Ole Miss basketball vs. Georgia: Score prediction, scouting report
OXFORD ― Desperate for another win, Ole Miss basketball will pay a visit to an old friend.
A visit to Georgia is next on the schedule. The Bulldogs are coached by Mike White, who played for the Rebels from 1995-99. White, who took over the Georgia program last season after spending seven years at Florida, is 7-4 against his alma mater.
Here's what to watch for when the Rebels (20-9, 7-9 SEC) and Bulldogs (15-15, 5-11) meet on Tuesday (6 p.m., SEC Network).
Implications for March Madness and SEC Tournament
The Rebels avoided disaster last time out when they narrowly hung on to what was once a 21-point lead on the road against Mizzou, but the six-point victory over the winless Tigers didn't do much to help their metrics ‒ Ole Miss ranks 78th in the NET as of Monday morning.
If the Rebels hope to re-ignite their at-large NCAA Tournament candidacy, they'll have to win out and hope they can pick up a quality win or two at the SEC Tournament in Nashville.
This game harbors notable seeding implications for that tournament, too.
With a win, Ole Miss would avoid the first day of the SEC Tournament for the first time since 2021.
Allen Flanigan's status worth watching for Ole Miss basketball
Allen Flanigan, the Rebels' second-leading scorer, played just nine minutes in Saturday's win over Mizzou.
Ole Miss coach Chris Beard said the fifth-year forward was limited by what he called a "hamstring situation."
Flanigan, who transferred to Ole Miss from Auburn this offseason, averages 15.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. If he can't play, look forTJ Caldwell and Brandon Murray to get more run.
Caldwell, a sophomore, has averaged 18 minutes per game this season while shooting 39.4% from the field. Murray, who scored 13.7 points per game at Georgetown last season, has yet to find his footing in Oxford. He's posted 4.5 points per game in an Ole Miss uniform.
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Georgia has struggled in Year 2 under Mike White
There haven't been many Georgia bright spots to point to since SEC play began this season. The Bulldogs rank in the bottom half of the SEC in both offensive and defensive efficiency. They give the ball away far too much and aren't especially proficient on the glass. The 3-point line is their enemy on both ends of the court.
Those ingredients have blended to create stagnation for White. Georgia won six SEC games last season in his first year on the job. It needs another victory to reach that threshold in 2023-24.
The Bulldogs lack a truly prolific scorer. Niagara transfer Noah Thomasson leads them with 12.8 points per game, followed closely by Jabri Abdur-Rahim's 12.2 points.
Ole Miss basketball score prediction vs. Georgia
Georgia 73, Ole Miss 67. Despite Georgia's problems, Ole Miss hasn't put together a strong performance in well over a month. The Rebels' only two wins have come against a Mizzou team that is bordering on historic ineptitude. They'll need to be better to beat the Bulldogs.
David Eckert covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at deckert@gannett.com or reach him on Twitter @davideckert98.
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This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Ole Miss basketball score prediction vs. Georgia
