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| Andy Kennedy is in his 7th season as head coach. By Joshua McCoy |
It's the beginning of December and Ole Miss is undefeated, but we've been here before, haven't we? Last year, the Rebels started 9-1 before going on a three-game skid in late December that would eventually sabotage any chance at the NCAA Tournament after another 8-8 SEC season. Head coach Andy Kennedy is now in the midst of his 7th season as head coach for Ole Miss, and he's a consistent 20-game winner, but 20 games isn't enough to make the NCAA Tournament anymore. It's the conference schedule that matters, and Kennedy has led his team to an above .500 conference record just one time in his previous six seasons - a 9-7 finish in 2009-2010. And that's why Ole Miss has not seen the light of the NCAA Tournament since 2002.
But if ever there was a chance for Ole Miss to make the Tournament under Kennedy this looks like the year. Seriously.
The Rebels have what could be the best front court in the SEC in seniors Reginald Buckner and Murphy Holloway. They have experience in the back court now in Jarvis Summers and and LaDarius White, and they have an outside threat in Marshall Henderson.
Through six games Henderson leads Ole Miss with 17 points per game, followed by Holloway (16 ppg) and Buckner (10 ppg). Ole Miss' tournament hopes rest squarely on the shoulders of those three players. With Holloway and Buckner as threats underneath Henderson should get good looks at the basket. If he can take advantage, and get scoring support from the likes of Summers, White and senior Nick Williams then maybe just maybe this will be the year for Ole Miss.
Scoring was a huge impediment for Kennedy's squad last year. Ole Miss scored more than 69 points in a game just one time in its first six games of 2011. This season the Rebels are averaging 87 points per game and have score 90 or more points four times.
With bigs and outside scoring threats, points getting scored, this team feels different. This could be the year. Maybe.
Conference play starts January 9. Between now and then Ole Miss can't afford a slip-up. Its next opponent, Middle Tennessee State, beat the Rebels in Southaven last year and Ole Miss faces the Blue Raiders in Murfreesboro this time. Survive December. Then it gets real. Then we'll know.