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LOOK: Memphis ‘couldn’t guard’ Jaylen Murray, so Ole Miss stayed perfect

Ben Garrettby:Ben Garrett•12/02/23•

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Rashaud Marshall (25) and Ole Miss basketball celebrate the Rebels' 80-77 win over Memphis

Ole Miss head coach Chris Beard, this week, had a simple directive for Jaylen Murray as the team prepared for a critical early-season non-conference showdown with Memphis.

“Coach Beard had told me if I’m the better guard, my team is going to win,” Murray said.

Win the Rebels did.

Murray had a team-high 22 points to go along with a career-best nine assists to just one turnover in an 80-77 thriller on Saturday. The Rebels improved to 7-0 on the season for the first time since 2007-08, while the rival Tigers dropped to 5-2.

“Jaylen played awesome,” Memphis head coach and basketball legend Penny Hardaway said. “He took over the game when he had to and he got assists when he had to. We couldn’t guard him. We put everybody on him. All you can do is tip your hat to someone like that.”

Ole Miss next hosts Mount St. Mary’s Tuesday at 7 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.

“I was just going in with the mindset I had to be the better guard on the floor and help my team win,” Murray said. “Whatever it is, whether it’s points, defense, assists. This (win) could do a lot for us.”

The included photos were provided by Ole Miss Athletics.

Murray also had four rebounds and two blocks
Murray’s Rebels tied a season-high with 10 blocks. They entered play No. 12 in the country in the category
Matthew Murrell (11) had 20 points to join Murray as the first pair of Rebels with 20 or more in a game this season
Murrell made 6 of 7 threes and added six rebounds, five assists and three steals
Murray made 4 of 6 threes and all four of his free throws
Murrell was 7 for 12 from the field overall
Auburn transfer Allen Flanigan, the team’s leading scorer, had 18 points, five rebounds, two assists and a block
Murray rises and fires from three
The Rebels huddle together during a timeout
Ole Miss had a sellout crowd for Memphis
From left to right: Ole Miss football players JJ Pegues, Jared Ivey, Jamond Gordon, Jaxson Dart and Jordan Watkins. Issac Ukwu is directly behind Dart
Flanigan is the son of Ole Miss assistant Wes. He made 6 of 6 free throws
Transfer 7-footer Moussa Cisse made his Ole Miss debut in the win
Flanigan contests a Malcolm Dandridge shot attempt
Cisse just this week was cleared to play by the NCAA
Sophomore guard TJ Caldwell chipped in seven points off the bench
Cisse joins his coaches and teammates in a happy Ole Miss locker room
The Rebels celebrate their 80-77 win over Memphis

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