Jan. 13, 2013

Ole Miss Notes - Vanderbilt 

Date: Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2013
Time: 8:00 p.m. CT
Location: Nashville, Tenn.
Arena: Memorial Gym (14,136)
Television: ESPNU
     Dave Neal, play-by-play
     Dino Gaudio, analyst
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
     David Kellum, play-by-play
     Keith Carter, analyst
Live Audio: OleMissSports.com
Satellite Radio: Sirius 123, XM 199
Series: Vanderbilt leads 74-39
     Last Meeting: VU, W 65-53 (3/7/12)
     Streak: VU, W5\

The Last Meeting

Ole Miss	53
Vanderbilt	65

March 10, 2012
New Orleans, La.

Rebels' SEC Tournament Run Ends In Semifinals The Ole Miss men's basketball team's SEC Tournament run ended in the semifinals with a 65-53 loss to Vanderbilt here Saturday at the New Orleans Arena.

Recap | Box Score | Photo Gallery

TIPOFF

• Ole Miss puts the SEC's longest current win streak on the line when it travels to Vanderbilt on Tuesday to face the Commodores.
• The Rebels are looking for their first 3-0 start in the SEC since 2005-06, when Ole Miss started league play with three straight wins. A win would also give Ole Miss its best start since starting the 2007-08 season 15-1.
• Ole Miss' win over No. 10 Missouri was the Rebels' first victory over a top-10 foe since knocking off No. 10 Kentucky in 2011.
• Senior F Murphy Holloway notched his league-best eighth double-double of the season with 15 points and 12 boards in the Rebels' SEC opener at Tennessee. Holloway leads all active SEC players with 33 career double-dou bles. Holloway continues to inch towards the top of the Ole Miss rebound list with 905 career boards. The senior now only trails Walter Actwood's school record of 945 career boards.
• After a career-high 32 point outburst at Tennessee, junior G Marshall Henderson leads the SEC in scoring at 18.6 ppg and ranks third in the nation averaging 3.9 made 3-pointers per game. The 32 points was the most by an SEC player in a conference game since Chris Warren scored 33 against South Carolina in 2011.
• Head coach Andy Kennedy (138) is just six wins away from tying B.L. Graham (144) for the most wins in Ole Miss history.

REBELS LOOKING FOR 3-0 LEAGUE START
After picking up a pair of win at Tennessee and versus No. 10 Missouri, Ole Miss is seeking its first 3-0 start in the SEC since 2005-06, when Ole Miss started league play with three-straight wins. A win would also give Ole Miss its best start since beginning the 2007-08 season 15-1.

REBELS TAME TIGERS
Ole Miss' win over No. 10 Missouri was the Rebels' first victory over a top-10 team since knocking off No. 10 Kentucky in 2011. Senior F Murphy Holloway's 22 points marked a career-best versus SEC opponents. The Rebels held Missouri to 22 points in the first half, the fewest points the Tigers have scored in a game this season, and to 49 points for the game, which is the fewest points Mizzou has scored since 2003. Ole Miss also improved to 5-2 in its last 6 home SEC openers and 9-0 at home this season.

HENDERSON OFF TO A HOT START
Junior G Marshall Henderson was known as a scorer when coach Andy Kennedy signed the guard out of South Plains Junior College, and the Hurst, Texas native has definitely lived up to that billing so far this season, as he is averaging a team-best 18.6 ppg. He leads the SEC and ranks third in the nation in 3-pointers made (3.8 pg) and leads the conference in scoring. Against ETSU, Henderson poured in a game-high 22 points, including 6-of-13 from three and pulling down six boards. Henderson scored a game-high 22 points in the season opener versus Mississippi Valley State, hitting 5-of-11 from behind the arc and becoming the first Rebel to nail five 3-pointers in a game since Dundrecous Nelson in 2011. He finished the game 6-of-12 from the field and added two steals and an assist in his first collegiate start. In his second game vs. Coastal Carolina, Henderson poured a season-high 27 points, including 6-of-13 from three, and added four assists, two rebounds and two steals. The 49 points Henderson scored in his first two games is the most by a Rebel to start his career since "World Class" Gerald Glass scored 59 points in 1988. Against Indiana State, he posted 27 points on 7-of-16 from 3-point, which is just one 3-pointer shy of the school record and is tied for third all time. Henderson scored a career-high 32 points in the SEC opener at Tennessee, which is the most points scored by a Rebel in their first league game since Ole Miss great Johnny Neumann scored 39 versus Auburn in 1970. It was also the most points scored by an SEC player in a conference game since Ole Miss' own Chris Warren tallied 33 versus South Carolina in 2011.

HOLLOWAY IS MASTER OF THE GLASS
Entering his final season at Ole Miss F Murphy Holloway has moved into striking position of the Ole Miss career rebound mark. With 14 boards against the LMU, Holloway passed John Stroud and Joe Gibbon for second place on the Rebel rebound list and now has 905 career boards. The senior now only trails Walter Actwood's school record of 945 career boards. Holloway is the SEC active career leader in rebounds and double-doubles, ranks second in steals and third in points. He leads the SEC this season with eight double-doubles and leads the conference and ranks 10th in the nation in rebounding at 10.8 rpg.

REBELS AMONG NATION'S BEST
Ole Miss rates highly in the latest NCAA national stats(games through Jan. 10), as the Rebels rank third in the nation scoring (83.7), sixth in turnover margin (+5.6), seventh scoring margin (+19.1), 10th in 3-point FG percentage defense (27.0%), 12th in block shots (6.0), 16th in steals (9.6) and 34th in FG percentage defense (38.3%).

RPI WATCH
With last week's victories over Tennessee and Missouri, Ole Miss jumped to No. 46 in the ever-present Ratings Percentage Index (CBSSports.com).

DOUBLE TROUBLE
Rebel big men Murphy Holloway and Reginald Buckner have been impressive for Ole Miss in the paint during their careers. Holloway leads all active SEC players with 33 career double-doubles and leads the league and ranks ninth in the nation this year with eight double-doubles. Buckner is second to Holloway among active SEC players with 12 career double-doubles and is tied for second in the conference this year with four double-doubles. The duo's combined 45 career double-doubles ranks first among active players in the SEC. Ole Miss is 7-1 this season when Holloway records a double-double and 4-1 this year when Buckner pulls off the feat.

OLE MISS-VANDERBILT SERIES
Tuesday's game will be the 114th meeting between Ole Miss and Vanderbilt on the hardwood. The Commodores hold a 74-39 lead in the series, which began in 1925, and are 47-5 in games in Nashville. The Rebels have dropped six-straight in Nashville and have not won in Memorial Gym since 2001. Vanderbilt has prevailed in five-straight and 10 of he last 11 meetings overall, including a 65-53 victory in the SEC Tournament semis last year. Rebel head coach Andy Kennedy is 2-6 against Vandy in his career. In addition to a 1-6 mark with Ole Miss, he picked up a 92-83 victory at Vanderbilt during the 2005-06 campaign, his lone season as Cincinnati mentor.

HISTORIC WIN IN KNOXVILLE
Ole Miss' win at Tennessee on Wednesday was historic for several reasons: It was only the Rebels' second-ever win in Thompson-Boling Arena and the first since 1991 ... It was Ole Miss' first win in an SEC opener since 2006 ... The win moved Ole Miss' record 12-2 which equals its best start since 2009-10 ... Ole Miss' 38-of-44 effort from the charity stripe marked a pair of Thompson-Boling Arena opponent records ... Marshall Henderson's 32 points were the most allowed by Tennessee since 2011 and the Rebels' 92 points were the most the Vols has given up at home since allowing 105 points to Texas in overtime in 2006 and 103 points to Kentucky in regulation in 2001 ... It was also the most points Ole Miss has scored against an SEC opponent since tallying 98 in overtime against Arkansas in 2009 and was the most in regulation since scoring 105 points vs. Alabama in 2001.

HOLLOWAY JOINS THE 1,000-POINT CLUB
With 15 points vs. McNeese State, senior F Murphy Holloway became the 34th member of the Ole Miss 1,000-point club. Holloway now ranks 23rd in school history with 1,196 career points, just five points behind Rod Barnes for 22nd on the list. He currently ranks second in the SEC and 36th in the nation in field goal percentage (.563) and ranks eighth in the league in scoring at 16.1 ppg.

LOCK-DOWN DEFENSE
Ole Miss has been particularity stingy on defense this season as the Rebels rank fourth in the SEC and 34th in nation in field goal percentage defense (38.2%) and first in the league and 10th nation in 3-point percentage defense (26.0%). The Rebels rank second in the SEC and 16th in the NCAA steals (9.9 spg) and second in the league and 12th in the nation in blocks (5.8 bpg). Ole Miss has forced 266 turnovers this season and lead the league forcing an average of 17.7 turnovers per game, and currently ranks second in the SEC and sixth in the nation in turnover margin at +5.7.

SCOUTING THE `DORES
Vanderbilt dropped its first two league games against Kentucky and at Arkansas last week to fall to 6-8 overall and 0-2 in the SEC this year. The Commodores lost all five starters off last year's squad that won 25 games and advanced to the NCAA Tournament's third round. Kedren Johnson leads the `Dores averaging a team-best 15.7 ppg, while Kevin Bright is pulling down a team-high 6.1 rpg. The Commodores shot only 32.9% from the floor for the versus, its second-worst shooting performance of the season. However, Vanderbilt outrebounded the Wildcats, 42-37 and 20-9 on the offensive glass. The Commodores, who trailed by 16 with 16:27 to go in regulation, scored 18 unanswered points in the second half and took the lead, 49-47, with 6:11 to play. The game featured three ties and two lead changes. Vanderbilt's bench outscored the Wildcats' bench, 21-5.

BUCKNER MOVES UP IN SEC CAREER BLOCKS LIST
Senior F Reginald Buckner became the Rebels' all-time career leader in blocked shots last year. In just 110 games, the Memphis native has now accumulated 270 blocks, and moved passed Jamaal Magloire, of Kentucky, for ninth in SEC history. The school record was previously held by Sean Murphy, who had 180 blocks in 117 games from 1988-91. Buckner's 2.8 average this season ranks second among SEC players and 11th in the nation. He now holds the school record for blocks in a career, season and game. He blocked at least one shot in every game this season, 31-of-33 games last year and 98-of-111 games over his four-year career. His total of 69 blocks last season is the Ole Miss record by a junior and is the second-most in a season in school history. His sophomore season total of 95 is the school record.

SEC Career Blocks Leaders
1. 564 Jarvis Varnado, Mississippi State (2007-10)
2. 412 Shaquille O'Neal, LSU (1990-92)
3. 360 Kyle Davis, Auburn (2001-04)
4. 327 Lavon Mercer, Georgia (1977-80)
5. 318 Steven Hill, Arkansas (2005-08)
6. 285 Robert Horry, Alabama (1989-92)
7. 275 Sam Muldrow, South Carolina (2008-11)
8. 272 Dwayne Schintzius, Florida (1986-90)
9. 270 Reginald Buckner, Ole Miss (2009-)
10. 268 Jamaal Magloire, Kentucky (1997-2000)
11. 266 Roy Rogers, Alabama (1993-96)
12. 249 Brandon Wallace, South Carolina (2004-07)
249 Erick Dampier, Mississippi State (1994-96)
14. 247 Charles Claxton, Georgia (1992-95)
15. 241 Mamadou N'diaye, Auburn (1997-2000)

OLE MISS TAKES DOWN FIRST BIG EAST FOE
Ole Miss earned its first-ever home win over a Big East member school when the Rebels took down Rutgers. The Rebels had previously beaten Louisville, South Florida and Temple at home, but none were members of the Big East at the time. Last year, Ole Miss knocked off Miami for its first home win versus an ACC opponent and defeated Penn State for its first-ever Big Ten road win.

HOLLOWAY NAMED TO DIAMOND HEAD ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Senior F Murphy Holloway was named to the Diamond Head Classic All-Tournament team after averaging 19.0 ppg and 11.7 rpg over three contests. Holloway posted double-doubles to two games, including a 23-point, 13-rebound effort vs. San Francisco, and missed a third-straight double-double in the final game by just one rebound.

HOLLOWAY NAMED SEC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Senior F Murphy Holloway was named the SEC Player of the Week for Nov. 26 after averaging 19 points and 8.5 boards in a pair of wins over McNeese State and Lipscomb. He scored 15 points versus McNeese to become the 34th player in Rebel history to top 1,000-career points and posted a season-high 23 points and pulled down eight rebounds in just 24 minutes against Lipscomb. Holloway was a perfect 7-for-7 from the field against the Cowboys and shot 80.0 percent for the week to raise his SEC-best field goal percentage to 71.7 for the season.

KENNEDY NOTCHES CAREER WIN 150
With a victory over McNeese State, head coach Andy Kennedy notched his 150th career victory. Kennedy is 159-93 (.629 winning pct.) in his eighth season as a head coach.

WE MUST PROTECT THIS BALL
Sophomore point guard Jarvis Summers has done a particularly great job of limiting turnovers this season, as he leads the SEC and ranks fifth in the nation in assist/turnover ratio at 4.0. Summers has only committed 13 turnovers on the season compared to 53 assists.

DEFENDING HOME COURT
Winning at home has been a trademark of Andy Kennedy's squads since he took the reins in 2006-07. Ole Miss is 93-18 (.838 win pct.) in games played at Tad Smith Coliseum during Kennedy's tenure, including a 9-0 record this season. Ole Miss has won 224 of its last 274 games (.818 win pct.) in Oxford dating back to the 1995-96 campaign. The Rebels have an all-time record of 457-197 (.699 win pct.) at Tad Smith Coliseum, which opened in 1965-66.