ORLANDO, Fla. – Ole Miss will play for its first three-game impartial web site event title in 15 years when it squares off in opposition to the Oklahoma Sooners within the championship spherical of the 2022 ESPN Events Invitational on Sunday. Tipoff is about for 12:30 p.m. CT on ESPN, with Dave O’Brien, Dick Vitale and Chris Spatola on the decision.
To get right here, Ole Miss has used an environment friendly capturing assault (50.0 % area objective capturing), a strong defensive entrance (65.0 factors allowed per recreation), two glorious second halves (averaging 45.5 factors in again half) and several other key particular person performances in victories over Stanford within the opening spherical (Nov. 24, 72-68) and Siena within the semifinal (Nov. 25, 74-62).
TEAM FACTS
Ole Miss Rebels (6-0, 0-0 SEC)
Head Coach: Kermit Davis • fifth Season at Ole Miss (70-61) • 539-324 profession document (twenty eighth Season)
Oklahoma Sooners (5-1, 0-0 Big 12)
Head Coach: Porter Moser • 2nd Season at Oklahoma (24-17) • 317-259 profession document (nineteenth Season)
ON THE AIR
Television/Online: ESPN
Play-by-Play: Dave O’Brien
Color: Dick Vitale
Sideline: Chris Spatola
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: Eli Savoie
Color: Marc Dukes
RECAP SO FAR: ESPN EVENTS INVITATIONAL
Game 1 (First Round) • vs. Stanford • Nov. 24 • W, 72-68
• Ole Miss by no means trailed, led by 37:36
• Rebels shot 50 % general, 60.7 % within the second half
• Amaree Abram: career-high, crew season-high 26 factors, 12-18 FG, 2-2 3PT
• Most factors by Rebel freshman since Jan. 12, 2019 (26, Blake Hinson, at MSU)
• Abram three-pointer with 27 seconds to go helped preserve Cardinal at bay
• Jaemyn Brakefield: 17 factors, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 5-6 FG, 2-2 3PT
• Jayveous McKinnis: 15 factors, 5 rebounds, 7-10 FG
Game 2 (Semifinal) • vs. Siena • Nov. 25 • W, 74-62
• Improved to 6-0 for first time since 2013-14 season
• Trailed at half, 27-26; outscored Saints in second half, 48-35
• First half featured 10 of 11 complete lead adjustments, in addition to each ties
• Ole Miss shot season-high 62.5 % within the second half; ended at 50 % for second straight recreation
• Amaree Abram: 19 factors (16 2H), 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 6-8 FG, 3-3 3PT, 4-4 FT
• Jaemyn Brakefield: 17 factors, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 8-14 FG
• Matthew Murrell: 14 factors, 4 rebounds, 3 steals
• Myles Burns: 6 factors, 6 rebounds, 5 steals, 3 assists
• Abram, Brakefield, Murrell: mixed for 50 factors, 37 within the second half
BY THE NUMBERS: OLE MISS IN THE ESPN EVENTS INVITATIONAL
• 73.0 PPG offense, 65.0 PPG protection (+8.0)
• FG%: 58-of-116 (.500)
• 3PT%: 10-of-29 (.345)
• 3PM/Game: 5.0
• FT%: 20-of-29 (.690)
• FTM/Game: 10.0
• FTA/Game: 14.5
• Rebounds/Game: 35.5
• Rebounding Margin: +7.0
• Assists/Game: 13.5
• Turnovers/Game: 13.5
• Turnovers Forced/Game: 13.0
• Steals/Game: 9.5
• Blocks/Game: 3.5
• Points off Turnovers: 27-25
• Points within the Paint: 80-60
• 2nd Chance Points: 16-20
• Fastbreak Points: 22-11
• Bench Points: 18-25
• Average Time Led: 33:50
BY THE NUMBERS: OLE MISS INDIVIDUAL STANDOUTS IN THE ESPN EVENTS INVITATIONAL
• Amaree Abram: 22.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.5 APG, .692 FG (18-26), 1.000 3PT (5-5), 1.000 FT (4-4)
• Jaemyn Brakefield: 17.0 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.0 SPG, .650 FG (13-20), .500 3PT (3-6), .714 FT (5-7)
• Matthew Murrell: 10.0 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 2.5 APG, 2.0 SPG
• Jayveous McKinnis: 9.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 1.0 BPG, .692 FG (9-13)
• Myles Burns: 5.0 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 3.5 SPG, 3.5 APG
AN OLE MISS WIN WOULD…
• …enhance Ole Miss to 7-0 for the primary time for the reason that 2007-08 season … That 12 months, the Rebels began a college document 13-0 and finally went 24-11 and superior to the NIT Final Four.
• …be the primary non-conference impartial web site event championship for Ole Miss since profitable the 2014 Emerald Coast Classic in Niceville, Florida … Won two video games in opposition to #23 Creighton (Nov. 28, 75-68) and Cincinnati (Nov. 29, 66-54).
• …be the primary three-game non-conference impartial web site event championship for Ole Miss since profitable the 2007 San Juan Shootout in San Juan, Puerto Rico … Took down DePaul (Dec. 20, 69-63), LaSalle (Dec. 21, 84-77) and No. 15 Clemson within the title recreation (Dec. 22, 85-82) … Tied faculty document 11-0 begin with win earlier than finally setting new document at a 13-0 open to the 2007-08 season.
• …be the primary Rebel win over Oklahoma since Dec. 2, 2000 (60-55, in Oxford; Oklahoma ranked No. 14).
• … be the primary common season win in opposition to the Big 12 outdoors of the SEC/Big 12 Challenge since Kermit Davis‘ first season in 2018-19, when the Rebels defeated Baylor, 78-70, in Destin, Florida for the 2018 Emerald Coast Classic.
SERIES HISTORY VS. OKLAHOMA: Tied, 2-2
Sunday will mark the fifth all-time assembly between the Rebels and Sooners, the primary since a First Round assembly within the 2019 NCAA Tournament (L, 95-72). Sunday may also be the third impartial web site assembly between Ole Miss and Oklahoma mixed with that NCAA matchup and the first-ever assembly within the sequence in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Dec. 22, 1998 (W, 75-72; Oklahoma ranked No. 23). The different two contests had been a home-and-home throughout the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 seasons, with the Sooners prevailing in Norman on Dec. 4, 1999 (81-73), however the Rebels exacting revenge the following 12 months in Oxford on Dec. 2, 2000 over No. 14 Oklahoma (60-55).
LAST WIN: Dec. 2, 2000 (W, 60-55, in Oxford)
• Win No. 300 for Ole Miss inside Tad Smith Coliseum
• Oklahoma ranked No. 14
• thirty ninth consecutive house non-conference victory for Ole Miss
• Aaron Harper: 18 factors, 4 threes made
• David Sanders: 10 factors
• Justin Reed: 10 factors
ABOUT THE ESPN EVENTS INVITATIONAL
The 2022 ESPN Events Invitational has been held Nov. 24-27 on the State Farm Field House at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex situated at Disney World. The invitational options 12 complete video games throughout three days of motion, with every crew taking part in in a single recreation per day and advancing via the bracket. The two groups that stay undefeated all through will face off in a championship matchup on Sun., Nov. 27. All video games will air on the ESPN household of networks, with the championship recreation on ESPN at 12:30 p.m. CT.
HOT START
Ole Miss is one in all 26 undefeated groups left in NCAA Division I faculty basketball, and one in all 4 remaining within the SEC alongside No. 13 Auburn, Mississippi State and Missouri. The Rebels’ 6-0 begin is the most effective to start a season for the reason that 2013-14 squad opened at 6-0, and a win on Sunday would mark the most effective Rebel begin for the reason that 2007-08 crew set the varsity document at a 13-0 open. That season, the 2007-08 Rebels broke the earlier document for greatest begin of 11-0, which was set twice prior in 1936-37 and 2000-01.
DIAPER DANDY!
Amaree Abram got here into the ESPN Events Invitational as a talented however inexperienced freshman level guard filling in for the injured Daeshun Ruffin, however via two video games has emerged as a critical scoring menace for the Rebels. Abram’s career-high coming into the event was eight factors in opposition to Florida Atlantic on Nov. 11, however he greater than tripled that with a bombastic 26-point showcase within the opening spherical in opposition to Stanford. That efficiency is an Ole Miss crew season-high for particular person factors, in addition to essentially the most scored by a Rebel freshman since Blake Hinson dropped 26 at Mississippi State on Jan. 12, 2019. In non-conference play, that’s the most factors by a Rebel freshman since Jarvis Summers scored 27 at Penn State on Dec. 4, 2011.
Through two video games in Orlando, Abram is averaging 22.5 factors, 4.0 rebounds and a pair of.5 assists whereas capturing 69.2 % from the ground (18-of-26), in addition to an ideal 5-of-5 from three and 4-of-4 from the charity stripe. Abram — a local of Port Arthur, Texas — got here to Ole Miss from Southern California Academy, the place he was a four-star ESPN Top-100 prospect (No. 98 general).
RENAISSANCE MAN
Senior switch Myles Burns has made a right away impression for the Rebels on each ends of the ground with a novel expertise mix as a defensive power and a go-getter on the offensive glass. Burns at present leads the SEC and ranks No. 4 within the NCAA at 3.3 steals per recreation, whereas additionally rating eighth within the convention at 2.7 offensive boards per recreation.
Prior to Ole Miss, Burns had a rare profession at Loyola New Orleans, the place he was a four-time NAIA All-American and three-time SSAC Defensive Player of the Year. With the Wolf Pack, Burns performed in 120 profession video games with 111 begins, whereas setting profession averages of 15.3 factors (1,852), 8.8 rebounds (1,069), 3.0 steals (358), 2.5 assists (298) and 1.0 blocks (116). In Loyola’s document ebook, Burns ranks No. 1 in steals (358), No. 2 all-time in factors (1,852), No. 2 in rebounds (1,069), No. 4 in blocks (116) and No. 7 in assists (298), together with his 358 steals resting 163 greater than every other participant in Loyola historical past. Burns helped lead Loyola to the 2022 NAIA National Championship title, the primary in class historical past since 1945, because the event MVP at 19.8 factors, 11.8 rebounds and 5.2 steals with 4 double-doubles in six event video games.
Burns is not any stranger to dominating these two distinct statistical classes, although, as his 151 offensive rebounds and 152 steals in 2021-22 had no rival in all of school basketball, with the closest Division I comparability being defending nationwide participant of the 12 months Oscar Tshiebwe of Kentucky, who had 179 offensive rebounds and 60 steals final season. Furthermore, Burns’ 152 steals final season earned him the 2022 Marques Haynes Award, which is given yearly to the participant with essentially the most steals in all of school basketball, no matter division.
CONSISTENCY KEY FOR BRAKEFIELD
Junior Jaemyn Brakefield has been a rock for the Rebels all through their 6-0 begin, at present main the crew with a 68.6 % clip from the sphere and rating third on the crew at 11.0 factors per recreation. Brakefield has been much more regular in Orlando for the ESPN Events Invitational, scoring 17 factors in every of the primary two contests whereas capturing 65 % general, 50 % from three and main the crew in rebounding at 7.5 boards per recreation. Brakefield is one in all three gamers within the SEC this season to go not less than 6-of-6 from the sphere, tallying a 6-of-6 recreation in opposition to Florida Atlantic on Nov. 11 — his first of three season-high 17-point video games this 12 months.
LIGHTS OUT
Ole Miss has lit the web on fireplace in its first two video games of the ESPN Events Invitational, capturing 50 % general and 41.6 % from three. The Rebels have shot 50 % precisely in its final two video games, the primary two-game stretch at or above 50 % for the reason that opening of the 2021-22 season in opposition to New Orleans (.531) and Charleston Southern (.507). A 3rd recreation at or above 50 % on Sunday can be the primary three-game stretch for Ole Miss for the reason that 2020-21 season at Auburn (.500; Feb. 6, 86-84/OT), vs. No. 10 Missouri (.569; Feb. 10, 80-59) and at South Carolina (.500; Feb. 13, 81-74). Under head coach Kermit Davis, Ole Miss is 32-5 general when capturing 50 % or higher. Ole Miss at present ranks fifth within the SEC in each general area objective capturing (.461) and three-point capturing (.348).
WHEN IT COUNTS
Ole Miss has been particularly sturdy within the second half this season, capturing 50.6 % general within the again half whereas outscoring opponents 254-203 (42.3 factors per second half, +8.5 scoring margin). Additionally, the Rebels have put up a +6.5 rebounding margin within the second half this season, whereas junior Matthew Murrell is averaging 9.8 factors and 1.5 threes per second have this season. More not too long ago on the ESPN Events Invitational, Ole Miss is capturing a blistering 61.4 % general and 42.9 % from past the arc within the second half, led by 15.0 factors per second half by Amaree Abram, who is an ideal 4-of-4 from deep within the again half.
MM11
Junior Matthew Murrell has wasted no time lighting the web on fireplace this season, choosing up proper the place he left off final season as some of the feared three-point shooters nationwide. Murrell ranks seventh within the SEC in threes per recreation (2.7) and sixth in complete threes made (16). Murrell additionally ranks tenth within the SEC at 15.2 factors per recreation, helped by two 20-point outings in opposition to Chattanooga (25) and Alcorn State (20). Against the Mocs, Murrell drained a career-high six three-pointers — essentially the most by a Rebel since Devontae Shuler nailed six threes in opposition to Wichita State on Jan. 2, 2021. His 25-point recreation in opposition to Chattanooga marked his sixth profession 20-point outing, which all have come inside his final 23 video games performed relationship again to final season. In his profession, Murrell has hit 5 or extra threes 4 instances, whereas additionally notching seven video games with not less than 4, 12 with not less than three, 24 with a number of threes, and he had a 25-consecutive recreation streak with not less than one three made snapped in opposition to Stanford on Nov. 24. Murrell has been a legit scoring menace since he stepped foot on campus as Ole Miss’ highest-rated signee in program historical past, however he has been particularly lights-out for the reason that begin of final convention season. Since the start of the 2021-22 SEC season, solely Tennessee’s Santiago Vescovi has extra threes made within the convention with 73 trifectas to Murrell’s 59. Late final 12 months, Murrell ecplised 20 factors in consecutive video games for the primary time in his profession over his final three common season video games, averaging 22.5 factors and three.5 threes made throughout two sturdy outings vs. Texas A&M (20 factors) and at No. 6 Kentucky (25 factors) — a stretch wherein he shot 57.7 % general and 53.8 % from past the arc. All 4 of Murrell’s 20-point video games got here in SEC play final season, topped by an excellent 31-point outing vs. Mississippi State on Jan. 8.
MURRELL NAMED PRESEASON ALL-SEC
Ole Miss junior Matthew Murrell was honored by the league head coaches, incomes Second-Team Preseason All-SEC in recognition of his sharp-shooting prowess final season. Murrell – a local of Memphis, Tennessee – is among the many greatest three-point shooters and all-around guards coming back from SEC motion final 12 months after ending the 2021-22 convention season ranked second in three-point capturing (.426), third in threes per recreation (2.5), sixth in minutes per recreation (34.1), eighth in area objective capturing (.466) and ninth in scoring (15.5). Murrell accounted for 26.6 % of all three-pointers made by the Rebels final season, and he particularly turned it on late, averaging 20.0 factors and three.0 threes over his remaining three video games, in addition to 16.3 factors and a pair of.5 threes over his remaining eight video games.
Sparking that SEC season stretch for Murrell was a historic outing versus in-state rival Mississippi State on Jan. 8, the place he was practically good in a bombastic 31-point outing in opposition to the Bulldogs. Murrell that day turned solely the third Rebel to go 5-of-5 from past the arc, and he’s the one Rebel to take action in opposition to an SEC opponent through the common season. Murrell was additionally 6-of-6 from the free throw line, together with his lone blemish coming from throughout the arc within the closing minutes to finish 10-of-11 general from the sphere.
Murrell was additionally huge when the highlight was on in opposition to ranked opponents, averaging 15.0 factors whereas capturing 42.9 % general and 45 % from three in six video games in opposition to AP Top-25 colleges. Included in these six had been two Ole Miss victories over No. 18 Memphis on Dec. 4 and No. 25 LSU on Feb. 1, throughout which Murrell averaged 14.0 factors for the Rebels.
BEST OF THE BEST
Ole Miss’ 4 senior transfers are amongst a few of the greatest returning huge males in all of school basketball. Jayveous McKinnis stands as top-of-the-line returners within the nation this 12 months, at present third in complete rebounds (1,031), fifth in complete blocks (236), fifth in profession double-doubles (38), eighth in rebounds per recreation (9.4), tenth in blocks per recreation (2.2) and seventeenth in area objective capturing (.608). McKinnis is one in all simply 4 energetic gamers in all of school basketball with 1,000 profession rebounds alongside South Alabama’s Kevin Samuel (1,093), North Carolina’s Armando Bacot (1,048) and Nicholls’ Manny Littles (1,004). He can also be simply one in all three, alongside Samuel and Bacot, with 1,000 profession factors (1,108) and 1,000 profession rebounds.
Ole Miss is one in all two colleges with a number of top-20 rebounders on the energetic profession checklist alongside Texas Tech. McKinnis (1,031) and Josh Mballa (804; No. 18) mix for 1,835 profession rebounds, the second-most amongst teammates behind Texas Tech’s 1,839 from Fardaws Almaq (918) and Kevin Obanor (921).
Ole Miss additionally ranks extremely on the profession blocks checklist with two top-10 entries in the intervening time. McKinnis ranks fifth at 236 swats, whereas Theo Akwuba sits eighth at 190. Combined at 426 profession rejections, the Rebel duo accounts for a whopping 17.8 % of the two,399 profession blocks among the many energetic top-10. Ole Miss stands as one in all simply two colleges with a number of top-25 energetic blockers alongside Gardner-Webb, however the Rebels are the one faculty with two throughout the top-10. The Rebel trio of McKinnis (38, No. 5), Mballa (29, No. 13) and Akwuba (17, No. 44) mix for 84 profession double-doubles, with McKinnis and Mballa proudly owning the second-most by a pair of teammates with 67 behind Texas Tech’s Almaq (41) and Obanor (35) at 76.
* Note: Myles Burns’ 1,069 profession rebounds whereas at NAIA Loyola New Orleans don’t switch over to the NCAA information lists, however he would lead the nation at 1,105 in the event that they did and provides Ole Miss a mixed 4,252 boards between Akwuba (655), Burns, Mballa, McKinnis and Robert Allen (657). Burns’ mixed profession complete of 1,894 factors would additionally rank No. 10 amongst all NCAA divisions in the intervening time.
AIN’T WASTING TIME NO MORE
With eight new faces for Ole Miss this season, the Rebel newcomers are already seeing critical minutes and have contributed to the crew’s 6-0 begin.
Newcomer Splits:
Minutes: 52.6% (634 of 1206)
Scoring: 49.4% (218 of 441)
Rebounding: 46.4% (116 of 239)
Assists: 65.9% (54 of 82)
Steals: 63.0% (17 of 23)
Blocks: 73.9% (12 of 16)
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%)
For the newest news and updates concerning Ole Miss Men’s Basketball, comply with the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissMBB, on Facebook at Ole Miss Men’s Basketball and on Instagram at olemissmbb.
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