On3 Things to Know: Golden non-con opportunity awaits Ole Miss basketball in Memphis

Two currently-projected NCAA Tournament teams and long-time rivals are set to face off again when the Rebels of Ole Miss and Tigers of Memphis meet in FedExForum Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN2.

Ole Miss is 6-1 on the season, while Memphis is 5-2. Memphis is the closest Division I school to Ole Miss (only 85 miles separate the schools), and the Tigers lead the all-time series 28-15. The Rebels, though, have won four of the last five meetings and eight of the previous 13.

“As all of Penny (Hardaway’s) teams do, they play extremely hard,” Ole Miss head coach Kermit Davis said of the Tigers earlier this week. “They played well down (at Seton Hall, a 70-69 loss). They lost on a last-second bank shot. 

“Athletic. Two veteran guards. Is there two more veteran guards in college basketball than (Alex) Lomax and (Kendric Davis)? There’s not, really.”

Memphis picked up a 23-11 victory in 1910 to tip off the series.

After another win in 1923, Ole Miss rattled off six straight. The Tigers took command from there in winning 13 straight from 1952 to 1977. The Rebels snapped the streak with a 92-89 neutral site win in New Orleans on December 26, 1978. Memphis bounced back with eight more in a row from 1979 to 1998, including three overtime contests, but Ole Miss holds an 8-5 series edge since its 74-64 win in Oxford in 199.

Included in that 23-year stretch are two three-game Rebel winning streaks from 1999-2001 and 2010-16. Sparking that last three-game streak was the lone postseason meeting between the Rebels and Tigers in the NIT. The Rebels won 90-81 in Oxford on March 19, 2010.

Each of the last five games in the series have all been decided by single digits. Ole Miss is 4-1 in those games, its lone loss a narrow 87-86 heartbreaker at then-No. 16 Memphis on November 23, 2019.

“They’ve got a very-well-put-together team,” Kermit Davis said. “They guard extremely hard, play fast in transition. Always tough to beat there (in Memphis). I know it’s a game both teams are looking forward to. Two really good teams, and hopefully there’s two NCAA Tournament teams playing on Saturday.”

Let’s take a more in-depth look at the matchup, with notes provided by Ole Miss Athletics Media Relations.

LAST MEETING: DECEMBER 4, 2021 (W, 67-63, IN OXFORD)

1. Ole Miss win over No. 18 Memphis.
2. The Rebels tied school record as fourth consecutive AP Top 25 victory.
3. Ole Miss was 23 of 29 free throw shooting.
4. Both teams shot a combined 37 percent. Memphis entered ranked No. 1 NCAA in blocks and No. 19 in field goal defense.
5. Ole Miss went on a 22-9 run in the second half, but a 10-2 Memphis run pulled the Tigers within three with 44 seconds to play (64-61).
6. Matthew Murrell score what was, at the time, a career-high 19 points on 4 of 9 threes and 7 of 9 free throws.

LAST TIME IN MEMPHIS: NOVEMBER 23, 2019 (L, 87-86)

1. No. 16 Memphis held on after Ole Miss nearly erased a 16-point second half deficit.
2. Breein Tyree had 24 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds.
3. Memphis’ Precious Achiuwa (25) and D.J. Jeffries (23) combined for 48 points.
4. Ole Miss mad 12 threes.
5. Memphis won points in paint, 52-20.

LAST OLE MISS WIN IN MEMPHIS: DECEMBER 18, 2015 (W, 85-79)

1. Start of the game was delayed an hour due to a power outage in downtown Memphis.
2. Ole Miss led by as many as 18 in the first half.
3. Five Rebels finished in double-digit scoring.
4. Stefan Moody had 21 points.
5. Martavious Newby had 12 points and 12 rebounds.
6. Rasheed Brooks had 11 points.
7. Sebastian Saiz had 11 points and 11 rebounds.
8. Tomasz Gielo had 10 points.
9. Memphis’ Ricky Tarrant finished with 29 points on 8-14 FG, 5-7 3PT.
10. Memphis’ Dedric Lawson had 21 points and 14 rebounds.

ESPN EVENTS INVITATIONAL RECAP

Ole Miss this season opened with six straight wins for the first time since 2013.

However, the Rebels fell short in their pursuit of the first 7-0 start in 15 seasons with a four-point loss to Oklahoma in an otherwise-successful stay in the ESPN Evens Invitational in Orlando, Florida, last week.

Ole Miss went 2-1 in the tournament, including wins over Stanford and Siena. Ole Miss never trailed against the Cardinal in a 72-68 win, with true freshman Amaree Abram scoring a career and team-season-high 26 points on 12 of 18 shooting. He was 2 for 2 from three.

The 26 points were the most by an Ole Miss freshman since Blake Hinson’s 26 at Mississippi State in January of 2019. He had 19 points (16 in the second half) of a 74-62 win over Siena November 25, and he totaled 17 points (7-13 FG), five assists and two steals against Oklahoma.

For his efforts, Abram, a former four-star ranked as the No. 76 overall recruit in the country in 2022, was named SEC Freshman of the Week. He’s started every game in place of star second-year point guard Daeshun Ruffin, who continues to work his way back from two separate injuries.

“Can we play (Ruffin) and (Abram) together? We sure can,” Davis said this week. “Can you play (Ruffin) and Matt (Murrell) and (Abram) together? You can. Now, we’ve got to be a better rebounding team. Matt only got six rebounds in the tournament. He’s got to do better than that if we’re going to play a smaller lineup.”

BY THE NUMBERS: OLE MISS IN THE ESPN EVENTS INVITATIONAL

1. 63.0 PPG defense
2. FG%: 81 of 167 (.485)
3. 3PT%: 16 of 47 (.340) | 3PM per game: 5.3
4. FT%: 23 of 32 (.719) | FTM per game: 7.7 | FTA per game: 10.7
5. Rebounds per game: 31.7 | Rebounding margin: +4.0
6. Assists per game: 12.3
7. Turnovers forced per game: 12.7 | Steals per game: 9.7 | Blocks per game: 3.7
8. Average time led: 29:29

BY THE NUMBERS: OLE MISS INDIVIDUAL STANDOUTS IN THE ESPN EVENTS INVITATIONAL

Amaree Abram | 20.7 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.0 SPG, .641 FG (25-39), .750 3PT (6-8), 1.000 FT (6-6)
Jaemyn Brakefield | 13.0 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 2.3 APG, .556 FG (15-27), .444 3PT (4-9), .714 FT (5-7)
Matthew Murrell | 9.3 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.7 SPG, .714 FT (5-7)
Jayveous McKinnis | 8.3 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 1.3 BPG, 1.0 SPG, .706 FG (12-17)
Myles Burns | 4.7 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 3.0 SPG, 2.3 APG

AN OLE MISS WIN WOULD…

…be the first Rebel win at Memphis since December 18, 2015 (85-79) and the fifth in the last six games of the series dating back to 2010. It would also be the ninth win in the last 14 dating back to 1999.

DIAPER DANDY!

Abram entered the ESPN Events Invitational as a skilled but inexperienced freshman point guard filling in for the injured Ruffin.

He came out as a serious scoring threat for the Rebels.

Abram was named the SEC Co-Freshman of the Week for his efforts in Orlando, leading the Rebels to a 2-1 record and a trip to the title game against Oklahoma. All told, Abram accounted for 30.1 percent of all Rebel scoring in the tournament, averaging 20.7 points per game across three contests.

He also averaged 3.3 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 steals. Abram shot .641 overall (25-39), as well as .750 from three (6-8). He was a perfect 6 for 6 from the free throw line.

“(Abram and fellow true freshman TJ Caldwell) have really good basketball IQs,” Davis said recently. “You can tell how good a player they’re going to be in time. Those two guys, they just have to keep coming, keep coming, keep coming, and I can’t wait to see where they’re going to be through early February.”

Abram’s 26 points against Stanford were the most by a Rebel freshman in a non-conference game since Jarvis Summers against Penn State in December of 2011.

He scored 43 of his 62 total points in the second halves of games at the Invitational, averaging 14.3 points in the back half while shooting .696 overall (16-23) and .833 from three (5-6).

Abram went into the tournament averaging just 7.0 points per game. His previous career-high in points (8) came against Florida Atlantic on November 11, only for Abram to score at least 17 points in all three games last week.

RENAISSANCE MAN

Senior transfer Myles Burns has made an immediate impact for the Rebels on both ends of the floor.

Burns, with his unique talent blend as a defensive force and go-getter on the offensive glass, currently leads the SEC and ranks No. 5 in the NCAA at 3.1 steals per game. He’s also tied for sixth in with, on average, 2.6 offensive boards per game.

“My motor, I have this will to win,” Burns previously told the Ole Miss Spirit. “Whatever I’ve got to do, I’m going to do it. No matter what I’ve got to do, if I’ve got to dive on the ground or jump over three people or jump as high as 12 feet to block a shot, I’ll do my best to do that, no matter how I’m feeling.”

Burns had an extraordinary career at Loyola New Orleans prior to his transfer to Ole Miss.

He was a four-time NAIA All-American and three-time SSAC Defensive Player of the Year. With the Burns played in 120 career games (111 starts) with the Wolfpack and finished with career averages of 15.3 points (1,852), 8.8 rebounds (1,069), 3.0 steals (358), 2.5 assists (298) and 1.0 blocks (116).

Burns is No. 1 in Loyola program history in steals (358), and he’s No. 2 all-time in points (1,852) and rebounds (1,069). He’s No. 4 in blocks (116) and No. 7 in assists (298), with his 358 steals 163 more than any other player in history. Burns helped lead Loyola to the 2022 NAIA National Championship title, the first for the school since 1945. He was tournament MVP, averaging 19.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and 5.2 steals. He had four double-doubles in six tournament games.

Burns is no stranger to dominating those two specific statistical categories. His 151 offensive rebounds and 152 steals in 2021-22 had no rival in all of college basketball. Actually, the nearest Division I comparison was defending national player of the year Oscar Tshiebwe of Kentucky. Tshiebwe had 179 offensive rebounds and 60 steals last season.

Burns’ 152 steals last season earned him the 2022 Marques Haynes Award, which is given annually to the player with the most steals in all of college basketball, regardless of division.

“The kid, he’s a special kind of athlete,” former Loyola head coach Stacy Hollowell said. Hollowell was hired by Davis for an off-the-floor role (associate athletics director for men’s basketball) in the spring.

CONSISTENCY KEY FOR BRAKEFIELD

Junior Jaemyn Brakefield has been a rock for the Rebels in their 6-1 start.

Brakefield, a second-year transfer from Duke, leads Ole Miss in shooting percentage (61.9, minimum 40 attempts) and ranks third with 10.1 points per game.

Brakefield was even more steady in the ESPN Events Invitational. He averaged 13.0 points and was tops on the team with 8.3 rebounds. He shot 55.6 percent overall and 44.4 percent from three.

“You can’t imagine how many hours he put in,” in the off-season, Davis previously said of Brakefield. “His conditioning is elite. He can play all day. His body fat is down. You can tell he’s more athletic. He’s rebounding the ball better.

“He’s just a guy who’s playing better. It’s a culmination of just how hard he’s worked and a good teammate.”

Brakefield is one of three players in the SEC this season to go at least 6 for 6 from the field. He made all six of his attempts against Florida Atlantic on November 11 — his first of three season-high 17-point games this year.

RELATED: Josh Mballa still working his way into the Ole Miss rotation after preseason injury

LIGHTS OUT

Ole Miss has lit the net on fire, shooting at least 50 percent overall in three games and at least 45 percent in five of seven games played.

The Rebels were especially hot in the ESPN Events Invitational. They shot 48.5 percent overall, aided by two 50 percent outings against Stanford and Siena, the first two-game stretch at or above 50 percent since the opening of the 2021-22 season against New Orleans (.531) and Charleston Southern (.507).

Ole Miss under Davis is 32-5 overall when shooting 50 percent or better. Ole Miss currently ranks sixth in the SEC in overall field goal shooting (.460) and fifth in three-point shooting (.346).

WHEN IT COUNTS

Ole Miss has been especially strong in the second half of games this season.

The Rebels are shooting 49.2 percent overall in the back half, while outscoring opponents 275-230 (39.3 points per second half, +6.4 scoring margin). They’ve also put up a +5.9 rebounding margin in the second halves, while junior Matthew Murrell is averaging 8.4 points and 1.3 threes after halftime this season.

Ole Miss shot a blistering 55 percent overall in Orlando, led, on average, 14.3 second-half points in three games Abram, who was also 5 for 6 from three and 6 for 6 from the free throw line.

MM11

Junior Matthew Murrell has wasted no time lighting the net on fire this season.

Murrell, a guard, has picked up right where he left off a year ago as one of the most feared three-point shooters nationwide. He ranks ninth in the SEC in threes per game (2.4) and sixth in total threes made (17). He’s also tied for 12th in the SEC at 14.1 points per game, including two 20-point outings against Chattanooga (25) and Alcorn State (20).

Murrell drained a career-high six three-pointers against the Mocs, the most by a Rebel since Devontae Shuler made six against Wichita State in January of 2021. His 25-point game against Chattanooga was his sixth career 20-point outing, and they have all come within his last 24 games dating back to last season.

Murrell for his career has made five or more threes in a game four times. He’s notched seven games with at least four, 12 with at least three, 24 with multiple threes, and he had a streak of 25 consecutive games with at least one three made. The streak was snapped against Stanford.

Murrell since the beginning of the 2021-22 SEC season is second only to Tennessee’s Santiago Vescovi in threes made in SEC games. Vescovi has 77 to Murrell’s 60.

Murrell, late last year, eclipsed 20 points in consecutive games for the first time in his career over his last three regular season games. He averaged 22.5 points and 3.5 threes made over two strong outings vs. Texas A&M (20 points) and at No. 6 Kentucky (25 points).

All four of Murrell’s 20-point games came in SEC play last season, highlighted by a 31-point outing vs. Mississippi State on January 8.

AIN’T WASTING TIME NO MORE

Ole Miss’ eight newcomers are already seeing serious minutes and have contributed to the team’s 6-1 start.

Newcomer Splits:
Minutes: 53.2% (748 of 1406)
Scoring: 51.8% (257 of 496)
Rebounding: 48.7% (128 of 263)
Assists: 59.8% (49 of 92)
Steals: 64.1% (41 of 64)
Blocks: 74.1% (20 of 27)

Newcomer Scoring:
vs. Alcorn State: 29 of 73 (39.7%)
vs. Florida Atlantic: 36 of 80 (45.0%)
vs. Chattanooga: 33 of 70 (47.1%)
vs. UT Martin: 35 of 72 (48.6%)
vs. Stanford: 48 of 72 (66.7%)
vs. Siena: 37 of 74 (50.0%)
vs. Stanford: 39 of 55 (70.1%)