2022 SEC Tournament Game Preview: Missouri vs Ole Miss
When: Wednesday, March 9 at 6:00 pm ET on SEC Network
Location: Amalie Arena, Tampa, FL
With the 2022 SEC Tournament set to begin on Wednesday night, the first game that we will see in Tampa comes from Missouri and Ole Miss meeting for the third time this season.
Despite dropping six consecutive games across the second-half of February, Missouri does however enter the 2022 SEC Tournament coming off a win, topping Georgia 79-69 at home in the regular season finale. Despite trailing for a majority of the contest, the Tigers were able to use a second half run to pull ahead, as well as posting an impressive showing on the glass, out-rebounding the Bulldogs 43-24.
The Tigers enter the SEC Tournament as the 12-seed in the conference, finishing the regular season with a 5-13 record in the SEC, as well as 11-20 overall. While Missouri does own some impressive wins this season over teams such as Alabama and SMU, the Tigers however are also the SEC’s worst offensive team averaging only 65.2 PPG, as well as also ranking at the bottom of the conference in three-point shooting at 27.8%.
Led by Second Team All-SEC selection Kobe Brown (12.6 PPG, 7.8 RPG), the Tigers also use two other primary options in their frontcourt in Ronnie DeGray III and Trevon Brazile, while the arguable strength of Missouri comes through their guard play. Javon Pickett is an experienced option who leads the group at 11.1 PPG, while three other juniors (Amari Davis, Jarron Coleman, and DaJuan Gordon) are all impact scorers.
Ole Miss however enters the 2022 SEC Tournament having lost eight of their last nine games, as well as their last four games of the regular season. Included in that span was a close 63-61 loss to Vanderbilt in Oxford on Saturday, a game in which the Rebels struggled from three-point range going 5-for-20.
The No. 13 seed in the 2022 SEC Tournament at 4-14 in conference play (13-18 overall), the Rebels also struggle at times offensively averaging only 68.4 PPG, which ranks above Missouri for 13th best in the conference. Also a stronger three-point shooting team at a combined 32.7%, the Rebels are also a bit stronger defensively allowing only 68.5 PPG to opponents.
Two names that will be key to the Rebels success in this game are guards Jarkel Joiner and Matthew Murrell, as well as center Nysier Brooks who leads Ole Miss with 7.5 RPG. Jaemyn Brakefield and Luis Rodriguez will both also play key roles in the frontcourt, while Tye Fagan and Austin Crowley will see significant time in the backcourt.
As mentioned at the start, this is the third meeting between these two teams this season, with both games won by Missouri (78-53 @ Ole Miss, 74-68 @ Missouri).
The loser of this game will likely not see postseason play this season, meaning that their season will end after this game. As for predicting this game, we are likely set for a close, low-scoring contest between these two teams, with it hard not to pick Missouri to win based on their success against the Rebels this season.
Prediction: Missouri 68, Ole Miss 64