Ole Miss Rebels at LSU Tigers
When/Where: 1 p.m. Saturday in the PMAC | Baton Rouge
Television: Fox Sports Network
Radio: WDGL-FM 98.1 (Baton Rouge)
Last Meeting: LSU went to Oxford, Mississippi, and thwarted Ole Miss down the stretch for a 75-71 victory Jan. 14 in Tad Smith Coliseum. But the Rebels have won nine of their 12 games since that meeting while the Tigers have gone 7-5.
LSU’s last game: LSU avenged a four-point loss to Auburn in the PMAC by blasting first-year coach Bruce Pearl’s club 84-61 Tuesday in Auburn Arena. The win moved LSU within one game of fourth place in the Southeastern Conference race. The top four teams will receive a first-round bye in the SEC Tournament, which takes place March 11-15.
Ole Miss’ last game: Despite holding Georgia to 37 percent shooting, the Rebels gave up 11 3-pointers and dropped their third home game of the season with a 76-72 loss to the Bulldogs on Wednesday. The loss was Ole Miss’ second in four games following a season-best, six-game winning streak.
Ole Miss (19-9, 10-5 SEC)
Possible Starters and Top Reserves
Junior [G] Stefan Moody (5’10’’): 16.5 ppg, 27.7 mpg, 3.4 rpg, 37.3% 3-point FG (66-177), 90.7% FT (117-129).
Senior [G] Jarvis Summers (6’3’’): 12.7 ppg, 29.2 mpg, 4.6 apg, 35.1% FG (106-302).
Senior [G] LaDarius White (6’6’’): 10.7 ppg, 23.7 mpg, 3.1 rpg, 38.1% 3-point FG (43-113).
Sophomore [F] Sebastian Saiz (6’9’’): 7.5 ppg, 23.6 mpg, 5.4 rpg, 60% FG (87-145).
Senior [F] M.J. Rhett (6’9’’): 6.8 ppg, 22.1 mpg, 4.7 rpg, 54.5% FG (80-147).
Junior [G] Martavius Newby (6’3’’): 3.9 ppg, 20.0 mpg, 5.0 rpg, 40.2% FG (35-87).
Sophomore [C] Dwight Coleby (6’9’’): 5.9 ppg, 17.0 mpg, 4.9 rpg, 55.7% FG (59-106).
Senior [G] Terence Smith (6’4’’): 4.3 ppg, 16.6 mpg, 36.8% 3-point FG (21-57).
LSU (20-8, 9-6 SEC)
Possible Starters and Top Reserves
Sophomore [G] Tim Quarterman (6’6’’): 11.5 ppg, 33.1 mpg, 5.1 rpg, 1.4 spg, 43.2% FG (108-250).
Freshman [G] Jalyn Patterson (6’0’’): 6.2 ppg, 22.5 mpg, 1.1 spg, 37.2% 3-point FG (32-86).
Junior [G] Keith Hornsby (6’4’’): 12.7 ppg, 35.1 mpg, 4.2 rpg, 37.5% 3-point FG (57-152).
Sophomore [F] Jarell Martin (6’10’’): 16.5 ppg, 34.4 mpg, 9.0 rpg, 50.9% FG (169-332).
Sophomore [F] Jordan Mickey (6’8’’): 16.5 ppg, 35.3 mpg, 10.1 rpg, 3.7 bpg, 52.5% FG (179-341).
Junior [G] Josh Gray (6’1’’): 7.7 ppg, 26.5 mpg, 4.1 apg, 40.3% FG (77-191).
Sophomore [F] Brian Bridgewater (6’5’’): 2.4 ppg, 6.4 mpg, 56.5% FG (26-46).
Sophomore [C] Darcy Malone (7’0’’): 1.1 ppg, 8.8 mpg, 1.5 rpg, 44.4% FG (8-18).
Three Things to Watch for
Making Moody moody again
LSU has already flustered Ole Miss junior guard Stefan Moody into one off-target performance this season, but coach Johnny Jones said doing it again will be even tougher.
With junior guard Keith Hornsby as the primary defender in the first meeting, the Tigers held the SEC’s leading scorer in conference play to 14 points and an abysmal 2-for-9 clip from 3-point territory.
But few have stopped Moody in recent weeks. The 5-foot-10-inch guard has averaged 20.1 points in his last eight games, and he’s made 26 treys on 42 percent shooting from deep during that span.
Jones said he’ll utilize “defense by committee” to prevent Moody from getting comfortable, meaning guards Tim Quarterman, Jalyn Patterson and Hornsby will all have their shot at defending the high-scoring Rebel.
Patterson playing beyond his years
Patterson has made Jones look like a genius for inserting the rookie point guard in the starting lineup six games ago.
The Tigers have gone 4-2 since Patterson was named a starter Feb. 7 against Alabama, with one of the losses to No. 1 Kentucky.
It took the Montverde product a few games to overcome concussion-like symptoms he sustained in LSU’s contest against Vanderbilt Jan. 24, but it appears the injury bug is no longer affecting Patterson’s play.
Patterson has averaged 10 points in the last four games, and he‘s shot 41 percent from 3-point territory during that span, which leads the team. Patterson has also dished 15 assists during his four-game tear against six turnovers (5-to-2 assist-to-turnover ratio).
The Georgia native’s recent explosion culminated in the best performance of his brief career during LSU’s 23-point beatdown of Auburn. On Tuesday, Patterson posted career-highs in scoring (16), assists (seven) and 3-pointers made (four).
Improved Defense
The Tigers have won back-to-back games for the first time in nearly a month, and it’s been mostly because of their improved defense.
LSU held Florida and Auburn to an average of 62.5 points per game, 4.5 points fewer than what the Tigers have allowed this season. It’s also the first time LSU has held consecutive opponents to 63 points or less this season.
The Tigers have nearly eliminated the 3-point threat in the previous three weeks. LSU’s last six opponents have shot 25 percent (29-of-114) from 3-point range, and only three have made more than four.
But the Tigers now face an Ole Miss squad that’s drained 103 SEC 3-pointers, which ranks second behind 3-point reliant Auburn (117). Most of that 3-point production has come from Moody, who ranks fourth in SEC play with 40 treys on 104 attempts (38.5 percent).