Ole Miss basketball healthier heading into game at No. 3 Auburn
It was not 1997 in Salt Lake City on Saturday, but the Ole Miss men’s basketball team experienced a ‘flu game’ of their own and came out on top.
The Rebels traveled to Athens, Ga. nowhere near full strength but left with a 17-point win over Georgia. Without Jarkel Joiner, Matthew Murrell and Daeshun Ruffin, the Rebels relied on a supporting cast that played their best basketball of the season.
The flu took out Joiner and Murrell, with the former not making the trip and the latter being a game day decision to not play. Austin Crowley, Jaemyn Brakefield and Tye Fagan stepped up and scored a combined 57 points.
Going against his former team, Fagan scored a season-high and game-high 20 points. Brakefield followed with a season best 19 and Crowley scored 18.
All season head coach Kermit Davis has been asking for more out of Brakefield and Crowley and consistency from Fagan who ha shown flashes, but on Saturday when they had to play their best they delivered.
“Sometimes shot making helps you play harder and maybe that had a little bit to do with it” Davis said after Saturday’s win. “I thought (Brakefield) stayed in his stance more. We’ve talked a lot about him just being committed to his stance. … It was just good to see. He’s had some really good moments through the year but we need him to play like that in these high-level SEC games.”
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Monday was the first day Davis physically saw Joiner since the South Carolina game on Feb. 15. The flu took Joiner out the rest of the week through the weekend.
Davis said those affected by the flu last week are back but freshman Eric Van Der Heijden is out with the flu and will not make the trip to No. 3 Auburn for Wednesday’s game.
Last month, the Rebels had the Tigers on the ropes with a six-point lead at halftime but then struggled in the second half for a 80-71 loss. The Rebels did not have Joiner for that game — who was still out with the back injury – and Ruffin was held to only seven points.
Ole Miss (13-14, 4-10) and No. 3 Auburn (24-3, 12-2) are set to tip off at 7:30 p.m. CT. The game will air on the SEC Network.
