WKU Basketball: Previewing the Ole Miss Rebels With Red Cup Rebellion
SBNation's Red Cup Rebellion is here to break down the Rebels ahead of a Hoopsgiving clash in Atlanta on Saturday.
Western Kentucky heads to the Little Apple this weekend as they’ll take on old friend Kermit Davis and the Ole Miss Rebels at the Holiday Hoopsgiving at State Farm Arena.
To get the lowdown on the Rebels ahead of tip-off on Saturday, we reached out to Red Cup Rebellion, Ole Miss’ SBNation site, and spoke with their site manager, the artist known simply as One Man To Beat, to help preview the matchup.
The Towel Rack: What were the preseason expectations for the Rebels entering the season and how have those expectations been met so far?
One Man To Beat: I don't think expectations were very high as Ole Miss had to make a little bit of a run late last season to get on the NCAA bubble. Then, after losing Devontae Shuler, the Rebels lost in the first round of the NIT. It was a deflating end to the season, and while there were some impact players recruited, I think most fans assumed it would be a slow start and the team would need time to gel.
TTR: A lot is being made about the loss of Robert Allen, who is out for the year with a knee injury. On paper, it doesn’t seem like a terribly big loss (Allen averaged 6.5 points and 5.4 rebounds in eight games). What is it about his absence that is such a huge blow to the Rebels and what will need to be done to overcome it?
OM2B: He's a senior big man who transferred in and provided a little depth last year, and I think his role would have been similar this year. It's tough to lose a veteran player who has been through an SEC schedule and played so many games at the D-1 level. Definitely a loss from a depth perspective and I'm not sure Ole Miss has an immediate replacement who will pick up where he left off - at least not consistently.
TTR: Fill in the blank, Part 1: Ole Miss at their best when…
OM2B: They have moved the ball and screened well enough to get mismatches. The Rebels have a seven foot center, which from what I have seen is a good thing to have in college basketball, and there are also a couple guards good enough at slashing and driving to the rim it can create open shots for the offense. It is a plodding, slower tempo offense, however.
TTR: Fill in the blank, Part 2: When (blank) happens, it makes for a long night for the Rebels.
OM2B: Ole Miss misses three point shots - the Rebels had a 60-50 loss to Boise St. earlier this season where it shot 2-10 from the perimeter, and it ultimately was not enough volume of shots or made shots to really stretch the floor on offense. Ole Miss is not especially great at shooting three pointers, but if it can get above the 30 percent mark, the team usually plays hard enough to have a chance.
TTR: Who are the one or two Rebels players WKU fans need to know heading into Saturday?
OM2B: Jarkel Joiner is the leading scorer, senior guard, Oxford native and pretty much the go-to offensive option for Ole Miss. If he can score 20 or more, it will most likely be a good night for the Rebels. I would also say Nysier Brooks down low has been able to alter shots, rebound pretty well, and generally be a little bit of a menace to opposing teams this season. If he goes for 10 and 10, it's a really good night for him and Ole Miss.
TTR: Got a prediction for us?
OM2B: I hope coming off of finals week this team is ready to go from the tip, but I have a feeling it will be a slow start in the first 10 minutes of regulation. I haven't seen enough of WKU to get a good impression of what they do well, however, I know they have played some good teams already this season and come close to logging some upsets. It's going to be a game decided by single digits in my opinion, and I'm not running to a casino anytime soon to place a lot of money on Ole Miss. I am a fan though, so I may have clouded judgment in saying Ole Miss 68 - WKU 61.
We’d like to once again thank One Man To Beat for taking time to answer our questions. Be sure to follow him and the rest of the RCR crew this weekend for all things Rebels.