Ole Miss is desperate for a win after a disappointing start to the season. Can they get it on the road against Yante Maten and Georgia?
TV Schedule: Tuesday, Jan. 3, 6:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network
Arena: Stegeman Coliseum, Athens, Georgia
Coming into the 2017-18 season, expectations for the Ole Miss Rebels were high but taken with a grain of salt.
We knew the guards would be great, we knew the defense would be solid, but we also knew that the loss of Sebastian Saiz was going to leave a massive gap on the court.
So far this season, the unpredictability that many projected for Ole Miss is exactly what we have seen. This team has five losses and three of them have come by two or fewer possessions. If this team wins these three games, they are currently an NCAA Tournament team.
However, everything changes once conference play begins, especially now that there are so many potential NCAA Tournament teams in the SEC. A few wins in conference play and Ole Miss could be right back on the bubble.
After opening with a win over South Carolina at home, the Rebels will travel to Athens, Georgia, to take on the Georgia Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs have just three losses on the season, none of which can be considered “bad.” Road losses in college basketball happen, but wins over Temple, Georgia Tech, Marquette, and St. Mary’s will look good in terms of RPI, even if some of those teams are struggling now.
A five-point road loss to Kentucky bodes well for Georgia this season, and I think with a few solid wins down the stretch and we could see them dancing in March. However, they have to get things done in conference play at home – and that includes beating Ole Miss.
As an aside, if you combine these two rosters, you probably have a top-five team in college basketball. Both teams are strong where the other is weak, and it should make for an interesting game.
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However, I think the inability of the Rebels to win close games, combined with the monster inside that is Yante Maten, leads the Bulldogs to secure a good win at home.
Prediction: Georgia 69, Ole Miss 65