By Adam Brown
Sports Editor
adam.brown@hottytoddy.com
No. 20 Ole Miss returns to the confines of the Pavilion to play host to the No. 24 Iowa State Cyclones in the Big 12/SEC Challenge. Tip-off is slated for 11 a.m. on ESPN.
“We are really excited about the Big 12/SEC Challenge and think it should be our third straight sell out in a row,” Ole Miss Head Coach Kermit Davis said.
Ole Miss (14-4, 4-2) steps out of conference play to take part in the challenge after dropping their first SEC road game to Alabama 74-53. In the contest, the Crimson Tide scored 23 points off of 16 turnovers by the Rebels.
As a team, the Rebels rank second in the league in field goal percentage (48.8) and defensive rebounding (31.3). Junior Breein Tyree ranks second in scoring (17.0 ppg), third in field goal percentage (49.8 percent), fourth in playing time (32.3 minutes per game), and eighth in free throw percentage (83.1 percent). He is one of four SEC players (Bryce Brown-Auburn, Grant Williams-Tennessee, Quinndary Weatherspoon-MSU) to rank in the conference’s top 10 in scoring, field goal percentage and free throw percentage.
Iowa State comes in with a 14-5 (4-3 Big 12) record following a tough road loss to No. 9 Kansas (80-76) Monday night. The Cyclones are one of the best teams in the country taking care of the basketball, ranking eighth in assist/turnover ratio (1.5) and 24th in turnover margin (+3.8).
“Looking at Iowa State on tape may be as good as any offensive team in college basketball,” Davis said. “(They have) two great point guards and their offensive spacing is terrific.”
Iowa State also leads the Big 12 in scoring offense (78.5 ppg), steals (7.5 per game) and threes made (8.9 per game). Marial Shayok paces the Cyclones with a Big 12-best 19.8 ppg, leading the conference in field goals made (137) and field goal attempts (269) for a 50.9 shooting percentage. Michael Jacobson (13.1 ppg), Talen Horton-Tucker (11.9 ppg) and Lindell Wiggington (10.9 ppg) average double figures as well. Freshman Tyrese Haliburton takes care of the basketball, ranking fourth nationally with a 5.5 assist/turnover ratio.
Steve Prohm is in his fourth season as Iowa State’s head coach, arriving in Ames after four seasons as the head coach at Murray State.
This game will be just the second meeting between Ole Miss and Iowa State, including the first in the continental United States. The Cyclones won the lone matchup, defeating the Rebels 73-68 in the championship of the Yahoo! Sports Invitational in Laie, Hawaii (Dec. 23, 2000).
The Rebels will wear their powder blue uniforms for the second time this season.
Fans not able to make it to the game can watch all the action on ESPN or listen to the call on the Ole Miss Radio Network.
