#26 R.P.I. Mississippi @ #67 R.P.I. Virginia Tech:

Virginia Tech basketball tips-off bright and early (@high-noon) vs. visiting South Eastern Conference member Mississippi, or Ole Miss -as they now want to be called- this Sunday afternoon down in the turned chilly New River Valley.

These Rebels are talented every bit as much as they are loquacious. mercurial and sometimes inconsistent alike. There is some measure of rebellious star power here every bit as much as there is a uncertainty as to which brand of Ole Miss basketball will actually show up? The six win front-running hard offensively charging Rebels who have only been beaten by #2 (Creighton) and#5 (Middle Tennessee). Or the version Mississippi that nearly got upset last time out by the University of Tennessee-Martin. So this is either a close to double-digit win or a toss-up, pick ’em, raw dogfight of an out of conference game. Take thy pick…

Head Coach: Andy Kennedy: (age=48), 212-125 (.629) at Ole Miss and 235–138 (.628) overall –after one initial big whistle season at Cincy.

Kennedy was a 6’7” S/F in high school at Louisville High School. He was a 1986 Parade all-American. Kennedy went on to play for North Carolina State and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. At U.a.b. Kennedy was a two-time all-conference performer who became the school’s second all-time leading scorer with 1,787 points (18.8 ppg. career average); and he still holds over 15 individual records for the Blazers. Baller Kennedy did ball for the Charlotte Hornets and then spent three (Euro) seasons overseas before his second A.c.l. blowout ended his career for keeps down in Puerto Rico (God Bless). Coach Kennedy is only the seventh coach in S.e.c. history to guide his teams to 20+ wins in four of his first five seasons, as well as the only coach in Ole Miss History to produce 10 consecutive winning seasons. S.e.c. champs 2013 | S.e.c. Coach of the year 2007. Since Kennedy arrived in Oxford Ms., the Rebels have set season records in almost every offensive statistical category; as coach Kennedy is to offense what coach Bennett of uva is to D. Making him something of a collegiate hooping Doug Moe.  Finally, in his 10 seasons in Oxford, Kennedy has produced 12 all-S.e.c. guard selections, more than any other program in the S.e.c.

Ole` Miss’ at a glance:

• 17th in offensive rebounding (14.5 o-rpg)!
• 20th in blocks (6 bpg)
• 31st in FTA’s (234 total)
• 41st in scoring O (82.8 ppg)
• 44th in 3-point shooting (39.3%)
• 293rd in Turnover Margin (–2.3 tpg)
• 316th in scoring D (81 ppg)
• LAST PLACE or 348th in 3-point defense (43.3% allowed)!

Rebel Returning Starters=2

Mississippi Strengths:

• Leading S.e.c. scorer Deandre Burnett is the alpha Rebel here, as this #1, 6’2” 184 lb., r-Jr. year transfer lead-G from Miami (Fla), is a pure scorer an nothing other than a pure scorer. A team leading virtual 22 ppg speaks to this, as did his numerous outbursts (if inconsistent) games over in Coral Gables two years ago. Burnett does have a history of left-wrist injures (his non-shooting hand), and he missed his rookie ‘Cane campaign from one. Nevertheless, you are not the 3rd ranked scholastic scorer in America (38 ppg) just because you suck. As Deandre is a knifing good scorer from the wing in particular in isolation. 95% on a team leading 63 FTA’s tells you how often he gets to the rim and the volume of damage he does from the FT-line. Nonetheless, he does take a lot of shots as guys like Burnett never met a shot they don’t like or won’t take. 36% overall and yet 43% from range is a Smith and Wesson apprenticeship as pure gunning goes. Burnett does need some work on his trying to do to much handles (3.5 tpg), as he employs a very high dribble at times; and yet he is an honor roll student; go fig’ on that? Though make no mistake men, Deandre is lit, and when he heats up his offensive is legit; as in, very. Making him a Pro’, be that domestic or exported time will tell; though anyone can always use another 20 ppg scorer.
• 6’9” 240 lb. P/F, Sr. Sebastian Saiz is a legit post and he is one of the very few you will see sporting corrective glasses in lieu of contacts in the modern era. And somewhere Jabbar and Worthy are both, smiling. Not bad for a kid who only missed six games last season with a freakin’ detached retina; (St.Helen bless)! Saiz -imported and of Madrid Spain fame- is netting you a second best 14.1 ppg and an S.e.c. best 11.5 rpg. Lindy’s magazine had #11 rated the best board-man in the So.East’ pre-season and I’d say that he has pretty much lived up to that. Saiz has a little range to his game with 41% 3-point shooting and 54% overall. His free-throwing is serviceable at 69% and he does draw contact (49 FTA’s) doing that much work down low. As said he does do work down low and he is aggressive in doing so, in as much as he has been foul prone at times and has been DQ’ed once already this season and in foul-trouble in 50% of his games so far. With 10 total disqualifications for his career to show for it, i.e. might be worth trying to draw an early change on #11 here.

  

• Much maligned and then transferred Pt.G and former coach’s son Cullen Neal -you may recall- as we read about his flight just a few New Mexico games ago. Cullen is eligible right away as he picked up his first u.gard diploma in a mere three years; accordingly, there is no doubting his .edu game or hooping I.Q. Cullen goes 6’4” 191 lbs. as a heady home position true-One who can flat out shoot the rock. Cullen’s rage is the gym, if he is in it, he is open. 13 ppg and 48% from 3-point land says so and Cullen has a fine sense of civics as well –CoSIDA Academic all-District member and NABC Good Works Team honoree for his community service. Nice to read something like that in a bio’ for a change. Cullen leads Ole Miss. in assists (3.9 apg) and Cullen can fill it up when he gets hot from the outside; just ask UMass and Montana who he blow-torched for nearly 50 points combined. Cullen has two years left after being granted a very unusual medical hardship wavier in-season after a nasty Class III ankle sprain three games into his second year at New Mexico. Though when healthy and feeling his flow, he sure does give Ole Miss a very rebellious 1-2 backcourt scoring punch.
• 6’5” 2o1 lb. senior Wing Rasheed Brooks is the other prime scorer for Ole Miss (9.9 ppg). Although he has a shooter and not a maker type rep’, Brooks has come up off of 53% FT makes for his career to 83% free-throwing this year. Ditto 35% from the floor, now up to 43% overall. Making him an S.e.c. Most Improved sleeper candidate thus far. Although he can defense as an oversized match-up for your best backcourter due to his overall leaping athleticism in a stronger than expected frame.

Mississippi Weaknesses:

• P/F-C Nate Morris (6’10”, 25o lbs.) suspended indefinitely for undisclosed reasons. Or for speeding while D.U.I., according to Google. The #27 Center so says ESPN.com last year; a legit post from Texas who was figured to play/contribute right away (God Bless).
• Rebel Defense is an issue here.
• And so is just plum wildness. As Wildness is always entertaining, in particular when your O is cooking with gas and running hot. However it’s no better than wildness when you O is not.
• The Reb’ bench seems a little thin to me as well. (see: next)

Rebel Bench: (depth=2 deep, with 2-3 more guys getting spot minutes)

The two Mississippi subs’ who really do log credible minutes are Terence Davis and Marcanvis Hymon. Davis had might as well be a sixth starter as he logs close to starting minutes anywho. The 6’4” 2o1 lb. combo-Guard is in his second season and he is third in scoring at 11.4 ppg and he does chip in with 4 rebounds as well. Davis is more parts slasher (34 FTA’s in relief) and less parts shooter (27% from range); though he is a plucky sort or a spark-plug guy off the bench. And he is physically tough what with 62 catches and 1,062 yards receiving as a could have played college footballer in high school two fall’s ago. Hymon goes 6’7” 220 lbs. as an almost undersized third year Four. Hymon gets you 4.6 ppg and rpg alike and draws your worker bee defensive assignment down low. Hymon does have a history of varying leg dings which caused him to miss significant time his rookie year (Godspeed).

Illation, conclusion (s) and OPT digits:

the takeaway:
The takeaway here is… I’m only (partially) sure about four things here…

1. I’m not sure which Mississippi is gonna show up?
2. Mississippi does not even seem sure which Mississippi is gonna show up.
3. No. three says see no.1 (or even no.2).
4. No. four says… the ready to play Mississippi is gonna be a tough out. Possibly, very.

   

Unless of course we catch the Tennessee-Martin flavor Mississippi; as this Rebel yell did not seem to know when the last game actually tipped-off. We catch them we are okay, and we might even cruise to a shiny looking name-recognition out-of-conference victory.

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However, there is something downright aTm about this Mississippi club, when they want to be. As they have a sharp looking outside-in game when everyone is feeling their flow and finding their sexxy. As no matter how unfocused or fickle or yo-yo Smothers Brothers routine this Ole Miss regular season squad may (or will) be; this is a Mississippi club that nobody will want to catch in their So.Eastern bracket.

This also Mississippi’s first true roadie of the year; and the Reb’s are +4 in rest entering this contest.

As the only two other differentials I could find is rebounding that favors Ole Miss (+6 overall in each teams last five tilts and 3-point shooting which favors Virginia Tech basketball (+14%) in each teams last five contests. So take thy pick… either the Hokies shoot well enough at home; or they do not, and Ole Miss wins this one on the glass. As only one of those two offsets can go, cold.

(% confidence interval)
Virginia Tech=78, Mississippi=76

“LETS GO!”

“Hokies!”

 bourbonstreet**

V.A.D.A. approved