Ole Miss Basketball are back in the Pavilion on Saturday, taking on the Missouri Tigers. Can the Rebels halt the losing streak?
After losing their last three games and slipping to a 5-6 conference record, Ole Miss Basketball needs to react. With seven games left to play in the regular season, the Rebels still have a slim chance of making it to the NCAA tournament.
It starts on Saturday against a struggling Missouri team. The Tigers sit with a record of 8-16 and not a single conference victory, losing all 11 SEC games. The two teams will meet twice in the last eight games, with Chris Beard's team needing both wins to keep them alive for March Madness.
Scoring is a problem for Missouri, averaging just 57.3 points in their last three games. In SEC play, the Tigers have passed the 70-point mark three times. They are capable of putting offensive play together on the court. However, it's been more flat than we saw from them last season.
They may have to try to put a scoring performance together without one of their most productive scorers. Guard Sean East has missed the last two games for the Tigers, with no reports suggesting he will be on court on Saturday. It will be a big blow for Missouri, with the last two games showing he's a vital cog offensively.
With their struggles with scoring, if you were a Missouri fan, you would hope that the defense was better. No such luck, with Dennis Gates's side ranked 221st in the country for points allowed per game.
The game comes at a perfect time for Chris Beard with a chance to get back into the early season rhythm. Coach Beard will have his team focused, knowing that despite Missouri's struggles, they are still a dangerous team if taken lightly.
Does the dream of making the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2019 start Saturday night for the Ole Miss Rebels?
Where/time to watch Ole Miss vs Missouri Saturday?
- TV channel: SEC Network Start time: 7:30 p.m. CT
- Streaming: Watch ESPN, Stream FuboTV
Ole Miss vs Missouri betting odds
Odds courtesy of as of BetMGM Saturday Feb. 17
- Spread: Ole Miss -12.5
- Over/under: 143.5