Queens University of Charlotte Royals vs. Mississippi Rebels Pick & Prediction DECEMBER 21st 2024

Preview and Prediction

Despite his team's victory on Tuesday, Ole Miss coach Chris Beard was not entirely satisfied with certain aspects of the game. He was particularly concerned with his offense's struggles in protecting the ball and being outrebounded by the opposing team.

Beard and his 17th-ranked Rebels are determined to improve in these areas as they aim for their fifth consecutive win on Saturday against Queens in Oxford, Mississippi.

Currently, Ole Miss boasts the fourth-best scoring defense in the Southeastern Conference, allowing an average of only 63.9 points per game. In their last four wins, the Rebels have held their opponents to an average of just 55.8 points. However, in their most recent game against Southern, they were outrebounded 38-36 and committed a season-high 17 turnovers.

Reflecting on the game, Beard stated, "I think what we learned is we need to continue executing our game plan. Rebounding is an area we are trying to improve in, and tonight we didn't get the job done. We also need to take better care of the ball, which has been a key part of our identity so far this season. Unfortunately, it was our worst performance in terms of turnovers."

Despite these concerns, the Rebels' offense has been performing well, averaging 81.9 points per game and shooting 47.8 percent from the field. Players like Jaylen Murray, who scored 18 points against Southern, and Jaemyn Brakefield, who has scored in double figures in consecutive games, have been key contributors to the team's success.

However, leading scorer Sean Pedulla had a rough shooting night against Southern, going just 2 for 11. The Rebels are hoping he will bounce back from this performance and continue to be a strong presence on the court.

Queens, Ole Miss' opponent on Saturday, is currently on a four-game winning streak. They have faced two power conference opponents this season, but were soundly defeated by both Utah and BYU.

In their most recent game, Queens had a strong defensive showing, holding Mercer to just 37.9 percent shooting from the field and 16 percent from 3-point range. The Royals are averaging 75.3 points per game, but have also shown that they can win even when scoring under 75 points.

Their leading scorer, Leo Colimerio, is coming off his first double-double of the season, but also had a standout performance with 27 points against Gardner-Webb. However, he struggled in the games against Utah and BYU, scoring just one point on 0-for-8 shooting.

Queens coach Grant Leonard praised his team's defensive effort in their last game, stating, "Our defensive effort tonight was phenomenal. We managed to hold a team that shoots the ball well to just four 3-pointers and under 40 percent shooting overall. Even though we didn't have our best shooting night, our defense was really impressive."

PREDICTION

Queens University of Charlotte Royals

Mississippi Rebels