Ole Miss' Matthew Murrell Named to Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award Watch List

Rebels shooting guard Matthew Murrell earned a place among the nation's elite guards on Tuesday.

Mar 14, 2024; Nashville, TN, USA; Mississippi Rebels guard Matthew Murrell (11) shoots over Texas A&M Aggies forward Solomon Washington (13) during the first half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images / Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Ole Miss guard Matthew Murrell was the catalyst to an explosive Rebel offense in year one of the Chris Beard era.

The senior from Memphis, Tennessee, earned recognition for his role on Tuesday as the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award released its top 20 players watch list for the award with Murrell checking in at No. 14 on the list.

Murrell averaged 16.2 points per game last season for the Rebels, with a shooting percentage of 46.4 and a three-point percentage of 39.8. He also earned second team All-SEC honors, and second team All-District last season.

Murrell will undoubtedly be the centerpiece of an exciting Rebel offense this season, one that saw major additions in the transfer portal from Sean Pedulla (Virginia Tech), Dre Davis (Seton Hall), and Malik Dia (Belmont). In Sunday's charity exhibition against Illinois, Murrell put up 11 points as Ole Miss cruised to a dominating 91-74 win over the Illini.

Performances like the one Murrell had on Sunday will not only be a key factor in his ods at winning the Jerry West Award, but will be crucial in the team's success in a year with major expectations.

The Rebels have a lot of returning production and a slew of fresh faces, all of which have Ole Miss in the chase for an NCAA Tournament bid.

The chase begins next Monday as the Rebels open up the season with Long Island in Oxford. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. CT, and the game will be available on SEC Network+