Get To Know The Opponent: Ole Miss Rebels

The Cyclones head into the second round on Sunday against Ole Miss, following opening round victories from both squads. The No. 6 seed Rebels finished the season 22-11, 6th in the SEC. This is their first tournament appearance since 2019, and can be in huge success to head coach Chris Beard. Beard is a proven winner and appeared in seven tournaments throughout his short head coaching tenure at the division one level. The Rebels reached this point following a 71-64 win over No. 11 seed North Carolina. Sean Pedulla led the team with 20 points.

The two programs have met twice, in 2000 and 2019. The first at the Yahoo! Sports Invitational in Hawaii, where the Cyclones won 73-68 with help of Jake Sullivan's 18 points. The second being at Ole Miss where the Cyclones went on to win 87-73, with Talen Horton-Tucker leading the way scoring 23 points.

The Rebels Ranks:

• 28th in NET, 26th in KenPom

• 31st in offensive rating, 25th in defensive rating

• 91st in points per game with 77.2, 175th in points allowed at 71.7 points per game

  • Cyclones score 80.4 points per game, allow 68.1 points per game

The Rebels hold an 8-10 record against quad one opponents, with their best win at top ranked Alabama (74-64).

Who To Watch For:

While the Rebels have six players averaging double figures, one guy stands out for the squad. That being senior guard Sean Pedulla. The savvy guard leads the team in points (14.9), assists (3.6), and steals (1.8). He also prides himself beyond the arc where he leads the team in 3-pt attempts at 6.1, and percentage at 39%. The All-SEC Third Team member commands the offense and can score at a high clip, with a season high of 29 points against Auburn earlier in the season. All six of their leading scorers also shoot above 30% from beyond the arc, which is at the brunt of the offense.

The Rebel offense can get hot at anytime, while also taking care of the ball, with the least amount of turnovers in the nation.

The Cyclones will have their hands full with an opponent quite similar to them, both with defensive minded coaches at the helm. The No. 3 seed will face the No. 6 seed Rebels on Sunday in Milwaukee with a shot at the Sweet 16. (Time TBA)