Ole Miss will try to build off its win earlier in the week when it takes on Big 12 foe Baylor in the Emerald Coast Classic on Friday night.
The Rebels moved to 2-1 on the season with a 75-55 victory on Nicholls, with Kermit Davis’ team grabbing a huge advantage on the glass.
Meanwhile, Baylor has regrouped from its opening night loss to Texas Southern by earning wins over Southern, Prairie View A&M, and Nicholls.
Let’s run through what to watch for in this intriguing matchup.
Game Details
- Ole Miss (2-1) vs. Baylor (3-1)
- Location: The Arena at NW Florida State – Niceville, FL (Emerald Coast Classic)
- Game Date: Nov. 23
- Game Time: 9:30 p.m. EST
- Watch: CBS Sports Network
Players to Watch
Terence Davis (Ole Miss)
The 6-4 senior continues to provide a consistent scoring presence for the Rebels, as he’s averaging 20.3 points while shooting 52.5 percent from the field and 58.8 percent from beyond the arc.
Davis showed his outstanding offensive ability when he put up 30 points in the loss at Butler, and there’s no doubt that he has an opportunity to be one of the most dynamic guards in the SEC this season.
Devonte Bandoo (Baylor)
Bandoo is off to a solid start in his first season at Baylor, with the 6-3 JUCO transfer showcasing his natural scoring ability.
He leads the Bears in scoring with 14.5 points per game, and his efficiency has been very good in making 57.1 percent of his shots from the field and 44.4 percent of his attempts from 3-point land.
Key Stats
Scott Drew’s squad has finished in the top 10 in offensive rebounding percentage in each of the past five seasons, and Baylor is on track to do that again as it ranks 12th nationally through four games (40.7 percent).
The two teams have displayed some impressive offense at times this year, and that’s why they both rank in the top 50 in effective field-goal percentage.
However, there’s one offensive category that the Bears have really struggled with and that’s free-throw shooting.
Baylor is ranked 316th nationally in shooting just 60.5 percent from the charity stripe, so Ole Miss (71.0 percent) could have the edge in a close game that’s decided at the line.
Game Outlook
- Spread: Baylor -2.5
- Over/Under: 143
- KenPom Projection: Baylor, 59 percent chance to win
- ESPN BPI Projection: Baylor, 81.3 percent chance to win
The Bears are playing much better basketball after the head-scratching loss to Texas Southern, but I’m still not sure what to make of this team given the lack of quality competition to this point.
As for the Rebels, they came up just short in a difficult road environment at Butler, and that experience told us a lot about the overall toughness of Kermit Davis’ team.
Obviously, a huge key to success for Ole Miss will be limiting Baylor’s extra opportunities on offense.
Drew always has his teams aggressive on the glass and physical on defense, so the Rebels have to be able to match that intensity.
Davis should have them prepared to do that, and I’ll take Ole Miss to pick up the narrow win.
Season Predictions Record (straight up): 52-10
Game Prediction: Ole Miss 70, Baylor 68
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