Busting Brackets
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SEC Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2019-20 season

By Matthew Travis

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - MARCH 17: The Auburn Tigers hold the winner's trophy after the 84-64 win against the Tennessee Volunteers during the final of the SEC Basketball Championships at Bridgestone Arena on March 17, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - MARCH 17: The Auburn Tigers hold the winner's trophy after the 84-64 win against the Tennessee Volunteers during the final of the SEC Basketball Championships at Bridgestone Arena on March 17, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA – MARCH 22: The Mississippi Rebels mascot reacts in the second half against the Oklahoma Sooners during the first round of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Colonial Life Arena on March 22, 2019 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA – MARCH 22: The Mississippi Rebels mascot reacts in the second half against the Oklahoma Sooners during the first round of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Colonial Life Arena on March 22, 2019 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

. . . Rebels . 7. team. 532

The Ole Miss Rebels, or sorry Land Sharks, I mean… no one is quite sure what they’re called but one thing that is true is that whatever they are, they are coming off one of their best seasons in several years.

For the first time since 2015 and only the third time since 2003, Ole Miss made the 2019 NCAA Tournament. Unfortunately it didn’t last long as the Rebels were bounced in the first round at the hands of Oklahoma, but nonetheless, we saw something out of Ole Miss that we haven’t seen in several years.

The question however is whether or not they can make it to consecutive tournaments for the first time since 2001 and 2002. If there has ever been a time for the Rebels to do that, it would be this season.

A big reason for that is because Ole Miss will be getting their leading scorer from last season, Breein Tyree, back for his senior season. Tyree went for 17.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game last season and was a big reason as to why they went onto make the tournament.

Getting him back is huge because it allows the Rebels to have their top player back in addition to that they also have Devontae Shuler, Blake Hinson and KJ Buffen coming back as well.

Shuler, Hinson and Buffen were all very large pieces for the Rebels last season and getting them back alongside Tyree means that they will be a very similar team this season as they were last year.

In addition to their several key players coming back, the Rebels also have three incoming true freshmen and three redshirt freshmen who could be getting minutes this upcoming season.

One of these freshmen who will likely get significant time is guard, Austin Crowley. Crowley is a four-star shooting guard out of Sunrise Christian in Wichita, Kansas. Crowley was ranked 124th in the Class of 2019 by 247 Sports and he will likely get a significant amount of playing time next season.

Another player who could get some playing time for the Rebels next season is freshman small forward, Antavion Collum. Collum is a three-star small forward out of Tennessee Preparatory Academy in Memphis, Tennessee. Collum is 6’7″, 215lbs and he has a serious chance to help out Ole Miss next year.

So out of all these players who will contribute in Oxford next season, who will be the best?

Breein Tyree will once again be Ole Miss’ best player and leading scorer. Heading into his senior season and playing with a team he is familiar with, Tyree will only get better and because of it the Rebels will as well.

Ole Miss has several tough games during non-conference play, but they will manage to get through it with a record of 12-1. The lone loss will come against Memphis at the end of November while they will be tested against Oklahoma State or Syracuse as apart of the NIT Tip-Off and also against Butler in December.

With a 12-1 record going into conference play, Ole Miss will finish off the season with a record of 22-9 after getting through SEC play with a record of 10-8. What this means is that Ole Miss will be in a very good position going into the SEC Tournament and will undoubtedly have a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

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