Ole Miss is a real threat in the SEC, and they just showed why
The SEC got a lot of defense from media members and national pundits for football. They might have even more in basketball. Because they’re easily looking like the most dominant conference in college basketball.
Auburn might be the No. 1 team in the country and conference, but Ole Miss is right behind them. They aren’t just ranked in the top 15, but knocked off Alabama and did it in the most dominant way possible.
Alabama averaged 91.1 PPG entering tonight's game against Ole Miss. The Rebels held the Crimson Tide to just 64 in a 10-point win. A Chris Beard masterclass in Tuscaloosa.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) January 15, 2025
Chris Beard and his Rebels held Alabama, who entered their game last week averaging over 91 points per game, to just 64 in the win. Talk about a team that could be a problem in the SEC. And yes that wasn’t an anomaly.
This season, they have just four games where they allowed more than 70 points. And of those games, three of them were losses. So yes, their defense is key to why they’re one of the top teams in college basketball.
Ole Miss has one of the stingiest defenses in college basketball, which will be key in push for SEC title
The Rebels proved they’re good enough to beat the top teams in the country and in the SEC. With the 10-point win over Alabama, the Rebels moved up to second in the conference standings.
They have ranked conference games against Texas A&M and Missouri this week. It will be another test for the Rebels and a test for their defense.
Missouri and the Aggies are combined 6-3 against teams ranked in the AP 25. Ole Miss is 1-2, with their only win over Alabama. They lost to Mississippi State after beating Alabama and lost by 17 points to Memphis before the holidays.
Ole Miss surfacing as one of the top teams in the SEC shouldn’t be a surprise. Any team with a defense like the Rebels should be one of the top in the country. They currently are ranked No. 13 in the NCAA NET ranking.
They’re 7-3 against Quad 1 and 2 opponents this year. Ole Miss has shown it can play with the top teams. It’s not just their win over Alabama or four other Quad 1 wins.
They force teams to play at their pace. They don’t allow teams to run up the score like they’re used to. They know how to force teams to get out of their offensive flow. And they’re doing it on the road and at home. And they’re doing it against the best teams on their schedule.
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