Red Cup Rebellion - NCAA Tournament 2015: Ole Miss' dancing is doneChanging the culture of Ole Miss Rebel athletics since 2008.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/51401/rcr-fav.png2015-03-20T10:58:25-04:00http://www.redcuprebellion.com/rss/stream/79850582015-03-20T10:58:25-04:002015-03-20T10:58:25-04:00Untangling the Rebs' loss to Xavier
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<figcaption>"Dude, don't brick your dunk attempts." | John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Xavier pounded Ole Miss in the midcourt and the Rebs had no offensive answers.</p> <p>You've gotta sympathize with old man <span>Jarvis Summers</span>, who ended his otherwise brilliant career in red and blue with eight missed shot attempts in <a target="_blank" href="http://www.redcuprebellion.com/2015/3/19/8260225/ole-miss-xavier-ncaa-tournament-2015-final-score-recap">the Rebels' second-round loss</a> in the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/march-madness" class="sbn-auto-link">NCAA Tournament</a>. The somber ovation as he left the floor is little consolation for Summers -- Ole Miss' eighth all-time leading scorer with 1,629 career points -- insofar as his individual struggles against Xavier are representative of all the Basketbears on Thursday.</p>
<p>Following <a target="_blank" href="http://www.redcuprebellion.com/2015/3/18/8240183/byu-ole-miss-final-score-recap-march-madness-2015-play-in">second-half heroics in the Dayton Deluge</a> over BYU on Tuesday, Andy Kennedy's road warriors grappled with Xavier on just 41 hours of, um, rest, which in the end became a non-factor. The Rebs looked not so much gassed as just plain disorganized on both sides of the court, and Xavier's human steamroller <span>Matt Stainbrook</span> made 'em pay down low with 20 bullish points.</p>
<p>Ole Miss never really seemed in this game. AK surely knew that the Musketeers would rely on <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bannersontheparkway.com/2015/3/18/8240385/6-xavier-11-ole-miss-first-round-preview-ncaa-tournament-march-madness">a strong inside-out offensive attack</a>, but the Rebs' adaptability -- so crucial to Tuesday's success -- evaporated on Thursday along with their shooting accuracy, defensive cohesion and all-around execution.</p>
<p>Let's dig into exactly what went wrong on Thursday afternoon.</p>
<h4>Defense</h4>
<p>On the defensive side, the Rebels offered predominantly zone sets, which initially found success. The 1-3-1 press at first did what it's designed to do, and Xavier found themselves in disjointed situations around the midcourt a handful of times. Yet, given enough looks, the Muskies managed to pass their way around the Rebel trap and set themselves into their favored halfcourt style of play.</p>
<p>And it's in the halfcourt that <strike>Nosferatu's</strike> Chris Mack's men carved up the Ole Miss zone. The Musketeers love to distribute the ball -- they average just over 16 assists per game -- and their sound passing play drew the Rebs out of position around the arc for 10 three pointers on the day. And if Xavier wasn't trashing Ole Miss with the inside-out game, they were riding Stainbrook's Rec-Specs all the way to the rim.</p>
<p>The Rebs' defensive woes carried over into the fouls column, which saw <a target="_blank" href="http://www.redcuprebellion.com/2015/3/18/8240357/ncaa-tournament-2015-scores-byu-ole-miss-recap-analysis">Tuesday's savior</a> <span>M.J. Rhett</span> tally two quick no-no's and sit out for most of the first period. Hard to say what could have been had Rhett not abstained for so long, but his 12 second-half points certainly could have been added to. And further, Xavier attempted 21 free throws to Ole Miss' <i>five</i>. Five free throws. Yuck.</p>
<h4>Offense</h4>
<p>Ole Miss was 19-4 on the season when they shot just 40 percent from the field, so it's little wonder that Thursday's 32.9 percent performance netted them a short stay in the Big Dance. Likewise, the Rebs' 6-of-27 from beyond the arc lands their three-point shooting percentage somewhere between whale shit and the bottom of the ocean. Everyone was inaccurate -- <span>Stefan Moody</span> turned in a relatively pedestrian 14 points -- but nothing sums up the Rebels' brick wall construction like <span>Aaron Jones</span> getting denied by the rim:</p>
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<p>Rimcheck WELP <a href="https://t.co/dkkgT5WxgC">https://t.co/dkkgT5WxgC</a></p>
— SB Nation GIF (@SBNationGIF) <a href="https://twitter.com/SBNationGIF/status/578677480849940480">March 19, 2015</a>
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<p>Andy Kennedy's face there says it all: "Garbage, man, just straight garbage." One wonders, though, what happened to the <i>rhythm</i>, guys? Xavier controlled the pace of play from opening bell to closing buzzer. And in fact, speaking of Ole Miss' 1-3-1 defense, the Musketeers threw it right back at them. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.olemisssports.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/031915aaa.html">Said AK after the game</a>:</p>
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<p><span>They played that 1-3-1 zone about 10 percent of the time to this point of the season, and they stayed for the 1-3-1 for really the entire game, and it did its job. What's ironic is our 1-3-1 is the reason we're in the NCAA Tournament, and their 1-3-1 zone is the reason we're going home.</span></p>
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<p>That hurts, but it's a fair assessment of the Rebels' offensive boondoggle on Thursday. They couldn't pass their way out of an open barn, and their abhorrent shot selection is the logical outcome of such fundamental breakdowns. Even with Matt Stainbrook drawing a technical foul and sitting through the middle of the second period, no real offensive production occurred, and that's a damn shame.</p>
<p>It's difficult to eulogize these Basketbears with such a sour taste still in the mouth. They were in turns hilarious and infuriating and punchy and scream-at-the-walls awful and lights-out accurate. They could turn around a 17-point deficit and make you question your grip on reality. They contorted Andy Kennedy's face into a million refractions of our own personal angst. That dim, ever-present awareness that things could spiral out of control at any minute.</p>
<p>And on Thursday, things spiraled out of control one last time. We love you, Basketbears.</p>
https://www.redcuprebellion.com/2015/3/20/8260477/ncaa-tournament-2015-xavier-ole-miss-analysisJim Lohmar2015-03-19T18:32:47-04:002015-03-19T18:32:47-04:00Rebs' season comes to a close vs. Xavier
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<p>Basketball season is for the Rebs. </p> <p>Once again, Ole Miss found itself in a double-digit halftime hole during an <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/march-madness">NCAA Tournament</a> game. But this time there would be no dramatic surge to a miracle win -- the Rebels' 2015 season came to an end with a 76-57 loss to six-seeded Xavier in the second round of the Big Dance.</p>
<p>It turns out that second-half offensive explosion against BYU -- which saw the Rebs shoot 60 percent from the field while storming back from a 17-point deficit -- was indeed a mirage. Ole Miss shot just 32.9 percent from the field against Xavier, looking out of synch from tip to finish. <span>Stefan Moody</span> scored an unimpressive 14 points and <span>Jarvis Summers</span> finished his disappointing senior campaign by going 0-for-8.</p>
<p>Xavier's star duo of <span>Matt Stainbrook</span> and <span>Dee Davis</span>, meanwhile, combined for 37 points. The Rebs had no answer for the hulking Stainbrook -- foul trouble was the only thing that slowed him down and he still managed to rack up nine boards and five assists. But it was the Rebels' perimeter defense, once again, that really buried them: Xavier hit 10 threes.</p>
<p>Still, Ole Miss was able to keep this interesting for most of the way. A 13-5 cut Xavier's lead to 10 points before the six-minute mark. But that was as close as they could get. Xavier turned it on down the stretch and pulled away.</p>
<p>All in all, the 2014-15 Rebel basketball season is most definitely a success. They won 21 games and made the Big Dance for the second time in three years. The collapse down the stretch and the early exit from the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/sec-basketball-tournament">SEC Tournament</a> puts a damper on things, and you do have to wonder what the Rebel team that reeled off six consecutive wins earlier in the season could have done in the NCAAs. But, hell, a Tourney appearance is a Tourney appearance, and we did get to enjoy that epic comeback win in the play-in.</p>
<p>Don't worry, y'all, it'll be football season before you know it.</p>
https://www.redcuprebellion.com/2015/3/19/8260225/ole-miss-xavier-ncaa-tournament-2015-final-score-recapJeff Gray2015-03-19T09:43:11-04:002015-03-19T09:43:11-04:00Xavier Q&A with Banners on the Parkway
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<p>We caught up with one of SB Nation's Xavier bloggers to get the lowdown on Matt Stainbrook's Uber driving, whether the Big East is still a beast and what the hell a football-less school does on fall Saturdays. </p> <p>The Rebels have dispatched the Cougars from BYU after a second half surge for the ages. Now our boys take on the No. 6 seed, Xavier. The Musketeers from Cincinnati are going to be quite the challenge if Ole Miss is going to want to make it a weekend in Jacksonville.</p>
<p>To get an inside scoop on our opponent, we asked <b>WestCoastd'Artagnan</b> of SB Nation's Xavier blog, <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="http://www.bannersontheparkway.com" target="_blank">Banners On The Parkway</a>, some questions about Thursday afternoon's matchup. Hope you enjoy. If not, that's what the comments are for.</p>
<h5>1. Three-part question: Have you personally gotten an Uber ride from <span>Matt Stainbrook</span>? If so, how was it? If not, have you heard any stories about his driving, cabbie banter, music choices, etc.?</h5>
<p><b>WestCoastd'Artagnan</b>: Unfortunately I have never personally received a ride from the Stain Train nor have I met anyone who has. We do not doubt that he does it, we just simply have not seen it.</p>
<p>Overall the story itself is great. Matt gave up his scholarship so they could give it to his younger brother, which is a smart financial move because as a graduate student Matt is paying less. To pay for his tuition and get some extra cash he becomes an uber driver. When they first revealed that we all loved it and it gave him bonus points in everyone's eyes. The story is great and Matt is definitely a class act. Now let's go ahead and guess what the experience would be like. He's big but strong so my hunch is that he's great in an open lane but horrible in traffic. He's always seemed like a friendly guy so I think that he would humor any question about his basketball playing or what it's like to be a driver too, but I think that he'd rather talk about other things such as his beloved Cleveland Indians. He's been known for being a lovable goof, so my hunch is that the music is always classic 90's hip hop.</p>
<p>So the story is great. We all love it and we're glad that he's getting noticed for it. It's been brought up this season so much that we've turned it into a drinking game during broadcasts, so that should explain it. Also his best on film moment has to be <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=9&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CEIQtwIwCA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DsnlPdQMEUgI&ei=q_cKVda8NYmLNpn4gvgE&usg=AFQjCNF0m9HMrvxPDt3CdTpFG2cMUoy72A&sig2=KUc4AecGmQLK7NWI7cOhQg&bvm=bv.88528373,d.eXY" target="_blank">this gem</a>.</p>
<h5>2. It's not the Big East of old, but do you think the "BigEAST" style of play is still around today?</h5>
<p><b>WCA</b>: Great question, Zach. I absolutely think that the beastly style in the Big East is alive and well in the current conference. When it was founded in the 1970s, it was mostly private schools who focused on basketball and played a very physical style. The schools were close to each other (side note: like conferences should be) and this created fierce rivalries that made every single night fun. Year one was a slight letdown, but this year was spectacular. The games almost always went down to the final few minutes and every game was physical with the players getting pretty emotional. Honestly the first two weeks of conference play may have rivaled most stretches of the old conference because every team was playing pretty solid basketball. And yes, even Seton Hall and DePaul looked good for a little while this season before imploding.</p>
<p>So to answer the question, yes, the BigEAST style is absolutely still around. It may never touch the 11 tournament bids era or the three final four teams, but man this conference is fun right now and we all enjoy it.</p>
<h5>3. Follow-up to that, after playing against Missouri, Alabama and Auburn, do you think there is a distinct style in the SEC?</h5>
<p><b>WCA</b>: That is tough. I do have to admit that I did not watch much SEC basketball outside of the games we had and the conference tournament, so my view probably has some bias to it. Also I'm going to exclude the Mizzou game from my memory of this because they only won nine games this season. You must hit double digits for me to remember.</p>
<p>My biggest takeaway is that the SEC seems to be a quick league with good offenses. Arkansas and of course Kentucky stand out to me as well as your second half against BYU. Also, quick side note, when they revealed the bracket I wanted y'all to win because I did not think that we matched up well with the Cougars, but after watching that second half I'm more concerned now. Anyway, it seems to be a quick league that is definitely stronger that has definitely improved over the last few years. Because of Kentucky, the perception always seems to be that the conference is simply Kentucky running over everyone, but there are definitely some other solid teams in there.</p>
<h5>4. Unrelated to basketball, for a school that has no football program, what in the hell do you guys do in the fall?</h5>
<p><b>WCA</b>: During my undergrad years I learned that Saturday's in the fall at Xavier are something unique. Xavier brings in people from all over the midwest, and in recent years have brought in more and more kids from around the nation. Because of that, Saturday's are a very passionate time where students go crazy getting ready for their respective favorite team and yelling so loud the hall can hear them. Lots of Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Wisconsin fans all around.</p>
<p>Our fall Saturday's definitely cannot touch power five football schools, and especially the ones in Oxford, but they are still fun. Honestly it's a bit fun having an entire day of games to watch because of all the different people.</p>
<p>Also, we did have a team until 1973. We even won a few bowl games! Because of this, we all have shirts that say "Xavier Football, Undefeated Since 1973". They're pretty awesome. If your school has an equally awesome yet bizarre shirt then I will gladly send you one of ours.</p>
<h5>5. Finally, how do you see Thursday's matchup unfolding?</h5>
<p><b>WCA</b>: First off, I think that this is going to be a good game. Xavier loves to shoot the ball and we shoot it well. I think that this is going to give your team some problems. But on the flip side, Moody and White seem to be strong 3-point shooters, and we struggle at defending the three. Our defense has been non-existent at times but strong at others, so it really all depends on which comes out tomorrow.</p>
<p>Two big factors for Xavier in this game will be Matt Stainbrook and Jalen Reynolds. Both are physical forwards and when they are hot they seem to be almost unbeatable. They are a huge part of why we beat Georgetown three times this year and hung on to Villanova a few weeks ago. Look for them to be big.</p>
<p>Both teams have a tendency (or so it seems) to come out slow. Also I am curious as to which Ole Miss is going to show up? The team who took UK to overtime and beat Arkansas, or the team who dropped four of their last five heading into the BYU game?</p>
<p>I'm always (or almost always) an optimist for my team so<b> I see Xavier winning this game 69-61</b> with a few different Musketeers scoring in the double digits.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>We here at the Cup want to thank WCA over at BOTP. Check out their page and their questions/my answers <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bannersontheparkway.com/2015/3/18/8254907/pre-duel-pleasantries-ole-miss">here</a>. One of theirs is actually going to be in Oxford next month for an evening. So if you see a guy that looks lost on the Square and he's rocking the X, help him out and buy him a beer.</p>
<p>Also, if anyone has any ideas for a unique Ole Miss shirt that we can send him, let us know in the comments below.</p>
https://www.redcuprebellion.com/2015/3/19/8254841/ncaa-tournament-2015-xavier-ole-miss-previewZach Berry2015-03-19T08:36:05-04:002015-03-19T08:36:05-04:00How to watch the game at work
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<p>A mid-afternoon tipoff means you'll have to get creative at work. Here are your options.</p> <p>Still panting from that furious rally against BYU late Tuesday night, Ole Miss gets back to work on Thursday afternoon in the second round of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/march-madness">NCAA Tournament</a>. This time the competition jumps: <a href="http://www.redcuprebellion.com/2015/3/18/8245375/ole-miss-rebels-vs-xavier-musketeers-at-a-glance-march-madness" target="_blank">the Rebels have to contend with six-seeded Xavier</a>.</p>
<p>Not that this is an uneatable team by any means. They've gone down 13 times this season, including head scratching losses to DePaul, Creighton, Long Beach State and hell, even Auburn, a team Ole Miss handled by seven points on the road. But Xavier has also notched season sweeps of ranked Butler and Georgetown squads and is 16-12 against the RPI 150.</p>
<p>The biggest concern with this game, however, is the fact that it tips off during your work day: 3:10 p.m. CT. Those of us on the East Coast can at least dip away from the office an hour early, but most Rebel fans will have to be sneaking this one at work. Thanks to NCAA March Madness Live, that shouldn't be too much of a problem, as long as you're quick with the minimize button. And if you download the app, you can even watch from your phone. Just tell your boss those emails you're checking are <i>really</i> exciting.</p>
<h4>How to watch</h4>
<p><b>When:</b> 4:10 p.m.</p>
<p><b>Where:</b> Jacksonville, Fla.</p>
<p><b>TV:</b> TBS</p>
<p><b>Online:</b> <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="http://www.ncaa.com/march-madness-live/schedule" target="_blank">NCAA March Madness Live</a></p>
<p><b>Phone app:</b><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ncaa-march-madness-live/id423246594?mt=8" target="_blank"> iPhone</a> | <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ncaa.mmlive.app&hl=en" target="_blank">Android</a></p>
https://www.redcuprebellion.com/2015/3/19/8256687/ole-miss-xavier-ncaa-tournament-2015-live-stream-tv-tipoffJeff Gray2015-03-18T12:22:51-04:002015-03-18T12:22:51-04:00Ole Miss vs. Xavier at a glance
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<p>If Ole Miss is to advance after their thrilling victory over BYU, it's going to take a strong effort and disciplined play. The Rebels shook off some demons last night, playing physical basketball and taking high percentage shots. They can't revert to the way they played in the first half though, or Xavier will destroy them.</p>
<p>Much has been made of Xavier's puzzling losses to Auburn, DePaul, Creighton, and Long Beach State, but the Musketeers have really turned things on lately, with impressive wins over Georgetown (twice), Butler (twice), Cincinnati, and Providence. They're quite good, and leading scorer <span>Matt Stainbrook</span> is what makes their team work offensively. The center is a 6'10" 265 pounder averaging 12 points and 7 rebounds per game. In terms of sheer size, he will be a player with whom it is tough to deal.</p>
<p>The big problem for the Rebels will likely be just how efficient Xavier is at scoring. They don't rebound the ball particularly well (statistically), but part of that probably has to do with making 47% of their shots on the season. There are fewer opportunities for rebounds when you're making shots.</p>
<p>In looking at their schedule this season, I was struck by the fact that St. John's, a nine seed, beat Xavier both times they played. In looking a little bit more at the details of those games, it looks like St. John's wielded a four guard lineup that was a bit too much for Xavier. St. John's guards scored roughly all the points in both games, with little to no production coming from the bigs. If Ole Miss guards are producing, that could prove problematic for the Musketeers.</p>
<p>When it comes down to it this game, like many others, will probably be decided by Stefan Moody. If the Musketeers can contain him, it's tough to see a scenario in which the Rebels win. If last night's game was a sign of things to come, however, look out <a href="https://www.ourdailybears.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Baylor Bears</a>.</p>
https://www.redcuprebellion.com/2015/3/18/8245375/ole-miss-rebels-vs-xavier-musketeers-at-a-glance-march-madnessJuco All-American2015-03-18T11:54:13-04:002015-03-18T11:54:13-04:00The Black Bear in Winter
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<p>Randy Kennedy's hall-of-fame caliber career might be nearing its end, but after last night's win, it looks like he might have one more run in him.</p> <p>There is a moment during the final seconds of the NCAA Tournament play-in game between Ole Miss and BYU when Rebels head coach Randy Kennedy lowers his head. His Ole Miss squad has surged back from a 17-point halftime deficit largely because of Kennedy’s adjustments. Now, as his players jangle with unrestrained energy, as the BYU players burn red-faced, as the clock ticks off its final seconds, the coaching legend from Greenville, MS shuts his eyes tightly. The clock hits zero. Randy Kennedy’s head pops up, and a wide grin spreads beneath his now-gray mustache. This, I think as chaos erupts, is why he’s returned.</p>
<p>Randy Kennedy had nothing left to prove. Seven NCAA tournament appearances in seven seasons. Two Final Fours, five Sweet Sixteens, and a bevy of All-Americans, Kennedy’s program boasted as much hardware as any in the country when he announced his retirement in 2011. At his farewell press conference, choking back tears, Kennedy said, "While I will always regret having failed to reach our ultimate goal – a championship for the University of Mississippi – I feel that now is the time for me to step aside. We've accomplished much, and I know that the program is in good hands."</p>
<p>For a year, Kennedy worked on his novel, <i>Roundball</i>. That book became a runaway bestseller and was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. Kennedy went on tour. He built a hospital in Guatemala. He sat on the beach and stared at the waves, and all the while, he thought about his team.</p>
<p>When the 2012 Rebel squad fell short of an NCAA Tournament berth, Kennedy knew he had to come back. In what was called a "mutual decision," new coach Richard Ray left for a job at Southeastern Louisiana, and Kennedy found himself back in his office.</p>
<p>His press conference was short and sweet. "It’s good to be back," he said. "We’re going to get right to work."</p>
<p>His team did just that, making a deep tournament run in 2013 thanks to the self-less play of guard Marshall Blanderson. "Marshall’s my kind of player," Kennedy said after a heart-breaking Final Four loss to Kansas. "He plays within the system, takes smart shots, and is as solid a leader as I've ever seen. Next year will be his coming out party. All the pieces are in place."</p>
<p>Kennedy’s plan wasn't meant to be. Just two months later, Blanderson announced that he was leaving the team to focus on his academics.</p>
<p>"I loved playing basketball," Blanderson, now a second-year medical student at Johns Hopkins, said. "But the life of an athlete just wasn't for me. I’m a quiet guy, and while I could get up for games and practice, all the hustle bustle just felt like it was taking away the quiet parts of my day. In the end, I wanted to be alone with my books. You have to give Coach Kennedy credit; he never made me feel bad about my decision to leave. He said, ‘Marshall, you need to be true to yourself.’"</p>
<p>Without Blanderson, the 2013-14 Rebel basketball team lacked an identity. They made the tournament but were a quick out. During the off-season, Kennedy looked dispirited. There were public rumblings about his future with the team, whether it might be time for him to hand over the reins.</p>
<p>At the start of the 2014-15 season, things looked grim. An opening-game loss to Coastal Carolina fired up the message board critics, but Kennedy insisted publicly that the team would find its footing. Privately, rumors swirled that this season would be his last with the Rebels. After all, there were more books to be written, more hospitals to be built, and the Ole Miss program would continue to do what he’d built it to do: win basketball games.</p>
<p>Then, things began to click. The team found some chemistry, the wins started to pile up. In the end, the season that had begun so unspectacularly ended on an unexpected note: a spot in the play-in game in Dayton. "We’re just glad to be here," Kennedy said before the game.</p>
<p>Hours after the game has ended, after the press conference, after the fans have left the building, after the lights are dimmed and the facility begins to shutter itself for the night, I finally catch Randy for a moment alone. He’s leaning against a wall in a back hallway of the arena, his eyes, again, closed. When I say his name, he looks up and smiles, shakes my hand, asks if I enjoyed the game. I tell him that I did, and then I ask what he was thinking about in those last few seconds, before the game ended.</p>
<p>He thinks for a moment, sighs, and says, "Validation." And then the winningest coach in Ole Miss history excuses himself to go prepare for Xavier.</p>
https://www.redcuprebellion.com/2015/3/18/8246117/the-black-bear-in-winterTwoYardsandaCloudofEnricky2015-03-18T08:40:32-04:002015-03-18T08:40:32-04:00The 2nd half adjustments that fueled the comeback
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<figcaption>Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>A switch to man defense and a newfound physicalness down low sparked a 17-point rally in Dayton. </p> <p>Ole Miss' season has been the story of playing from behind, and they've bore down often enough that opening deficits are never fixed realities. And so BYU learned the hard way that Andy Kennedy's locker-room oratory can inspire his men to ball, ball, ball with 20 minutes to scrap. The Rebels rallied from a 17-point deficit in Tuesday's NCAA Tournament play-in game, <a href="http://www.redcuprebellion.com/2015/3/18/8240183/byu-ole-miss-final-score-recap-march-madness-2015-play-in" target="_blank">roaring back for a 94-90 win</a> and a date with 6-seed Xavier in the second round.</p>
<p>The story of the night was second-half adjustments -- the Basketbears implemented a style of ball wholly different from what we've seen prior to Tuesday night. And different not just in the sense that they sunk a lot of shots and won the contest.</p>
<p>To say that BYU's perimeter shooting was on fire for the first 20 minutes would be a horrific understatement. <span>Tyler Haws</span> and <span>Chase Fischer</span> combined to outscore the Rebels on their own in the first period. AK apparently felt the Rebs' zone defense could best handle the Cougars' run-and-gun at the outset, so BYU's snipers improvised by stepping back -- at times four or five feet beyond the arc -- and flushed 10 of their first 15 three-balls.</p>
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<p>BYU knocks down a 3 from the ribbon <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/marchmadness?src=hash">#marchmadness</a> <a href="https://t.co/mTrkYn75KB">https://t.co/mTrkYn75KB</a></p>
— The Student Section (@TheStudentSect) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheStudentSect/status/578014188804648960">March 18, 2015</a>
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<p>So AK made adjustments. Ole Miss increasingly offered man defense in the second half, which allowed Rebel defenders to stick harder on their marks and force either hasty shots or sloppy passes that went intercepted. The Rebs logged eight damn steals in Dayton, four of which in a three-minute second-half span that saw them go from down 7 to up 2 for their first lead of the game.</p>
<p>The second half also saw Ole Miss deploy an inside game that, if we're being honest, hasn't shown up in months. BYU runs a hybrid sort of line-up, which lists four guards and a lone center/forward/wrecking ball as their on-floor personnel. In this way, they stretch the perimeter and locate a hot hand everywhere around the dogleg. This airy approach paid off well in the first half, when the Cougars shot 57 percent from the field, but on a long enough timeline, that basket gets smaller and smaller in turns. And coupled with the Rebs' stifling defense, those previously open BYU looks soon foreclosed until there was nowhere to turn.</p>
<p>Give the Cougars credit: they did their homework on <span>Stefan Moody</span>, <span>Jarvis Summers</span> and -- to a certain extent -- Snoop White. Ole Miss' big three were virtually silent in the opening period, seemingly crushed under the weight of BYU's outside defense. So, perpetually-looks-like-his-car-is-getting-towed AK changed the game-plan. Let Stefan or Jarvis take the dribble inside -- as is expected -- but then, with defenders converging, <i>zing</i>, drop the dime to M.J. Rhett or <span>Dwight Coleby</span> or Sebastian Saiz. The Rebels dished 24 assists against BYU and monster-man Rhett threw down a season-high 20 points.</p>
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<p>Ole Miss with the alley-oop! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/marchmadness?src=hash">#marchmadness</a> <a href="https://t.co/qyhQzg0hkE">https://t.co/qyhQzg0hkE</a></p>
— The Student Section (@TheStudentSect) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheStudentSect/status/578028935990124545">March 18, 2015</a>
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<p>The Rebels' size advantage also served them well in the rebounding column. Ole Miss out-boarded the Cougars 54-44, and their 14 offensive rebounds -- though going mostly nowhere in the first half -- created enough second chances to steal shot clocks from BYU's sprint-and-shoot tornado.</p>
<p>Tuesday's affair was a physical one, to the extent that both squads entered the double bonus with six minutes left in the game. Fifty free throws were awarded on the night, with the Rebels going 15-of-23 from the gimme stripe. Rhett fouled out, but not before contributing three blocks to the Rebs' total of six.</p>
<p>The Rebels have now earned themselves a friendly Big Dance meet-and-greet with Xavier in the second round on Thursday, March 19th, at 3:10 p.m. CT. The game will air on TBS, and <a href="http://deadspin.com/5866921/cincinnatis-crosstown-rivalry-turned-ugly-yet-again#" target="_blank">the Musketeers know a thing or two about physical basketball</a>. Get turnt, y'all.</p>
https://www.redcuprebellion.com/2015/3/18/8240357/ncaa-tournament-2015-scores-byu-ole-miss-recap-analysisJim Lohmar2015-03-18T00:38:00-04:002015-03-18T00:38:00-04:00Rebs rally from 17 back to beat BYU
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<figcaption>Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>An insane second-half comeback handed the Rebs a 94-90 win and a ticket to the second round. </p> <p>If you turned this game off at halftime, no one can really blame you. Ole Miss trailed BYU by 17 and was making the same mistakes it had for the last few weeks: poor perimeter defense, missed free throws and bad shooting. But a furious Rebel rally fueled by tight defense and dominance in the paint ended in a rather miraculous 94-90 comeback victory.</p>
<p>Ole Miss advances to face Xavier in the second round on Thursday night in Jacksonville, Fla.</p>
<p>It's hard to put into words just how bad the first half went. BYU's three-point percentage (67) was more than double that of Ole Miss' field goal percentage (30). While the Cougars rained shots from the outside, the Rebs couldn't pry the cover off the hoop -- I counted at least four occasions that Ole Miss missed a gimme putback basket.</p>
<p>But then the second half happened. The Rebel defense stiffened, nabbing seven steals and slowing BYU's shooting to a manageable 40 percent. At the same time, the Ole Miss offense started finding a rhythm down low. It was basically the same play over and over again: a guard would drive the lane, then dish to <span>M.J. Rhett</span> -- who posted a season-high 20 points -- for a wide open dunk.</p>
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<p>MJ Rhett has been dunking all over BYU during the second half <a href="http://t.co/qzdgimhTQf">http://t.co/qzdgimhTQf</a> <a href="https://t.co/INl9z6je7R">https://t.co/INl9z6je7R</a></p>
— SB Nation CBB (@SBNationCBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/SBNationCBB/status/578038575306027008">March 18, 2015</a>
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<p>A friend of mine texted me midway through the second half: "it's like in Semi-Pro when they invented the alley-oop and the other team had no clue how to defend it." The Rebs put up 30 points in the paint in the second half and outscored BYU 42-12 in the paint over the course of the game.</p>
<p>The Rebs went from down 17 to up two in a span of less than 13 minutes. Ole Miss shot 60 percent in the second half and hung 62 points. Talk about a turnaround.</p>
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<p>Ole Miss shot 60% in 2nd half after shooting only 30% in 1st half... Here's its 2nd-half shot chart <a href="http://t.co/Ck0SrFBvFc">pic.twitter.com/Ck0SrFBvFc</a></p>
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/status/578051412346556418">March 18, 2015</a>
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<p>After an 0-3 start, <span>Stefan Moody</span> drilled 10 of his next 15 shots to finish for a team-high 26 points.</p>
<p>I said coming into the game that the key for Ole Miss would be owning the defensive glass and avoiding turnovers -- essentially not allowing one of the nation's best offenses any extra opportunities for points. And even in that disastrous first half, the Rebs did that: they had only four turnovers and BYU didn't have a single offensive board (though you can't really get boards when you hit every shot). When BYU started to cool off in the second half, those things started to make the difference.</p>
<p>You have to give it up to this Rebel team -- not only did they overcome the double-digit halftime deficit, they bounced back from having lost four of their last five games, including that back-breaker against South Carolina in Nashville. The word "resiliency" comes to mind.</p>
<p>And you know what this means, right?</p>
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<p>Andy Kennedy is about to destroy the Dayton, Ohio bar scene. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoRebs?src=hash">#GoRebs</a></p>
— Austin Blunt (@Austin_Blunt32) <a href="https://twitter.com/Austin_Blunt32/status/578042143656132608">March 18, 2015</a>
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https://www.redcuprebellion.com/2015/3/18/8240183/byu-ole-miss-final-score-recap-march-madness-2015-play-inJeff Gray