The University of Mississippi Athletics
Opportunity Awaits: Men’s Basketball Set to Face Prominent Opponents across College Basketball
11/26/2024 | Men's Basketball
OXFORD, Miss. – When asked about the importance of non-conference play at SEC Media Day back in October, second year head coach Chris Beard emphasized the opportunity his team will have against some prominent non-conference programs across college basketball.
“I think every coach has a different philosophy on scheduling based on the job you’re at. At Ole Miss there’s a lot of things we’re trying to get done and this year our second-year schedules upgraded. We’ll play in one of the best MTEs in college basketball with BYU, Purdue and NC State. Three NCAA tournament teams, with two of those being final four programs a season ago. Road game opportunity at Louisville, which will be a great opportunity for our team. I told the players the schedule is going to give you opportunity, and as a player or coach that’s all you can really ask for.”
The opportunity starts this week in San Diego at the Rady Children’s Invitational beginning Thursday, Nov. 28. The Rebels will take on BYU on Thanksgiving Day then either Purdue/Louisville on Friday. Following play in California, Ole Miss will travel to Louisville to face the Cardinals in the annual SEC/ACC Challenge.
The Rebels own the longest non-conference win streak at 18 games which will be put to the test again this Thursday.
The longest non-conference win streak in the country belongs to your Ole Miss Rebels!#HottyToddy x #Culture pic.twitter.com/cfATGSq9kb
— Ole Miss Men’s Basketball (@OleMissMBB) November 20, 2024
A LOOK AT BYU
The Cougars (5-0) enter Thursday’s matchup unbeaten under 1st year head coach Kevin Young. Young took the reigns of the program after Mark Pope succeeded John Calipari at Kentucky. BYU sits on the edge of the AP and Coaches top 25 polls.
The Cougars won 23 games a season ago and finished with a NET ranking of 15 in 2023-24. BYU ranks fourth nationally as a team in assist/turnover ratio and sixth in the nation in assists per game, averaging nearly 21 helpers per contest. The Cougars have five players averaging double-figures led by Egor Demin at 15.2 points per game.
A LOOK AT PURDUE
The national runner up a season ago, the Purdue Boilermakers (5-1) sit at No. 12/13 in the latest national polls. Trey Kaufman-Renn leads Purdue averaging 17.7 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. The Boilermakers are averaging just under 80 points per contest and have shot the ball at a 50.5 percent clip through six games.
Matt Painter is in his 20th season at the helm of the program amassing 452 career wins during his time in West Lafayette. Painter has led Purdue to seven Sweet 16 appearances, 15 NCAA Tournament berths and five Big Ten regular-season championships.
A LOOK AT NC STATE
Coming off one of the greatest final four runs in recent memory, NC State finished 2023-24 with 26 wins under head coach Kevin Keatts. Keatts begins his eighth season at the helm of the Wolfpack in 2024-25 and has led the team to 20 or more wins in five seasons in Raleigh. The Rebels and Wolfpack faced each other last year in the annual SEC/ACC Challenge with Ole Miss winning by 20 in Oxford.
NC State (5-0) likes to run, ranking best in the nation in fastbreak points through five games. The Wolfpack get after it defensively ranking third in the country in opponent three-point percentage at a stifling 22.3 percent. NC State has four players averaging double-figures with Jayden Taylor leading the team at 13.8 points per game.
A LOOK AT LOUISVILLE
Ole Miss will travel to the bluegrass state on Dec. 3rd to face a reenergized Louisville team led by first year head coach Pat Kelsey. Kelsey comes to Louisville (3-1) after spending three seasons at The College of Charleston.
Louisville's only defeat this season came against No. 6/7 Tennessee. The Cardinals rank third in the nation in turnovers forced per game (19.0) and 13th in the country in turnover margin. Five players are averaging double-figures to start the season with Reyne Smith leading the way at 14.8 points per game. The Dec. 3rd matchup will be just the fourth meeting all-time between the two programs with Ole Miss leading the series 2-1.
STAY CONNECTED
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