Ole Miss returns 4 of its high 5 scorers from final season and provides 5 transfers who averaged double-figure scoring in 2023-24.
Expertise and depth are main explanation why Ole Miss is ranked No. 24 because it prepares to open the season towards Lengthy Island College on Monday in Oxford, Miss.
“We’re an older group,” second-year coach Chris Beard mentioned. “They don’t seem to be going to present us factors on the scoreboard earlier than the sport begins simply because we’re older, however I imagine there is a relationship between profitable and expertise.”
The Rebels went from a 20-loss group two years in the past to a 20-17 group that completed 7-11 within the Southeastern Convention in Beard’s first season. They have been picked No. 9 within the SEC preseason media ballot this yr.
Three senior guards will likely be key figures. Matthew Murrell averaged 16.2 factors and made 39.8 p.c of his 3-point makes an attempt final season. Dre Davis averaged 15.0 factors for Seton Corridor final season, and Sean Pedulla averaged 12.1 factors, 3.2 assists and three.0 rebounds in 102 video games throughout a three-year profession at Virginia Tech.
“I inform the blokes on a regular basis, we’ll have some particular segments, some particular moments, possibly some particular video games offensively,” Beard mentioned, “however our destiny will likely be on the defensive finish, no totally different than anyone else in faculty basketball.”
Mississippi’s depth is such that Beard enters the season not sure of his precise beginning lineup or rotation.
“In my thoughts we now have six starters,” he mentioned. “It is a excellent place to be. There will likely be a task for the (first) man coming off (the bench). It is a actually, actually necessary job for us. We will play with guard play and we will play massive, too.
“There are going to be alternatives for guys all through the season. It may be exhausting to play guys rotational minutes each recreation simply due to the depth of our roster. However that is one thing we talked about in recruiting as we set this group up.”
LIU is also hopeful of getting a lift from the switch portal. Senior wing Malachi Davis, a switch from Arizona State, was chosen to the preseason All-Northeast Convention group.
“The necessary factor is constructing the LIU model,” Davis instructed Slam Journal. “We’re making an attempt to vary the tradition. We’re making an attempt to vary the surroundings and produce the group collectively and do one thing actual particular this yr.”
One other notable newcomer is extremely touted freshman capturing guard Jalen “Roc” Lee. The highest returnees are sophomore ahead Jason Steele and senior level guard Terell Strickland, son of third-year coach Rod Strickland. Terell began his profession at James Madison however adopted his father to LIU earlier than final season.
The Sharks (7-22, 6-10 in 2023-24) have been picked fifth within the NEC preseason ballot.
“The life like objective for us is to win,” Steele mentioned. “Now we have individuals who need to compete. Everybody right here needs to work and everybody needs to win.”
–Discipline Stage Media
