Oklahoma vs. Ole Miss: Inside the NCAA Tournament matchup
Oklahoma and Ole Miss will tip off at 11:40 a.m. Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Here's how the two teams match up.
POINT GUARD
OU: Jamal Bieniemy, 6-4, Fr., Katy, Texas
Ole Miss: Devontae Shuler, 6-2, So., Irmo, South Carolina Edge: Ole Miss. Shuler went from a 26 percent 3-point shooter in his freshman season to a 40 percent sniper this year. He added 4.2 rebounds and three assists per game. Bieniemy is OU's best 3-point shooter at 41 percent, but he averages just two attempts per game. Bieniemy's edge is as a facilitator. He averages 2.6 assists per turnover compared to 1.7 from Shuler.
SHOOTING GUARD
OU: Christian James, 6-4, Sr., Houston
Ole Miss: Breein Tyree, 6-2, Jr., Somerset, New Jersey Edge: Ole Miss. Tyree was named first-team All-SEC after leading the Rebels in scoring at 18.2 points per game. He's much more than a volume shooter, as he reached the mark on 47 percent shooting. Tyree shot 39 percent from three and 83 percent from the free throw line. James, named third-team All-Big 12, averaged 18.1 points against non-conference competition, but he's shot just 36 percent from the floor and 31 percent from three since the calendar flipped.
WING
OU: Rashard Odomes, 6-6, Sr., Copperas Cove, Texas Ole Miss: Terence Davis, 6-4, Sr., Southhaven, Mississippi Edge: Ole Miss. Davis completes an impressive trio of Ole Miss guards. He might be the most well-rounded, averaging 15.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists. Davis shot 37 percent from three while collecting almost two steals per game. Odomes isn't asked to score, but he's arguably OU's best defender. Odomes is scrappy but strong, and he uses that strength to get to the rim for easy buckets.
FORWARD
OU: Brady Manek, 6-9, So., Harrah
Ole Miss: Blake Hinson, 6-7, Fr., Deltona, Florida
Edge: Oklahoma. All the attention is on Ole Miss' guards. Manek and the Sooner forwards will have to swing this matchup in OU's favor. The Rebels play small with Hinson listed as a guard/forward. Manek typically plays as a stretchfour, but he might be better off playing inside and using height to his advantage. Manek and Hinson are both 35 percent 3-point shooters.
FORWARD
OU: Kristian Doolittle, 6-7, Jr., Edmond
Ole Miss: Bruce Stevens, 6-8, Jr., Louin, Mississippi Edge: Oklahoma. Doolittle is OU's best player, and he's facing what should be a comfortable matchup. Jamuni McNeace's injury has forced Oklahoma to play small. That won't be a problem against Ole Miss. Doolittle averages 11.2 points and seven rebounds on 50 percent shooting. Stevens is 20 pounds heavier, so look for Doolittle to isolate him out of the high post.
INTERIOR BENCH
OU: Jamuni McNeace, 6-10, Sr., Kankakee, Illinois; Matt Freeman, 6-10, Jr., Auckland, New Zealand; Hannes Polla, 6-11, So., Lahti, Finland
Ole Miss: KJ Buffen, 6-7, Fr., Gainesville, Georgia; Dominik Olejniczak, 7-0, Jr., Torun, Poland; Zach Naylor, 6-8, Jr., Houston
Edge: Ole Miss. The Sooners are thin in the frontcourt behind Doolittle and Manek. McNeace is expected to play, but he'll be limited by his right ankle injury. Freeman is a 36-percent 3-point shooter that can be useful in spurts. Polla likely won't be a factor. Buffen averages 21 minutes per game off Ole Miss' bench. He's third on the team in rebounding and scored a career-high 17 points against Florida. Olejniczak leads the Rebels with almost a block per game. He's an enforcer at 260 pounds.
PERIMETER BENCH
OU: Aaron Calixte, 5-11, Gr., Stoughton, Massachusetts; Miles Reynolds, 6-3, Gr., Chicago
Ole Miss: D.C. Davis, 5-11, Sr., Purvis, Mississippi; Luis Rodriguez, 6-6, Fr., Los Angeles
Edge: Oklahoma. Calixte and Reynolds will make their NCAA Tournament debuts despite being fifthyear players. Calixte is a 3-point threat and a solid backup point guard behind Bieniemy. He started 19 games. Reynolds, averaging 20 minutes per game, is OU's ultimate energy guy. He's a pesky defender who should be valuable against Ole Miss' guards. The Rebels have a glaring lack of depth at guard. Davis and Rodriguez combine to average 18 minutes per game. Neither shoot the ball well.
COACH
OU: Lon Kruger, Silver Lake, Kansas, Kansas State graduate
Ole Miss: Kermit Davis, Leakesville, Mississippi, Mississippi State graduate Edge: Oklahoma. Davis is SEC Coach of the Year after
leading the Rebels to an eight-win improvement from last season, but Kruger has the experience. Kruger has two Final Fours and 20 NCAA Tournament wins on his resume. Davis has two tournament wins in 21 years.