| 11 January 2012
To use a bowling metaphor, Ole Miss basketball is a ball riding the edge of the gutter at 100 mph and tonight against Arkansas we may find out whether this season is going to be a giant gutterball or if there's still a chance to knock down some pins (The kids got a Wii for Christmas and we're all about bowling at the Adams house right now).
Ole Miss enters tonight's game with its season on the brink of turning very ugly. They've lost four of their last five and the most recent was an 81-55 throttling at LSU. The problem - Ole Miss can't score points. Head Coach Andy Kennedy himself had admitted over and over again that his team is offensively challenged. His stated goal for his team is to score 50 points, saying that if Ole Miss can score 50 they have a chance with aggressive defense. Fifty gave the Rebels zero chance against LSU. Fifty is sometimes not enough in private school girls basketball, but 50 is the amount of points to which Ole Miss currently aspires.
It's not for lack of trying by Kennedy, it's just that nothing is working. No matter what combination of players Kennedy tries, the shots don't fall and haven't for most of the season. Kennedy was forced to dismiss his leading scorer in Dundrecous Nelson for smoking marijuana and has been without its leading rebounder Murphy Holloway for several games. The SEC opener against LSU was a disaster from the opening tip. If Ole Miss can't return to Tad Smith Coliseum and get a win tonight, there's the very real concern that the wheels are going to completely fall off. Having just witnessed a football season where this actually happened, this is not the type of news Rebel fans want to hear, but lately they have come to expect.
Unfortunately for Ole Miss, Arkansas isn't necessarily the pushover opponent the Rebels could use to get their confidence back. The Razorbacks beat Mississippi State 98-88 on Saturday, and they are headed in opposite directions for the downward spiral the Rebels have taken. While Ole Miss has lost four of its last five, the Razorbacks are on a 7-game winning streak. This game will be far from easy, but a win is essential.
In order to get this win, Ole Miss will need to play aggressive defense, hold Arkansas to 60 points or less, and hope for all their might that one of those guards (I could list all of them but won't) finally finds the basket and some rhythm.
Rebel Sports Radio: Be sure to tune into Jake's Take with myself and co-host Ken Edwards on Rebel Sports Radio. The show airs Monday's, Tuesday's and Friday's on Rebel Sports Radio and is available On Demand if you download the Rebel Sports Radio App for iPhone and Android devices. Rebel Sports Radio now features many great shows hosted by your favorite Ole Miss writers and personalities and Ken and I are pleased as punch just to be a part of it. Aren't we, Ken?
Jake's Take Live Stream Showtimes
Monday - 11 a.m.
Tuesday - 10:30 a.m.
Friday - 11 a.m.
Recrootin': Hugh Freeze has started his career as Ole Miss Head Coach on a positive note, picking up commitments from coveted defensive end Channing Ward and now yesterday getting the commitment of East Mississippi QB Bo Wallace. All you need do is watch the YouTube video of Wallace and you'll see this kid can sling it and won't hesitate to do so. Given that his year as a redshirt under Freeze when he was the OC at Arkansas State, and what with the turmoil Ole Miss had at quarterback in 2010, Wallace has a real opportunity to be the starting quarterback at Ole Miss next fall. Only time will tell of course. The best news about the pickup of Wallace and Ward or course was the fact that both players chose Ole Miss over Mississippi State and Dan Mullen. Having lost so many games in so many sports to Mississippi State recently, we have to find our consolation wherever we can. This truth is sad but nonetheless true. Hopefully Freeze's pick-ups of Ward and Wallace are the first signs of a renaissance for Ole Miss superiority in Mississippi.
 |
Like Jake's OMB on Facebook |  |
Follow Jake's OMB on Twitter |  |
Listen to Jake's radio show |
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
