Key Stat to Watch in the Ole Miss Basketball's Upcoming Matchup with Memphis

Here's why the Rebels might have an edge in Saturday's matchup against Memphis.

Dec 7, 2024; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Chris Beard talks with an official during the first half against the Lindenwood Lions at The Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The Ole Miss Rebels and Memphis Tigers meet on Saturday in a highly-anticipated non-conference matchup that could tell us a lot about this Ole Miss team heading into SEC play. The Rebels have started the season 11-1 and are inside the top 20 of the latest AP Poll with their only loss coming to Purdue in a game that came down to the last shot.

Chris Beard has seen his program improve on the defensive side of the floor as well as clean up some mental mistakes. Ole Miss ranks eighth in the country in assist-to-turnover ratio and first in turnover margin, something that could give the Rebels a huge edge in the FedEx Forum this weekend.

Memphis has been turnover prone all season, ranking bottom half of the country in turnover margin and assist-to-turnover ratio. If the Rebels can keep forcing turnovers, they will likely find success on the road.

Beard's Rebels struggled to defend the three-point shot last week in a win over Queens, but they did force plenty of turnovers in the game while only turning the ball over eight times themselves. Taking care of the basketball and seizing on opportunities when they present themselves offensively will be key for Ole Miss against the Tigers on Saturday.

"I do think we got more aggressive in the second half, which was promising on a night where we turned the ball over 10-or-less times," Beard said after the win over Queens. "We did force them to turn the ball over what seemed like 18 times or so from where I was sitting. Some positives from our defense."

The Rebs and the Tigers are set to tip-off at 1 p.m. CT on Saturday as Chris Beard and his squad look for another win before starting SEC play against Georgia on Jan. 4. The game in Memphis will be televised on ESPN2.