COLLEGE STATION — The first real adversity of the season is upon Bucky McMillan and Texas A&M basketball.
Two weeks ago, the Aggies (17-8, 7-5 SEC) were in first place in the conference; now they’re tied for fourth and three games behind first-place Florida after losing four straight. A&M’s average margin of defeat in the skid is nine points, with one-possession losses to Alabama and Missouri, and double-digit beatdowns by Florida and Vanderbilt.
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With just six games left in the regular season, the Aggies’ NCAA Tournament hopes are growing more shaky, drawing a nine-seed in Joe Lunardi’s latest bracketology. Next up is Ole Miss, which has struggled mightily. The Rebels (11-14, 3-9) have lost seven straight.
Will Texas A&M snap its losing streak against a team likely to miss the NCAA Tournament, or will Ole Miss capture its first win since Jan. 20?
Ole’ Miss guard Jarkel Joiner (24) on the defensive against Texas A&M guard Manny Obaseki (35) during the college basketball game between Texas A&M and Ole’ Miss on Feb. 26, 2022 at the SJB Pavilion in Oxford, Miss. (Photo by Kevin Langley/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Icon Sportswire/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Here are three things to know about the Rebels, plus a prediction of Texas A&M vs. Ole Miss:
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Ole Miss struggles with SEC-worst offense
If there was any doubt about how or why the Rebels have been struggling, a quick glance at their offensive numbers makes it clear. Ole Miss is last in the SEC in points scored (74.0) and field goal percentage (43.6%). It’s 15th in the conference in team rebounds (34.9 per game) and 13th in assists (13.4 per game). The 3-point shooting is marginally better, ranking 10th at 33.8%, and 11th in free-throw percentage (73.7%).
They’ve eclipsed 80 points twice in SEC play.
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The Rebels haven’t been particularly competitive, with all but one of the losses coming by nine points or more. They’ve only held two teams below 75 points this stretch.
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Senior duo leading way for Rebels
Three players are averaging more than 10 points and more than three rebounds per game for Ole Miss. However, a pair of seniors has been the silver lining in an otherwise tough year.
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Guard AJ Storr and forward Malik Dia are averaging 14.6 and 13.2 points, respectively. Storr has added 3.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game while shooting 38.8% from beyond the arc. Storr has eclipsed 20 points five times in conference play, including the last two, when he scored 27 against Alabama and 21 against Mississippi State.
Dia has a team-high 6.1 rebounds per game while playing the third-most minutes on the team. Along with Storr’s 21 against the Bulldogs, Dia had the best game of his career, scoring 32 points and grabbing seven rebounds in the 90-78 loss.
Rebels reeling
While A&M’s four-game losing streak is tough for Aggies fans to digest, it pales in comparison to the Rebels’ current skid.
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Ole Miss’s seven-game skid is the longest losing streak the program has had since 2018. A loss Wednesday would give it its first eight-game losing streak in more than a decade.
Head coach Chris Beard has found success at every stop, making it to the NCAA Tournament first with Little Rock, then Texas Tech and Texas and last season with the Rebels. A loss to the Aggies would give him his first 15-loss season in his 11-year coaching career.
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Texas A&M basketball vs Ole Miss prediction
Texas A&M 90-77. If A&M doesn’t find a way to win this one, it would be a sign of real trouble in College Station. By most metrics, the Aggies are simply the better team. They’ll end their four-game skid.
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Reach Texas A&M beat reporter Tony Catalina via email at Anthony.Catalina@statesman.com.