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Ole Miss basketball: 3 keys to beating Georgia

By Randy Morgan

Dec 20, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs guard Jordan Harris (2) and forward Kenny Paul Geno (25) celebrate their win against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at McCamish Pavilion. Georgia won 60-43. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 20, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs guard Jordan Harris (2) and forward Kenny Paul Geno (25) celebrate their win against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at McCamish Pavilion. Georgia won 60-43. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Georgia Bulldogs come to The Pavilion to face the Ole Miss basketball team on Wednesday night. The game starts at 6 PM CT.

The Ole Miss basketball team enters an important stretch of the season on Wednesday night. The Rebels take on the Georgia Bulldogs at 6 PM in Oxford.

Both teams are currently 10-5. Georgia sits at 44 in RPI, while Ole Miss is 42nd.

Both of these teams are pretty evenly matched. Georgia plays some really good defense and that could cause issues for Ole Miss.

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The Rebels offense has been the key to victories this season, but can they score on the Bulldogs?

If Ole Miss can get this win, they head into a matchup with South Carolina with the ability to go 3-2 in the first 5 SEC games.

So how do the Rebels defeat Georgia? Here are the three keys to beating the Bulldogs.

1. Stop Yante Maten from scoring. 

Yante Maten is currently second in the SEC in scoring per game, only behind Malik Monk. Maten scores 20.2 points per game this year.

Ole Miss has a guy who can match Maten on the scoring end in Deandre Burnett, who is 3rd in the SEC in scoring per game. Burnett scores an average of 19 points per game.

His best game this season came against Kansas when he scored 30 points and added 13 rebounds in an 11-point loss.

The team that has stopped Maten this season was Oakland. Maten only scored 6 points and had 5 rebounds against Oakland in a loss.

Ole Miss will have to stop the forward from scoring if they wish to defeat the Bulldogs. Deandre Burnett will have to step up his defense and stop Maten.

2. Reduce the turnovers.

Ole Miss turns the ball over an average of 16 times per game. This is killing Ole Miss. Led by Burnett’s 3.6 turnovers a game, the Rebels have been playing some sloppy ball.

If the Rebels can cut down the amount of turnovers they have, they would be a much better team.

This is an issue that can be fixed, but Ole Miss will have to work on fixing it if they wish to play in the NCAA tournament.

3. Cullen Neal needs to get comfortable. 

I watch Cullen Neal play and I see an uneasiness to his game. It sways back and forth during the game. At moments, he is hitting 3’s and at the top of the world, and then the next play he will turn it over and sulk.

Neal has to gain some confidence as an elite point guard. Without it, freshman Breein Tyree is going to take the position from him.

Neal is averaging 10.9 points a game and 3.2 assists. Adding only 1.9 turnovers per game.

Ole Miss has the point guard that can win them some games, but he will have to show his confidence on the court Wednesday night.

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