Ole Miss Basketball intends to compete for another NCAA Tournament appearance next year. To do that, they’ll have to rely on strong backcourt play.
Heading into last season, many questions surrounded Ole Miss Basketball and how they would perform under first year Head Coach Kermit Davis. To the surprise of many, the season concluded with Ole Miss making an NCAA Tournament appearance for the first time since 2015. The success can be attributed to a better road record in SEC play, improved movement off of the ball, and most importantly, the employment of a style that allows the Rebel backcourt to not only command the clock better, but use its quickness to set up for easy points.
The reality is that the Rebels are much better coached under Kermit Davis. They now have offensive chemistry and organization that seemed to lack when Andy Kennedy was at the helm. For instance, under Kennedy, offensive possessions seemed to be rushed, and sufficient ability to move the ball often lacked. Such issues often resulted in Ole Miss failing to capitalize in game-deciding situations, as well as an inability to get good shots off. In 2017-2018, Andy Kennedy’s last season, the Rebels ranked 158th in the nation in points per possession, with only 1.025.
The improvements under Kermit Davis came way sooner than expected this past season. Ole Miss averaged 1.055 points per possession, ranking them 69th nationally. This is a significant increase given that it happened in a single year and gives Rebel fans reasons to be excited about the future of Ole Miss basketball with Kermit Davis as Head Coach.
Another catalyst of the Rebels’ success in 2018-2019 was the senior leadership of Terence Davis. His toughness, speed, and charisma was crucial to lighting sparks for Ole Miss in much-needed situations. His ability to step up and lead the team was critical in allowing the Rebels to pull of the upset win over #11 Auburn back in January.
The loss of Terence Davis may sting as Ole Miss is losing a key piece; however, the other two guys that have commanded the backcourt with Davis the past two seasons are back after foregoing the NBA Draft this year. That’s right, Devontae Shuler, and Breein Tyree are back and ready to make waves in 2019. With Tyree now a senior, and Shuler a junior, they are one of the most experienced backcourts in the country, and perhaps the most experienced in the SEC.
Together, Shuler and Tyree comprise a backcourt built around quickness, crafty ball movement, and a mind for controlling the clock. Now that Kermit Davis has encouraged better movement off of the ball, opponents of the Rebels are forced to face the dilemma of having to track Ole Miss’ guards down in the open court. Improved movement this past season made the Ole Miss backcourt less predictable, and ultimately, harder to stop.
Another factor that will make this duo so threatening in 2019 is their ability dribble-drive effectively. Although slighter in stature than most players on the court, Shuler and Tyree are not afraid to take the ball right into the paint. They either use speed to get straight to the basket, or if met with two much traffic, they easily dish it out for an open shot.
Only time will tell how the Rebels will further improve, but it is safe to say that Kermit Davis has the team on the right track. The change in style of play brought about by Davis has allowed the Ole Miss backcourt to transform into something it has not been before. With a lot of young faces in the SEC this season, having the experienced backcourt that Ole Miss does will go a long way.