SEC Preview: Rebels host Missouri

The Ole Miss Rebels will try to stop a three-game losing streak at the Pavilion against Missouri on Tuesday night.

Meanwhile, the Tigers have bounced back from their own three-game skid with two straight wins against top four SEC teams in Alabama and No. 24 Kentucky.

https://twitter.com/OleMissMBB/status/960891000150478854

Ole Miss head coach Andy Kennedy said this game will be a big challenge for his team before heading on the road to LSU. He said he is impressed with Missouri head coach Cuonzo Martin’s performance in his first year back in the SEC.

Reeling Rebs

Losers of three straight and five of their last six, Ole Miss is coming off a 33-point loss to now No. 15 Tennessee and currently sits at 11-12. This is only the second time Ole Miss is under .500 during the Andy Kennedy era.

Kennedy referred to the Tennessee game as a “whooping” and it is sch0ol’s worst loss under his tenure in terms of point differential.

But, Kennedy said he does not think the Rebels’ recent struggles are due to a lack of effort.

Although, the Rebels have lost only one SEC game at home this season and currently owns an eight-game winning streak over Missouri and swept the season series against the Tigers in 2017.

Senior Deandre Burnett and junior Terence Davis were key cogs in those wins as they averaged a combined 37.4 points per game; Burnett averaged 21.7 ppg and Davis averaged 15.7 ppg.

Tigers Turning Around?

Missouri enters the Pavilion following its first win over the Kentucky Wildcats in program history and second over an AP Top 25 team this season.

For Mizzou head coach Cuonzo Martin, having his big men on the floor has been instrumental to his basketball team. Three of the Tigers’ top four scorers over the current winning streak are big men.

But, the performance of graduate guard Kassius Robertson guard has been just as important as he is averaging 19 points per game during the Tigers’ two-game streak. It was good enough to earn him an honor from the league office for the first time in four seasons of Missouri basketball.

💵 Kash 🇨🇦

👉 #Mizzou's first @SEC Player of the Week in four seasons. Keep it up, @Kash_Money_5. #MIZ 🐯🏀 pic.twitter.com/jM6sz613Zk

— Mizzou Hoops (@MizzouHoops) February 5, 2018

Robertson is the first player to earn SEC Player of the Week since former guard Jordan Clarkson was recognized during the 2013-2014 season on Dec. 30, 2013.

“If you know the kind of guy he is and the type of work he puts in you’re happy for him because he puts it in (both) in the a.m. and p.m.,” Martin said.

When and Where to Watch

The game can be seen on the SEC Network at 9 p.m. eastern time.