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Ole Miss vs. Southern: How to watch, start time, TV channel

Ben Garrettby:Ben Garrett12/16/24

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NCAA Basketball: Alabama at Mississippi
Ole Miss head coach Chris Beard (right) talks with guard Matthew Murrell (11) during the second half against the Alabama Crimson Tide at The Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

Don’t let the Rebels get hot.

Ole Miss basketball has won nine of its first 10 games. The Rebels have their highest Associated Press ranking (No. 17) since 2013.

Ole Miss dominated Southern Miss in Biloxi over the weekend. The Rebels sit at No. 22 in the NET, their highest ranking in program history.

They’ve continued to roll despite the absence of fifth-year guard Matthew Murrell. He didn’t play against Lindenwood or Southern Miss due to a lower-body injury. 

“He’s kind of day-to-day right now,” second-year Ole Miss head coach Chris Beard said after the 77-46 Ole Miss win, the 200th of his career. “Working really hard in the training room, just trying to get back to full speed.”

Murrell is No. 13 in school history in career points (1,532).

He’s fifth in both made 3s (227) and 3-point attempts (645). He recently entered the Top 10 in career minutes and games played. Murrell’s on the verge of the Ole Miss Top 10 in career field-goal attempts and steals.

“I don’t know if anybody’s 100 percent healthy this time of year in college basketball,” Beard said. “But just trying to get Matt as healthy as he can as the SEC nears. When somebody’s out for a while it brings opportunity. (Davon Barnes on Saturday) had 11 rebounds. Played great.

“You have to have depth in college basketball. Certainly in our league in the SEC you’ve got to have depth. We’re in the process of still building that, but (against Southern Miss) it was great to get some of our lower-minute guys on the court.”

Up next is the Southern Jaguars (5-4) on Tuesday at 6 p.m. CT.

HOW TO WATCH

Television/Online: SEC Network+
Play-by-Play: Jake Hromada
Color: Kermit Davis

HOW TO LISTEN

Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: Gary Darby
Color: Marc Dukes

SERIES HISTORY

Ole Miss and Southern have met twice before. 

The first — back in December of 1988 — was a 90-88 Ole Miss win in Lafayette, Louisiana. The other came in 2014, a 69-38 win for the Rebels in Oxford. All-time great Stefan Moody had 13 points, three rebounds, one assist and two steals. The Rebels forced 22 Southern turnovers and picked Jaguar pockets for 14 steals.

SCOUTING SOUTHERN

Southern is currently riding a four-game winning streak. 

The Jaguars lost three straight (South Dakota, Iowa and East Texas A&M) to open the year. They picked up their first win over Ecclesia College before a 71-54 loss to Texas A&M.

They’ve since taken down Champion Christian College, Louisiana Tech, Tulsa and Lindsey Wilson College.

Jordan Johnson leads Southern in scoring (11.3 points per game), while DaMariee Jones has posted a team-best 4.8 rebounds. Southern has amassed nearly 100 steals this season. Four Jaguars have 10 or more. Johnson has the most with 14.

Two Jaguars average over 10 points. Ten others average 5.0 or better. Southern is in the Top 25 in college basketball in scoring (84.9 points per game). The Jaguars are second nationally in bench points (44.8 per game) and fourth in steals per game (10.8). They’re forcing the 18th-most turnovers (16.3).

Head coach Kevin Johnson is in his second season guiding Southern. The Jaguars won 18 games last season. Johnson prior to Southern was an assistant at Tulane from 2019-23. His other previous stops were Louisiana, Nicholls and Louisiana Tech. Johnson was head coach at Centenary from 1999-2005.

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