Coming off of their first win under Head Coach Chris Beard, Ole Miss sought its second win against the Eastern Washington Eagles, which came to fruition after a 75-64 victory on Friday.
The Rebels came into this game off their win against Alabama State on Tuesday, Nov. 7, a game where they struggled shooting the ball; this game was a slightly different story. Eastern Washington entered this game off a 101-66 loss at Utah on Monday, Nov. 6.
This was a back-and-forth affair that saw 15 lead changes and seven ties. It was just a two-point game at half and the Eagles’ zone defense gave the Rebels fits in the first 20 minutes. Ole Miss struggled to get the ball inside consistently, but the zone broke down, Ole Miss found major success.
Ole Miss began to pull away in the second half. The Rebels took a 52-51 lead with 10:13 remaining and put their foot on the neck of the game, never relinquishing the lead. Transfer Allen Flanigan had a career night with 29 points on 11-22 shooting from the field; his 29 points also put his career total over the 1,000-career points mark.
Offensive MVP(s): Allen Flanigan
Flanigan was by far the best player on the court tonight for either side. Despite not making a three pointer, he established a new career high for points in a game against the Eagles — something that could not be ignored when deciding who would receive MVP honors for this game. Flanigan was a man on a mission scoring in a variety of ways, either getting to the rim, pulling up from mid-range or getting to the line where he was 7-8 on the night.
Defensive MVP(s): The entire defensive unit
Ole Miss forced a total of 17 turnovers against EWU and had 14 steals on the night. Both Matthew Murrell and Robert Cowherd had three apiece, but the work the Rebels did on the defensive side of the court in forcing those turnovers was key to them winning. The Rebels scored 17 points off of 17 total turnovers, including one mammoth dunk from freshman Rashaud Marshall.
Shining Moment: Resiliency in the face of adversity
There’s no doubt that EWU was there to win. It was neck and neck through 30 minutes of game time in a game that potentially could have gotten away from the Rebels. EWU had opportunities to make it a two to three score game but did not make the most out of its chances. That being said, kudos to the Rebels for staying focused and fully locked in on their opponent.
Needs Improvement: Three-point shooting & Post offense
Ole Miss shot just 3-12 (25%) from beyond the arc on the night. To their credit, the Rebel’s shot selection was good — they were shots that should be taken — but they just did not fall.
While Jamarion Sharp’s primary role might be as a rim protecting big, Ole Miss has to find him down low with more efficiency. Being every bit of 7-feet-5-inches tall, he is taller than 99% of players in college basketball. Height does not mean everything as he does lack strength other centers might have, but he should be contributing more on offense.
Up Next: Detroit Mercy (Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. CDT)
The Rebels host Detroit Mercy of the Horizon League next Tuesday, Nov. 14, at 8 p.m. at the SJB Pavilion; the game will also stream on ESPN+. The Titans are 0-2 to start their season following back-to-back blowout losses at Toledo and at Cincinnati. This will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
