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Mississippi coach Andy Kennedy says he team will open Southeastern Conference play in “grand fashion” at No. 1 Kentucky Tuesday night.
“I know our guys will be excited about the opportunity, playing in the most storied venue in all of college basketball, against arguably the best team in college basketball. So I know our guys will be looking forward to the opportunity,” said Kennedy Monday.
He knows UK’s defense has been overpowering. The Cats are allowing just 47.8 points per game and limiting opponents to 29.7 percent shooting from the field. Kentucky has also blocked 107 shots in 13 games.
“I'm trying not to think about it,” Kennedy said. “They're a special defensive team. I've certainly watched them casually when I could throughout the course of the season, and then as we gear up for them in preparation. That is what gives them an opportunity to do what I know is a topic of conversation not only in Kentucky but throughout the country: Can this team go through the regular season undefeated.
“It'll be a monumental challenge, obviously, but defensively is the reason that I think it's a valid question, simply because they don't give you anything easy, and as a result teams have really struggled to score against them."
Mississippi is scoring 73.5 points per game and is 9-4 coming into the game with wins over Creighton and Cincinnati but losses to Western Kentucky, Charleston Southern, Texas Christian and Dayton.
Guard Stefan Moody leads the Rebels at 13.9 points per game while guard Jarvis Summers is at 13.3. LaDarius White adds 12.5 points per game and is the team’s best 3-point shooter at 47.8 percent.
Kennedy says the Rebels have adjusted to not having Marshall Henderson, an explosive scorer and sometimes controversial figure the last two years.
“We always try to adjust to the personnel at hand. We try to play to the strengths of our guys. One of the things that has been a little bit puzzling to me in the non-league, even though we have some quality wins, we've got some puzzling losses because we've been inconsistent with our guard play,” Kennedy said.
“With the veteran players that we have in those positions, I was expecting a little more consistency. We're in the ultimate make-or-miss business and we just haven't shot well in games that we haven't played well. So we know we're going to have to go in and make open shots tomorrow night to give ourselves any hope."
Ole Miss is shooting 43.8 percent from the field overall and only 34.8 percent from 3-point range.
While Kentucky coach John Calipari has talked about his team’s need to improve offensively — the Cats average 75.3 points per game and are shooting 47.2 percent from the field — Kennedy says UK has one unique ability on offense.
"Their ability to get it off the offensive glass, I think, is their best strength. If they can get a shot at the basket ... I was a part of Bob Huggins' staff at Cincinnati for four years in the early 2000s, and that was really our best offense. Our best offense was a missed shot. Don't turn it over; just get on the glass and go get it,” Kennedy said. “And that's where they're really, really good. If they get it on the backboard, they do a tremendous job of pursuing the ball.
“And as these freshmen have gotten a few more games under their belt, I think they're becoming much more consistent with their perimeter shooting, most especially Devin Booker, who's been in incredible rhythm, and Tyler Ulis' ability to crack people off the bounce and create help situations, which are giving other guys angles. And they certainly don't need help, but when you give Kentucky angles, they're very, very difficult to stop."
Junior Willie Cauley-Stein is UK’s second leading scorer at 10.1 points per game and second in rebounding at 6.6. He’s also second in blocked shots with 22. He’s hitting 60.7 percent from the field and and 24 steals and 12 assists.
"If you ask me for my vote right now, I'd vote him player of the year in the league,” Kennedy said. “I think he's been the X-factor among many X-factors for Kentucky because of his ability to be so versatile. His motor has gone to another level. He's playing like a junior, an upperclassman (that) you would expect. He's playing with a real sense of urgency, and I think that has been contagious on their team."
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