Ole Miss Men’s Basketball Hosts Rider Tuesday Night

			OLE MISS (4-2, 0-0 SEC) vs. RIDER (3-5, 0-0 MAAC) Tuesday, November 30 • 6:30 p.m. • Oxford, Miss. The Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss
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OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss men's basketball returns to Craddock Court to host the Rider Broncs on Tuesday night. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT inside The Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss and live on SEC Network+.

TEAM FACTS

Ole Miss Rebels (4-2, 0-0 SEC)
Head Coach: Kermit Davis • 4th Season at Ole Miss (55-44) • 524-307 career record (27th Season)

Rider Broncs (3-5, 0-0 MAAC)
Head Coach: Kevin Baggett • 10th Season at Rider (150-138) • 150-138 career record (10th Season)

ON THE AIR

Television/Online: SEC Network+
Play-by-Play: Will Kollmeyer
Color: John Stroud

OLE MISS RADIO

Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: David Kellum
Color: Marc Dukes

SERIES HISTORY VS. RIDER
This will be the first meeting all-time between the Rebels and Broncs, and the first time Ole Miss has played a school currently in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference since winning at Monmouth, 91-83, in the first round of the NIT on March 14, 2017. The last time Ole Miss played a MAAC team in the regular season was on Nov. 17, 2006, when the Rebels defeated Fairfield, 70-67, in Hartford, Connecticut at the 2006 Hispanic College Fund Classic. The only two remaining games both came against Iona, with the Rebels defeating the Gaels, 72-70, in the First Round of the 2001 NCAA Tournament en route to a Sweet 16 appearance, and Ole Miss claiming a 2-0 forfeit victory from Jan. 2, 1957.

Ole Miss All-Time vs. Current MAAC Teams
Canisius - 0-0
Fairfield - 1-0 (Last: 2006)
Iona - 1-1 (Last: 2001)
Manhattan - 0-0
Marist - 0-0
Monmouth - 1-0 (Last: 2017)
Niagara - 0-0
Quinnipiac - 0-0
Rider - 0-0
Saint Peter's - 0-0
Siena - 0-0
Total: 3-1

SCOUTING THE BRONCS
Rider comes to Oxford at 3-5 on the season, with wins over Coppin State (81-69), Delaware State (63-53) and Bucknell (85-79). Most recently, the Broncs played close at South Carolina, falling 65-58 this past Sunday (Nov. 28). Rider is paced by Dwight Murray Jr. at 15.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. As a team, Rider is holding opponents to an average of 70.9 points per game but only scoring 67.6 itself. The Broncs are collectively shooting 38.1 percent overall and just 28.1 percent from three, but are efficient at the free throw line with a team clip of 74.5 percent. Rider leads the MAAC and ranks eighth nationally in total rebounds at 314 boards this season (39.3/game, No. 78 nationally). Murray ranks in the NCAA top-20 in total field goal attempts (seventh, 116) and minutes per game (16th, 37:06).

DOUBLE-DOUBLE FOR NYSIER
Ole Miss graduate transfer Nysier Brooks is coming off his first double-double as a Rebel, registering a 15-point, 10-rebound performance vs. Mississippi Valley State -- the first Rebel double-double this season. Brooks now has six career double-doubles, notching three his final season at Cincinnati in 2018-19 and one during his lone season at Miami in 2020-21. Brooks is looking to become the first Rebel since Sebastian Saiz in 2017 to record consecutive double-doubles. Saiz did so in six straight games that year from Dec. 15, 2016 to Jan. 7, 2017, another four-game stretch from Jan. 28 to Feb. 8, and a two-game stretch to close from March 4-9.

PUTTING THE TEAM ON HIS BACK
Senior Jarkel Joiner has proven his veteran leadership in the early stages of the season, not only leading in several categories but by also rarely leaving the floor. Joiner ranks fifth in the SEC in minutes played per game at 32.5, and he has put the team on his back with the SEC's eighth-most field goal attempts (59) and ninth-most field goals made (34). Joiner also ranks ninth in total points (90). In his career, Joiner averages 30.5 minutes played per game in 98 career games played and 90 career starts.

PROTECT THE BALL
Ole Miss has forced double-digit turnovers in all six of their contests so far this season, and have yet to turn the ball over more than they have forced their opponents to. The Rebels hold a season turnover margin of +3.8, and rank third in the SEC with the fewest turnovers per game average of 11.0. In the Kermit Davis era, the Rebels are 43-18 when having fewer turnovers than their opponents, and are 33-13 when forcing 15 turnovers or more.

TIGHT SHIP
Team defense has been a calling card of the Rebels in the early going, holding opponents to 70 or fewer five times in six games, including 60 or fewer in each of their last three outings vs. Elon (56), Boise State (60) and MVSU (58). Disruption and mayhem have led to plenty of buckets in transition for Ole Miss, with their turnover margin (+3.8) helping lead to a nearly identical Rebel advantage in both points off turnovers (90-50) and points on the fastbreak (89-44). Luis Rodriguez has been helped lead that charge for the Rebel defense, currently ranking 10th in the SEC in total steals (11).

PASS THE ROCK
Ole Miss currently has the two most efficient passers in the SEC in Jarkel Joiner and Austin Crowley, who have been crucial in the Rebels' offensive efforts so far this season. Joiner ranks second in the conference and 13th nationally at his assist-to-turnover ratio of 4.8, while Crowley ranks as fourth in the SEC and No. 45 in the NCAA at his ratio of 3.3.

Crowley has been particularly solid, currently ranking seventh in the SEC at 4.3 assists per game through six games that include a career-best nine dimes against Charleston Southern. On the year, Crowley has notched four assists or more in four of six games played.

It took three games for Joiner to record his first turnover of the season, and he also had a career day vs. Charleston Southern with seven assists of his own to combine with Crowley for 16 of the 23 Rebel dimes.

On the season, Ole Miss have notched an assist on 55.5 percent of all made field goals (96-of-173).

SHARING IS CARING
Ole Miss has been a machine in distribution through the early going, notching exactly 23 dimes in each of its first two games. No Rebel team since 1994 has recorded 20 assists in the first two games of the season, with the '94-95 Ole Miss squad tallying 22 to open against Morgan State on Dec. 1, 1994, and 20 against Sam Houston State two days later on Dec. 3, 1994. In available records through 1987-88, no Rebel team has had 23 or more in their first two games of the season.

The Rebels rank third in the SEC and 32nd nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.5), as well as third in the SEC and 50th in the NCAA in assists per game (16.0). Helping that assist-turnover ratio are the third-fewest turnovers per game in the SEC (11.0).

SCORE FROM FAR
Ole Miss has shown spurts of being able to light the net on fire, shooting 40 percent or better in five of six games played. Additionally, the Rebels have posted five halves this season at a 50 percent overall clip or better, including in three of four to start the season. Ole Miss opened the season with two 50 percent shooting games for the first time since 2007, and what has helped has been the combination of a dynamite transition offense and a bevy of contributors from beyond the arc. Ole Miss is currently outscoring opponents 192-150 in the paint and 90-50 on the fastbreak, while six different Rebels have hit multiple threes this season toward a season line of 40-of-114 (.351) -- including five who have hit five or more. Ole Miss hit at least eight trifectas in each of its first three games, and it has received help from a couple of unlikely heroes to start the year.

Austin Crowley and Tye Fagan, who entered the season a combined 37-of-137 (.270) in their careers from three, are right now shooting 14-of-28 (.500) from deep as a duo to start the year. Crowley at 9-of-18 is nearly at his single-season best in three-pointers made (11, 2019-20), and Fagan at 5-of-10 is halfway to his season-best 10 from last season at Georgia. The team leader so far is Jarkel Joiner, who is shooting 11-of-25 (.440) from beyond the arc, accounting for 36.7 percent of all his scoring.

JACK OF ALL TRADES
Senior Tye Fagan has been a Swiss Army knife for Ole Miss, contributing in significant ways in multiple facets of the game. On the year, Fagan is averaging a balanced stat line of 7.8 points (third on team), 3.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.5 steals and 0.3 blocks while averaging an assist-turnover ratio of 1.9 in 20.0 minutes played per game. Fagan tallied a career-high six assists to go along with an Ole Miss career-high 11 points vs. Elon -- his second double-digit effort as a Rebel following an opening 10-point performance vs. New Orleans. Fagan has also added a three-point shot to his repertoire, currently sitting at 5-of-10 despite entering the year with a career line of 19-of-68 (.279). Combined with his three previous years of experience at Georgia, Fagan has played in 95 career games and started in 29 -- with his first Ole Miss start coming last Friday vs. MVSU.

YEAR FOUR OF THE DAVIS ERA
Kermit Davis enters his fourth season at the helm of Ole Miss Basketball. Over his first three seasons, Davis led the Rebels to a pair of postseason appearances (2020 postseason was cancelled due to COVID-19). With 55 victories as head coach of the Rebels, Davis is one of only four coaches in Ole Miss history to rack up at least 50 wins over their first three seasons. A nine-time conference coach of the year, Davis is 38th among active Division I head coaches with 458 career wins over 24 seasons, including stints at Middle Tennessee, Idaho and Texas A&M. In 27 seasons as a college basketball head coach, he has amassed 524 wins.

DAVIS ERA TRENDS TO WATCH
• 46-14 when leading at half
• 5-0 when scoring 90+, 26-3 when scoring 80+, 43-18 when scoring 70+
• 40-16 when winning the rebounding battle
• 24-3 when at 50 percent shooting or better
• 16-5 when shooting 40 percent or better from three
• 53-28 when keeping opponents below 50 percent shooting (30-5 when below 40 percent)

PROTECTING CRADDOCK COURT
Winning at home has been a trademark at Ole Miss. Over the past 15 seasons, the Rebels are 179-56 (.762 win pct.) in home games. In five-plus seasons (opened January 2016) playing in the $96.5 million SJB Pavilion, the Rebels hold a 66-30 (.688) advantage against the opposition. Ole Miss has won 304 of its last 392 games (.776 win pct.) in Oxford dating back to the 1996-97 campaign. Under head coach Kermit Davis, the Rebels are 36-14 (.720 win pct.) at home.

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.

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Players Mentioned

Nysier Brooks

Austin Crowley

Tye Fagan

Jarkel Joiner

Luis Rodriguez

The University of Mississippi Athletics