Struggling Tigers, Rebels battle to snap streaks in Oxford

By Hunt Palmer

Something’s got to give.

LSU has lost eight of nine SEC games to fall into last place. Ole Miss has lost nine straight and is only a game better in conference play. With only four games left in the regular season, neither team has anything to play for but pride and perhaps next year’s payday.

They’ll tip it off at 8:00 from The Pavillion in Oxford where one of the two teams most desperate for a win will get one on Wednesday night.

DEFENSELSSS

Chris Beard’s teams from Texas Tech to Texas to Ole Miss have always been founded on defense. He’s an excellent defensive coach who just hasn’t found an answer with this group.

Over their last six conference games, all losses, the Rebels are allowing 86.7 points per game and have yielded 90-plus four times (in regulation) in 14 league games.

The biggest culprit is the complete inability to keep teams off the foul line. Ole Miss ranks No. 295 in opponent free throw makes per game and No. 311 in opponent free throw attempts per game. There are only 365 teams in Division 1.

LSU remains in the top 40 in the country in free throws attempted per game.  The Tigers must win the charity stripe to win on the road.

POINT PRODUCTION

Dedan Thomas‘s injury will be the lasting legacy of this team. When he went out and the competition stiffened, LSU faltered. Jalen Reece and Rashad King weren’t ready to replace LSU’s leading scorer who also happened to lead the SEC in assists.

Over the last two weeks, though, Reece really has stepped his game up. In his last four games, the freshman point guard has dished out 25 assists against seven turnovers. He’s also made six of his last 13 threes for 46 percent from deep.

It’s too little too late, but against a Rebel defense that is scuffling, a good effort from Reece could make a difference on Wednesday night.

TRACKING TWITTER

Look, I’m not giving you three keys to a game between fledgling teams. What I can tell you is that I’d expect LSU’s football coach to fire off some social media content. After Kim Mulkey’s Tigers won in Oxford, Lane Kiffin kicked the ant pile and drew a comment from Ole Miss’s women’s basketball coach.

I’d imagine there’s more where that came from.

I’m not sure LSU will ever go into an environment quite like the one the football program awaits in September. Wednesday’s in Oxford won’t even register on the scale from that perspective. But the Ole Miss-LSU rivalry means a little bit more in north Mississippi these days. Don’t be surprised if something comes from tonight’s game.