Ole Miss outlasted No. 14 Mississippi State at Humphrey Coliseum (Jan. 12, 2019). The Rebels clawed back into the game towards the end of the first half and controlled the game late against the Bulldogs en route to an 81-77 victory. Blake Hinson led the Rebels with a career-high 26 points on 8 of 16 shooting, including a career-high five made threes. The Rebels had four double-digit scorers. Breein Tyree, after going down with an injury early in the game, scored 19 points and was 8 of 9 from the free-throw line. Terence Davis and Devontae Shuler had 12 and 10, respectively. MSU was led by Quinndary Weatherspoon, who had 18 points on 6 of 12 shooting. The win marked back-to-back victories over ranked teams after Ole Miss beat No. 10 Auburn earlier in the week, vaulting the Rebels into the top 25 themselves for the first time in six years the following week.

Game 2 (Oxford, Miss.) - No. 21 MSU 81, Ole Miss 75: A sold out crowd showed up at The Pavilion to cheer on Ole Miss, but No. 21 Mississippi State claimed the rivalry matchup 81-75 thanks to a second half rally (Feb. 2, 2019). Ole Miss found most of its success from beyond the arc, going 11 of 21 (52.4 percent), and at the free throw line (12 of 14). Breein Tyree tallied a team-high 25 points in the Rebels' setback. Terence Davis added 15 points and team-high eight rebounds, while Devontae Shuler recorded all 14 of his points in the first half to go along with team highs in assists (5) and steals (3) throughout the game. Behind 27 points from Quinndary Weatherspoon and a double-double (21 points, 11 rebounds) from Reggie Perry, the Bulldogs claimed their first ever win in The Pavilion.

TYREE'S TASTE FOR THE RIVALRY
Breein Tyree enjoys the big moment, and playing in rivalry games is no different. Through six games against MSU over his career, he is averaging 17.7 ppg and shooting 50.0 percent (36 of 72). After scoring seven points in his rivalry debut, Tyree exploded for 24 points to lead the Rebels to an 87-82 overtime victory at Humphrey Coliseum (Feb. 21, 2017). The output was his best of his freshman season. As a sophomore, Tyree scored all 16 of his points in the second half to rally the Rebels to another win in the rivalry (Jan. 6, 2018). One month later in Starkville (Feb. 17, 2018), he tallied 15 points on 6 of 9 shooting. In the first matchup of last season (Jan. 12), Tyree scored the final four points of the game. His layup with one minute to go broke a 77-77 tie, and he converted two free throws with nine seconds remaining to finish with 19 points and lead the Rebels to a road victory. One month later in Oxford, he scored 25 points that included shooting 5 of 7 from beyond the arc.

HINSON'S RIVALRY MOMENT
Blake Hinson had best game in his first taste of the rivalry with Mississippi State (Jan. 12, 2019). Scoring a career-high 26 points, Hinson led Ole Miss to an 81-77 win over the No. 14 Bulldogs in Starkville. After recording a team-high 10 points in the first half to keep the Rebels within striking distance down two, he scored 11 of the team's first 12 second half points. Ole Miss trailed by nine early in the final period, and Hinson drilled three straight three-pointers. He connected on five from long range throughout the afternoon. Hinson's 26 points were the most by an Ole Miss freshman in a game since Jarvis Summers scored 27 points at Penn State (Dec. 4, 2011). The game-high output was the most by a Rebel freshman in an SEC game since March 2, 2011 (30 by Dundrecous Nelson at Auburn).

RIVALRY CONNECTION
His alma mater is now his rival. Now in the Red and Blue, Kermit Davis is 1-1 against MSU. Davis earned a varsity letter playing basketball for the Bulldogs in 1982, completing his bachelor's degree in the same year. Two years later, he finished up school with a master's degree at MSU. Davis' father, Kermit Davis Sr., was MSU's head coach from 1971-77.

ON THIS DATE
The Rebels and Bulldogs have met on February 11 five times with the home team winning each matchup on the date. Ole Miss won at home in 1930 (38-31), 1939 (33-30) and 1943 (52-51). MSU earned Feb. 11 home victories in 1933 (32-25) and 2010 (71-63).

A PERFECT WEEK
The Rebels had a perfect week at home, earning double-digit victories over South Carolina and Florida. Here are some key stats to the two victories.
- Ole Miss won by an average of 15.5 points.
- The Rebels shot 46.4 percent (13 of 28) from beyond the arc, while holding the opposition to 25.6 percent (11 of 43) from three-point land.
- Ole Miss scored 36 points off turnovers.
- Breein Tyree led the team in scoring in both games, averaging 30.5 ppg.

TYREE NAMED SEC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
After leading Ole Miss to a pair of home victories last week, Breein Tyree was tabbed SEC Player of the Week by the conference office (Feb. 10). Averaging 30.5 ppg during the week, the senior guard collected the accolade for the second time in his career. Tyree was on fire throughout the week, shooting 52.5 percent (21 of 40) from the field and 63.6 percent (7 of 11) from beyond the arc. He also got to the line, making 12 of 15 free throws for an 80.0 pecent clip. Tyree was the highest scorer in both contests, continuing to lead the conference in scoring during SEC play at 22.8 ppg. The senior started the week off with his best game as a Rebel, scoring a career-high 38 points to guide Ole Miss to an 84-70 win over South Carolina (Feb. 5). It was the fourth-highest scoring game by an SEC player this season and the most by a Rebel in a game since 2016. Playing all 40 minutes, Tyree finished 12 of 21 from the field, including 11 of 13 at the free throw line. It was his third 30-point game of the season. Tyree followed that up with a game-high 23 points to lead the Rebels past Florida (Feb. 8), moving into ninth on the program's all-time scoring list. He recorded his 12th 20-point game of the season and 34th of his career; it was also the sixth out of 10 conference games for the leading scorer in SEC play. On the defensive end, Tyree recorded a pair of steals and limited Florida's Andrew Nembhard to five points on 2 of 9 shooting. He helped the Rebels hold the Gators to a season-low 51 points, their best defensive effort in an SEC game since 2015. As a junior, Tyree began conference play as the SEC Player of the Week (Jan. 7, 2019) after scoring 31 points in a league-opening win over Vanderbilt. It was the first time he eclipsed the 30-point plateau. He became the seventh Rebel to earn SEC Player of the Week honors multiple times, joining the likes of Dwayne Curtis, Terence Davis, Murphy Holloway, Stefan Moody, Justin Reed and Ansu Sesay.

BREEIN LOVES SEC PLAY
Ole Miss senior Breein Tyree thrives during conference play. Not only is he the leading active scorer in the SEC (1,583 points), but he paces the conference in scoring during league games. This isn't new to Tyree as his scoring output increased from non-conference action to SEC play in each of his first three seasons. He has kept the trend going as a senior, scoring 26 points against Texas A&M (Jan. 7) in the conference opener before tallying 27 versus Arkansas (Jan. 11). After missing the Florida game due to a back injury, Tyree returned better than ever and scored 36 points versus LSU (Jan. 18). With those performances, Tyree became the first Rebel to score at least 25 points in each of the first three SEC games of the season since Joe Harvell (1992). During the 1991-92 campaign, Harvell started conference play with four consecutive 30-point games.

Tyree's Seasons	Non-Conference	SEC
2016-17 (Freshman)	5.1 ppg	9.3 ppg
2017-18 (Sophomore)	9.0 ppg	12.3 ppg
2018-19 (Junior)	16.5 ppg	19.1 ppg
2019-20 (Senior)	16.5 ppg	22.8 ppg

REBELS STYMIE GATORS
Ole Miss turned in arguably their best game of the season, using an all-around performance on both sides of the floor to roll past Florida 68-51 in The Pavilion (Feb. 8). Holding the Gators to their lowest point total of the season, the Rebels allowed their fewest in an SEC game since 2015 (67-47 win at Missouri). The Ole Miss defense forced 15 turnovers, which led to 16 points on the other end. Florida was limited to a 33.3 percent clip (18 of 54) from the field, including only 21.7 percent (5 of 23) from beyond the arc. The Gators entered the contest averaging 77.2 ppg in SEC play, ranked third in the conference. Senior guard Breein Tyree finished the Rebels' perfect week with another solid performance. The SEC's leading scorer in conference games increased his average with a game-high 23 points. KJ Buffen continued to play strong against the Gators, falling one rebound short of a double-double (14 points, nine rebounds). The sophomore also added four assists without committing a turnover. Devontae Shuler stuffed the stat sheet with 14 points on 5 of 9 shooting as well as five assists, three steals and three rebounds. As a team, the Rebels shot 47.3 percent (26 of 55).

TYREE LEADS OLE MISS PAST SOUTH CAROLINA
On a night when Morgan Freeman was honored, two other Rebels reached milestones for the Ole Miss men's basketball team. Senior guard Breein Tyree jumped into the top 10 on the program's all-time scoring list with a career-high 38 points, leading the Rebels to an 84-70 victory over South Carolina. Playing all 40 minutes, he finished 12 of 21 for the game, including 11 of 13 at the free throw line. The win was the 500th career victory for Kermit Davis as a head coach. Blake Hinson added 13 points and seven rebounds. Khadim Sy tallied 10 points to go along with eight rebounds that tied his career high. As a team, Ole Miss shot 47.4 percent (27 of 57) from the field, while making 24 of 32 free throw attempts (75.0 percent). On the defensive end of the floor, the Rebels limited South Carolina leading scorer AJ Lawson to just five points on 2 of 10 shooting.

DEFENDING HOME COURT
Winning at home has been a trademark at Ole Miss. Over the past 14 seasons, the Rebels are 163-51 (.762 win pct.) in home games. In four-plus seasons (opened January 2016) playing in the $96.5 million Pavilion at Ole Miss, the Rebels hold a 50-25 (.667) advantage against the opposition. Ole Miss has won 288 of its last 371 games (.776 win pct.) in Oxford dating back to the 1996-97 campaign. Under second year head coach Kermit Davis, the Rebels are 20-9 (.690 win pct.) at home.

PACK THE PAVILION
After a new average attendance record (7,816) was broken during the 2018-19 campaign, a 13 percent increase from the previous season, another record was set this season with 5,100 season ticket holders and counting. Last season, the Rebels had the highest increased home attendance in the SEC for conference games (23.75 percent). For SEC games, the 8,791 average attendance was up significantly from the 7,104 average during the 2017-18 campaign. Five sellouts in 2018-19 also broke another Pavilion record. The Pavilion has nine sellouts in its history (opened in January 2016). Against No. 16 Auburn (Jan. 28), over 2,000 students showed up to cheer on the Rebels. It was the highest student attendance in Pavilion history.

TYREE'S BIG GAMES
Breein Tyree has 12 20-point games on the season, producing three such contests in November and three in December to go along with six in SEC play. He has 34 20-point games over his Ole Miss career. His biggest game as a Rebel was a career-high 38 points to lead Ole Miss past South Carolina (Feb. 5), the most points by a Rebel since Deandre Burnett scored 41 points against Oral Roberts (Nov. 18, 2016). It was the most scored by an Ole Miss player in an SEC game since Stefan Moody dropped 43 to lead the Rebels over MSU on his senior night (March 3, 2016). Tyree also had 34 against Middle Tennessee (Dec. 14) and 36 versus LSU (Jan. 18) to give him five 30-point games for his career.

DAVIS EARNS 500TH CAREER WIN
Ole Miss head coach Kermit Davis picked up his 500th win as the Rebels defeated South Carolina at home (Feb. 5). In his 25th season as a college basketball head coach, Davis has collected 501 wins over 788 games (.636 winning percentage). His head coaching career started as a 24-year old at Southwest Mississippi Community College in 1984, the youngest junior college coach in the country, and he earned 66 victories over three season in the junior college ranks. Four years later at the age of 28, Davis became Idaho's head coach and was the youngest Division I head coach in the nation. Through 22 seasons as a Division I head coach, which includes becoming the winningest coach in Middle Tennessee and Sun Belt Conference history, Davis has 435 wins. He ranks 38th in victories among active Division I head coaches.

BALANCED SCORING LEADS TO VICTORIES
It's no secret that a balanced offense helps in seeking victories. When Ole Miss finds that balance, it usually leads to positive outcomes. In wins, four Rebels are averaging double figures: Breein Tyree (19.4 ppg), Blake Hinson (12.9 ppg), KJ Buffen (12.2 ppg), and Devontae Shuler (11.2 ppg). In losses, Tyree (18.6 ppg) and Shuler (11.7 ppg) are the only Rebels scoring in double digits.

SHULER STATS
Junior guard Devontae Shuler leads the Rebels in assists (3.6) and steals (1.8). The Irmo, South Carolina, native is one of two players in the SEC to record at least 1.8 steals per game and a 1.6 assist/turnover ratio, joining Kentucky's Ashton Hagans. He has recorded at least two steals in nine of the last 11 games. Shuler has provided some consistency offensively, reaching double figures in 11 of the past 15 games which include the best two games of his career. Over the past four games, Shuler averages 18.8 ppg. Against No. 16 Auburn (Jan. 28), he took over after Breein Tyree fouled out and finished with 26 points in 48 minutes of the double overtime battle. Shuler followed that performance with a career-high 28 points at No. 22 LSU (Feb. 1). He now has five 20-point games over his career, including four this season.

VETERANS LEAD THE WAY
The Rebels are led by a veteran cast. Senior guard Breein Tyree (19.0 ppg), junior Devontae Shuler (11.4 ppg), sophomore Blake Hinson (10.6 ppg) and sophomore forward KJ Buffen (10.0 ppg) have accounted for 69.9 percent of the team's scoring this season. Tyree ranks third in the league in scoring, while Buffen leads the team in rebounding (6.0 per game) and blocks (0.9 per game). Shuler also paces the Rebels in assists (3.6 per game) and steals (1.8 per game), both top 10 in the SEC, while ranking sixth in the conference in assist/turnover ratio (1.6). After missing four games due to injury, Hinson has put together 10 double-digit scoring performances, starting 18 games following the injury to Luis Rodriguez.

NEEDING BUFFEN
KJ Buffen was a primary bench player during his freshman campaign, but the 6-foot-7 forward is an important piece of the Ole Miss lineup as a sophomore. Starting all 23 games, one of only two Rebels to start each game, Buffen is averaging 10.0 ppg along with a team-best 6.0 rpg. His rebounding average is 19th in the conference. The Gainesville, Georgia, native is also leading the team in blocks (0.9). Buffen tallied a career-high 23 points in a win over Norfolk State (Nov. 12) before producing his second career 20-point game to close out the calendar year against Tennessee Tech (Dec. 29). In the return to his home state, Buffen was 5 of 6 from the field and made all four of his free throws, tallying 14 points to help Ole Miss beat Georgia (Jan. 25). His play factors into the outcome of games. Buffen averages 12.2 ppg and 7.3 rpg in wins, while tallying 7.5 ppg and 4.7 rpg in losses.

CLIMBING THE CAREER CHARTS
In his final year as a Rebel, senior guard Breein Tyree ranks ninth on the all-time scoring list with 1,606 points. That career output leads all active players in the SEC. The Somerset, New Jersey, native scored a game-high 23 points in the win over Florida (Feb. 8) to pass Joe Gibbon (1,601). Next on Tyree's climb up the charts is Jarvis Summers (1,629). Through 121 games in an Ole Miss uniform, Tyree has knocked down 190 three-pointers to sit sixth in the program's rankings. He drained a trio of three-pointers against Tennessee (Jan. 21) to pass Stefan Moody (181).

YEAR TWO OF THE DAVIS ERA
Kermit Davis is in his second season at the helm of Ole Miss Basketball. A nine-time conference coach of the year, Davis is 38th among active Division I head coaches with 435 career wins over 22 seasons, including stints at MT, Idaho and Texas A&M. In 25 seasons as a college basketball head coach, he has amassed 501 wins. Davis wasted no time making an impact in Oxford. With the Rebels coming off a last-place finish in 2017-18, the media picked Ole Miss to land at the bottom of the SEC standings again in 2018-19. However, the Rebels posted a 20-13 record to earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in four years. With a return to March Madness for the sixth time in his career, Davis joined a list of 63 coaches in college basketball history to take three different schools to the NCAA Tournament. Davis was named SEC Coach of the Year by his peers and the Associated Press, earning conference coach of the year accolades for the ninth time in his career. He became the sixth Ole Miss coach to earn SEC Coach of the Year honors, while joining Andy Kennedy as the only Rebel coaches to collect the award in their first year in Oxford.

TD IN THE NBA
The Rebels are without 2018-19 Second Team All-SEC guard Terence Davis, who ranks 13th on the program's all-time scoring list with 1,512 points. After going undrafted, Davis turned heads in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas and quickly earned a multi-year deal with the reigning champion Toronto Raptors. Davis has become a regular in the Raptors' rotation to start the NBA season. The Southaven, Mississippi, native matched LeBron James with 13 points in the Raptors' win over the Lakers (Nov. 10). Last month (Jan. 8), Davis was called upon to make his first career start, and boy did he deliver. The NBA Rebel scored 23 points and pulled down a career-high 11 rebounds, both team highs, to record his first double-double and lead the Raptors to a victory over the Hornets. Kicking off February, Davis tallied a career-high 31 points off the bench to help the Raptors beat the Bulls (Feb. 2). He made his second career start Saturday (Feb. 8), tallying 20 points in the franchise's record-breaking 14th straight win. Averaging 8.2 ppg, he is only Raptor to play in all 53 of the team's games. Davis is the first Rebel to play in the NBA since Justin Reed (2005-07).

NEXT ON THE HARDWOOD
With the end of a three-game homestand, Ole Miss hits the road for back-to-back road games. First, the Rebels head north face the nationally ranked Kentucky Wildcats (Feb. 15). Tipoff from Rupp Arena is set for 1 p.m. CT on ESPN. Three days later (Feb. 18), Ole Miss begins a home-and-home series with Missouri in Columbia.

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Players Mentioned

KJ Buffen

Terence Davis

Blake Hinson

Luis Rodriguez

Devontae Shuler

Khadim Sy

Breein Tyree

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