Ole Miss basketball takes on Missouri

Well, things have gotten a lot more interesting for Ole Miss hoops over the past week and a half. The Rebels put themselves squarely back into the NCAA Tournament conversation by beating A&M, Georgia and Auburn.

They’ve done it in many different ways, effectively changing defensive gameplans for each opponent to neutralize what those teams do best. Against Auburn, they forced three-point shooters further back (Kermit Davis told his team to “keep your heels in front of the arc”), keeping the Tigers off balance from the perimeter.

Now the focus shifts to a home game against Missouri. The Tigers aren’t in a great place, sitting at 12-11 overall and just 3-8 in conference play. While they’re capable of winning, especially if freshman Javon Pickett continues to produce like he has the past few games (10 points per game over his last five) and can support senior Jordan Geist (13.8 ppg this season), it’s not very likely. The trouble for those two players will be the guards they’re facing for the Rebels. Devontae Shuler, Terence Davis and Breein Tyree have played fantastic defense recently and it could be tough for Missouri to make much happen at the guard position.

How to watch

Where: Oxford
When: 2:30 p.m. CT
TV: SEC Network
Online streaming: WatchESPN