It’s no secret that Chris Beard and Chris Jans have elevated the game of basketball in the Magnolia State and that will be on full display Saturday when No. 19 Ole Miss and No. 22 Mississippi State square off for the second time ever when both teams are ranked. The first took place just a few weeks ago.
The Rebels (19-6, 8-4 SEC) will have the chance to avenge an 84-81 overtime loss in Starkville over the Bulldogs (17-7, 5-6 SEC) as both programs appear to be trending in different directions while battling opponents in the nation’s toughest conference.
Since the Jan. 18 contest between the two programs, Ole Miss has won four of seven games, with the losses coming at the hands of top-25 foes by 10 or fewer points. The victories were highlighted by a historic thrashing of Kentucky and tough road wins against LSU and South Carolina.
Mississippi State, on the other hand, has lost four of its last six since the thrilling win over its staunch rival. The Bulldogs overcame South Carolina in overtime and outlasted Georgia, but suffered overwhelming defeats to Tennessee, Missouri, and Florida — all ranked opponents — while falling just short in a nail-biter against Alabama.
Though the pattern may suggest Ole Miss is heading in the right direction as Mississippi State is working to find its identity, any sense of logic can be tossed out when discussing a rivalry — especially one this fierce.
In the first round of sparring between the two teams this season, Mississippi State was led by Riley Kugel and KeyShawn Murphy, who combined for 39 points, giving the Bulldogs a boost off the bench. Jaemyn Brakefield and Sean Pedulla had a collective 38 points on the scoreboard for the Rebels and Matthew Murrell hit a game-tying three to send the game into overtime.
RJ Melendez blocked a Murrell layup and Bulldog forward Cam Matthews found Kugel for an open three-pointer in extras to propel the Bulldogs to victory. What led up to that moment, though, left both head coaches feeling rather frustrated.
Mississippi State jumped out to an 18-4 lead, with a rowdy home crowd fueling the Bulldogs’ surge. Ole Miss worked back into competitiveness, trailing by just eight at the half. The Rebels chipped away, but Mississippi State maintained its lead until the late three to stamp overtime. Though Ole Miss led momentarily in the final five minutes, the game was wrapped in maroon and white.
The home Bulldogs outrebounded their rival 51-29, with 19 of those boards coming off the offensive glass and resulting in 19 second-chance points. Ole Miss mitigated the rebounding difference with hard-nosed defense and by forcing turnovers. The Rebels had 14 points off of Mississippi State’s 15 giveaways, while the Bulldogs only had three points to show off 10 Ole Miss turnovers.
Jans’ defensive approach was effective in drastically limiting Ole Miss big man Malik Dia in the paint. Beard’s approach effectively kept Bulldog sharp-shooter Josh Hubbard from getting hot from deep.
Previewing Saturday’s matchup
Ole Miss, which has struggled to corral rebounds in conference play, will look to be sharper on the glass and limit second-chance opportunities by the Bulldogs. Mississippi State, after failing to limit deep shooting from its foes, will work to curtail open three-point opportunities, especially on the road.
Both Beard and Jans have a cornucopia of weapons rife with the potential to be difference-makers in the upcoming contest.
For the Rebels, Pedulla has been the most consistent player and averages 14.6 points per game. A winning effort will hinge on the Virginia Tech transfer protecting the ball and finding open teammates. Dre Davis, who has shined of late, and Dia could work Mississippi State down low and set up Murrell and Jaylen Murray from deep.
A big night from Hubbard could be the driving force of a Bulldog road victory. The Mississippian averages 17.6 points per game and ranks second in the SEC sinking just over a trio of three-pointers per contest. A hot hand from him paired with a strong rebounding outing by Cam Matthews and company would be ideal for a squad desiring to even out its conference record.
Mississippi State leads the all-time series at 151-120, but Ole Miss has an 89-47 advantage at home.
How to watch
Where: SJB Pavilion, Oxford
When: Saturday at 5 p.m. CT
TV: ESPN2
Radio: Participating SuperTalk Mississippi stations
