One of the last undefeated teams in the Southeastern Conference will try to keep the good times rolling when Ole Miss hosts Mount Saint Mary’s on Tuesday night in Oxford, Miss.
The Rebels (7-0) are level with South Carolina for the best record among SEC teams, with their hot start marking the first time since the 2007-08 season that they are undefeated through seven games. Ole Miss won its first 13 games that year.
The Rebels are coming off an 80-77 win over Memphis, where Jaylen Murray (22) and Matthew Murrell (20) each hit the 20-point mark.
It is not as if the Rebels are blowing out opponents. Only three of their seven wins have come by double digits, with their 72-52 victory over North Carolina State last Tuesday standing as the largest margin of victory thus far.
Head coach Chris Beard has liked how his team has been grinding out wins.
“We’ve been in a lot of one-possession games,” Beard said. “You’re not gonna win them all, but what you can do is not lose. That’s what the story of our season will be, as is every other team in the SEC, you got to learn to win close games.”
The Mountaineers (2-5) have had some close calls. Four of their five losses have come by single digits. They were on a four-game losing streak, falling in overtime in back-to-back contests.
After losing to Manhattan in overtime Friday, Mount St. Mary’s ended that skid by hammering Siena 80-48 Sunday. Freshman De’Shayne Montgomery had the best game of his young career, putting up 27 points.
Despite some issues on defense, the Mountaineers’ offense has been solid, averaging 71.6 points per game and scoring 80 or more points twice.
“This group has a lot of potential,” Mountaineers head coach Dan Engelstad said. “We got to keep working, keep getting better. This group is capable of having a good run.”
–Field Level Media