NCAA Basketball: 2019 Big 12/SEC Challenge preview

Iowa State Cyclones at Ole Miss Rebels

The goal in the year’s Big 12/SEC Challenge for the Iowa State Cyclones should be to use last year’s experience as motivation. The Cyclones fell 68-45 to the Tennessee Volunteers in last year’s challenge. While they do lose three seniors and are awaiting Lindell Wigginton’s NBA Draft decision on May 30, they still have talent on deck.

Sophomore forwards Solomon Young and junior Zoran Talley are due for breakout seasons after putting up respectable numbers in 2017-18. Young averaged 7.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game in 26 starts. Talley averaged 7.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game through 23 contests.

The Rebels are undergoing a facelift as head coach Kermit Davis takes over after a long-tenured run at Middle Tennessee State. Ole Miss went 11-20 in 2017-18 with head coach Andy Kennedy stepping down from his post by Feb. 17. In a word, the team just wasn’t very good. After nine 20-plus winning seasons, things seemed to go sour in a hurry between Kennedy and the Rebels.

They should have a different look with five freshmen in their 2018 recruiting class. Last year’s leading scorer Terence Davis (13.8 points per game) is also testing the NBA Draft waters, leaving them with one more potential hole to fill. Considering those odds, the Rebels could fall at home to a team much more prepared.