18. Mississippi (8-1)
Earlier in the season, the Rebels showed struggles and we wondered just how good this team could be this season. They were fantastic early on last season in Chris Beard’s first year but were clearly outmatched when SEC play began. After proving they belonged in a close loss to Purdue last week, Ole Miss certainly hopes to actively compete with the top teams regularly this season.
Their week began on the road, playing at Louisville as part of the ACC/SEC Challenge. An 86-63 win over the Cardinals was quite a statement and featured a 20-point effort from Dre Davis as the Rebels shot 57% from the floor. Their effort this weekend was just as demonstrative, with Ole Miss beating Lindenwood 86-53 on Saturday night. Sean Pedulla led the scoring in a 19-point, 6-rebound effort while Mikeal Brown-Jones added 14 points off the bench.
The offense has been playing inspired basketball in recent weeks and that’s a trend that has to continue with this veteran lineup if they’re going to make headway in the SEC. The Rebels’ defense let them down against Purdue and will need to step up against far more elite SEC programs, but it’s still a work in progress. The next couple weeks are relatively calm, as this team faces Southern Miss next weekend.