Ole Miss Basketball

Marshall Henderson took shots Friday that would make chuckers blush. He yelled at the officials. He yelled at himself. He yelled at the Ole Miss fans. He pounded his chest. He stuck out his tongue. He did, more or less, what he always does. 

The show—or as Ole Miss head coach Andy Kennedy calls it, "Marshall Mania"—will go on in the NCAA tournament. Henderson's Rebels beat fifth-seeded Wisconsin, 57-46. 

And thank goodness. This NCAA tournament is much more interesting with Henderson in it. 

Henderson is polarizing. No, better yet, he's mesmerizing, and the Badgers couldn't look away. 

"There's no question that 'Marshall Mania' affects the psyche of the other team," Kennedy said. "How can you avoid it?"

You cannot. You cannot look away. When you do, he might do this. 

Or he might do this. 

"Marshall this, Marshall that," Kennedy said. "We live with Marshall Mania."

The rest of the country is now experiencing it, and it's probably not going away until another team can ignore it. 

The Rebels, in many ways, stayed with the Badgers despite Henderson. He missed 12 of his first 13, and these weren't just "not-my-day" misses. The guy shot twice from behind the backboard. He took contested shots when his team was creaming Wisconsin in the paint.  

Henderson hogs the spotlight and hogs the ball, yet somehow the Rebels seem to be one big happy family. 

"Marshall always makes big plays," teammate LaDarius White said. "When he makes big plays, the whole team makes big plays, one after another. He can go 2-for-15, when he makes the first one, it's like it's all over." 

"Me and him talk about it all the time," Nick Williams said. "All it takes is one. It was nuts. We went crazy once he made it, because we knew once that one came, he was going to go crazy." 

That's what happened, too, and the Badgers seemed to just accept that it was coming. 

Ole Miss was only down three with 9:45 left when the lid finally lifted. Henderson nailed one of the first good shots he took all day, an open three from the wing. 

Henderson, obviously, followed that up with a heat check, because who wouldn't throw up a heat check when you're 2-of-14? He missed, the Rebels got the rebound and Henderson nailed the redo three from the corner.

"We knew Henderson was going to get going," Wisconsin's Jared Berggren said. "Doesn't take much for a player like that to get going. He got hot, did what he does. I think that was part of the difference." 

Only he probably should not have been the difference, and honestly, the difference was an active Ole Miss zone that Wisconsin never figured out.

Yet the story is Henderson. The story will always be Henderson. 

"For us, it's another day at the office," Kennedy said.

Henderson spent the final minutes of the game smiling, egging on the crowd and burying a few more jumpers on his way to 19 points on an absurd 6-of-21 shooting.

Wisconsin, meanwhile, limped to the finish line. 

"End of the game, I think they got a little tired," Murphy Holloway said.

Marshall Mania will do that to you...unless you're a Rebel.

*All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

The No. 12 seed Ole Miss Rebels (West Region) knocked off No. 5 seed Wisconsin 57-46 behind the strong play of senior F Reginald Buckner. With the Rebels' win, three of the four No. 12 seeds (Ole Miss, California and Oregon) have now advanced in round two of the NCAA tournament.

Despite first half struggles from G Marshall Henderson (two points on one-of-11 from the field), Ole Miss managed to stay close throughout the game. While Henderson struggled early, it was the consistent strong play of Buckner that kept Ole Miss in the game from start to finish.

Buckner finished the contest with nine points, 12 rebounds, five blocks and two steals. As for SEC scoring leader Henderson, he contributed 19 points and four boards after finally finding his groove late in the second half. F Murphy Holloway accounted for 10 points, while G Jarvis Summers scored nine for the Rebels.

After trailing 25-22 in the first period, Ole Miss outscored the Badgers 35-21 in the second half. Moreover, Buckner helped the Rebels control the boards 40-38 over the Big Ten Tournament runner-up.

Andy Kennedy's Rebels have now won six in a row and eight of their past nine games. Fresh off a second round win in the Big Dance, red-hot Ole Miss will take on the winner of No. 4 Kansas State and No. 13 LaSalle on Sunday, March 24. With a win on Sunday, the Rebels would advance to the Sweet Sixteen for only the second-time ever (first since 2001).

The SEC Tournament champions are now 27-8 and one of the most confident clubs in the nation. If Ole Miss can put together 40 minutes of basketball as a team, a trip to the Sweet Sixteen is more likely than not next week. In particular, if Henderson can simply avoid a cold start in the next round, opportunities will quickly open up for his teammates to enjoy their own success on offense.

With a win and a trip to the Sweet Sixteen, Andy Kennedy will lead his team to a new school-record of 28 wins this season. Whether it's K-State or LaSalle up next for the red and blue, neither team better give Ole Miss anything but their entire focus. They're dangerous and in the midst of Marshall Madness.

The Rebels are hot, and capable of going on a serious run if Henderson can get hot and stay hot.

Follow @SephTalksSEC

Many brackets are in chaos already after Thursday upsets and the odds and trends point to Mississippi adding to the wreckage today by beating Wisconsin.

A pair of 12 seeds already won and Ole Miss, the surprise winner of the SEC tournament, is looking for Badger blood in the West Region this afternoon.

"Our computer has the Rebels winning by a point and this is the same computer that picked Davidson to upset Marquette in one of yesterday's near misses," said Jack Randall, a handicapping analyst at OddsShark.com, in an interview Thursday night.

OddsShark.com writers also predicted both of the No. 12 upsets yesterday.

Ole Miss is riding a 9-2 ATS streak in their past 11 games as an underdog and they are 6-point dogs at most sportsbooks in Vegas an around the world.

Ole Miss is 26-8, with two wins over Missouri and a conference championship victory over Florida, and yet the Rebels aren't even ranked. The Rebs are so poorly thought of all the could garner for the Big Dance was a No. 12 seed. 

But that might just make Ole Miss a dangerous outfit. A team that thinks it deserves better is a hungry team, and if it's got a couple of the right ingredients it can spell trouble for unsuspecting opponents.

And if you're going to play with a degree of indignation, it helps to have a guy like Marshall Henderson, who can throw it in the hole from just about anywhere, then let you know about it.

No. 5 seed Wisconsin, meanwhile, is a chic pick to click for many “experts” pontificating on this tournament. The Badgers are coming off another fine Big Ten season, finishing in fourth place and reaching the conference tournament championship game.

But we all also know Wisconsin is perfectly capable at any moment of coming up with one of those mind-numbing offensive efforts in which they score fewer points than the Badgers football team often does.

Ole Miss is getting six points from the Badgers, and better than +200 on the NCAA tournament moneyline odds. The Rebs might not even need the points.

Temple is also an upset possibility, although it's not as bold to predict a No. 9 defeating a No. 8.

The Owls are playing in the NCAA tournament for the sixth straight season. They haven't had much luck at the Big Dance lately, getting past the opening round just once in their last five appearances, but the Owls held their own this season in what was a pretty good Atlantic 10 Conference, going 11-5 in league play.

The A-10 is 4-0 in the tournament so far, with LaSalle, Butler, St. Louis and VCU all picking up early victories.

Friday Temple runs into a somewhat disappointing NC State team that was ranked in the preseason Top 10, but didn't finish too well after a nice start. State got to 14-2 earlier this season thanks to a 10-game winning streak, but went just 10-8 from there.

Other candidates to pull upsets Friday would include the Cincinnati Bearcats, as three-point underdogs against Creighton; the Iowa State Cyclones, as point-and-a-half dogs versus Notre Dame; the UCLA Bruins, even without Jordan Adams, as three-point dogs against Minnesota; and the Colorado Buffaloes as one-point dogs against Illinois.  

Odds and stats courtesy of OddsShark.com

On Friday, March 22, Andy Kennedy will lead Ole Miss in an NCAA tournament game for the first time since 2002. While 11 years was a long wait to dance, even longer was the time it took the Rebels to again be crowned SEC Tournament champions (32 years) after knocking off Florida in the title game.

In the midst of their best season since advancing to the Sweet Sixteen in 2001, Ole Miss (26-8) earned a No. 12 seed and a date with No. 5 seed Wisconsin (23-11) in the West Region.

In the round of 64, Kennedy will square off against one of college basketball's great active coaches:  Bo Ryan. Not only is Ryan a perennial winner in the regular season, he's quite fond of March.

ESPN's Keith Lipscomb and Chris Fallica suggested of Ryan's dominance in Madison, WI:

Wisconsin has won at least one game in 10 of its past 11 NCAA tournament appearances, but while the Badgers are never fun for opponents to face, they generally have beaten only the teams they should have under Bo Ryan. They are 15-4 against lower-seeded opponents under Ryan, but just 1-7 against higher seeds (that win coming in 2009 versus Florida State). Of those 16 wins, only three have come against teams seeded better than ninth (all three of which were 5-seeds).

This year Wisconsin will again be playing a lower-seeded opponent, where they're 15-4 under Ryan. In fact, Wisconsin has now earned a seed of six or higher in nine of their past 12 appearances. While the Badgers will be making their fifteenth consecutive trip to the Big Dance, Ole Miss will be making their first appearance in twelve years.

What have the Badgers done in their past two trips to the tournament?

Advanced to the Sweet Sixteen (2011, 2012).

Simply put, experience will beat inexperience when two teams meet.

That being said, the Marshall Henderson-led Rebels are coming into the tilt with loads of confidence. Having won seven of their last eight, Ole Miss is red-hot behind SEC scoring leader Henderson. Whether you love him or hate him, from a mere basketball standpoint there's absolutely no denying Henderson's talents on the hardwood.

The kid has a will to win that's second to none, as was evidenced by leading his team to come-from-behind wins when they were needed the most. Don't pretend like you won't be tuning in to find out "what he did" this time or what kind of game he had against Wisconsin. He's good TV, as any March Madness executive will quickly confess.

While Henderson is a major threat to Wisconsin's hopes, the Badgers have been tested by top talent all season long; Wisconsin on average has faced stiffer competition than Ole Miss as a result of playing in a much stronger conference.

The Big Ten landed eight spots in the NCAA tournament, while the SEC only managed three. The Big Ten was dominant during the regular season in comparison to the SEC, which suffered through one of it's weaker seasons in history.

Ryan's Badgers had the nation's fifteenth strongest schedule, while Kennedy's Rebels were at No. 94.

Within their own leagues, both teams have beaten top talent. Wisconsin knocked off Indiana and Michigan twice each this season, not to mention a win over Ohio State. The Rebels edged Florida in the SEC championship game and defeated Missouri twice this year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R12-_cIn2MU

Unlike the Rebels, who rely heavily upon G Marshall Henderson (20.1 PPG) and F Murphy Holloway 14.6 PPG) for point production, Wisconsin currently has four different players averaging between nine and 11 points per game.

In terms of scoring offense, the Badgers only average 65.5 PPG compared to the Rebels' 77.9 PPG (No. 10 in nation). Wisconsin may not put up tons of points themselves, but they surely do stop other clubs from lighting up the scoreboard. Currently, the Badgers rank No. 10 nationally in scoring defense, only allowing 55.9 PPG. What about Ole Miss? They are a group giving up 67.3 PPG, only good for No. 190 nationally.

Something's got to give, as the nation's No. 10 scoring offense in Ole Miss takes on the nation's No. 10 scoring defense. There's your game story: a 22-point margin between what the Rebels score and what the Badgers allow each contest.

Will No. 22 Marshall Henderson be the difference in the 22-point average spread on March 22?

Whether it's a poor or great performance by Henderson, his play likely determines the outcome.

Here's one final superstitious "22" fact per ESPN's Keith Lipscomb and Chris Fallica:

It's one of the first things that comes to mind upon first glance at the bracket: Which 12-seed is going to beat a 5-seed in the round of 64? There's a good reason for that. Excluding the First Four games, 12-seeds have won at least one game in 22 of the past 24 years (no wins in 2000 or 2007), and at least two games in 11 of the past 12 years.

Look for Ole Miss to extend the current streak of No. 12 seeds winning at least one game in 22 of the past 24 seasons. The SEC Tournament champions will have their hands full with a disciplined, defensive-minded Wisconsin squad, but a hot-shooting Henderson should carry the Rebels into the round of 32.

Follow @SephTalksSEC

Ole Miss guard Marshall Henderson has made headlines primarily for his flashy on-court demeanor and antics, but it's his sharp-shooting prowess and scoring ability that will be talked about after his Rebels topple No. 5 seed Wisconsin in the NCAA Tournament.

His Rebels were on the outside of the bubble heading into the SEC Tournament, but a blistering run through the field put away any doubt as they toppled No. 13 Florida in the championship game.

This team has prospered and faltered with Henderson's game all season. When he's on, they're nearly unstoppable. When he's off, they struggle against average teams.

Ole Miss won't be able to afford Henderson's game being off against No. 5 seed Wisconsin. The Badgers can suffocate their opponents on defense and keep their stars on lock-down.

That's what Florida was able to do to Henderson in Sunday's conference championship, at least in the first half. Despite the Gators keeping the pressure on the Rebels' star, though, he was able to find slivers of space and either knock down three-pointers or get fouled. 

Henderson shoots an incredible 10.8 three-pointers per game, and when he takes that many shots, they're bound to fall. He also gets to the free-throw line at ease–5.4 times per game–and an .880 percentage at the charity stripe helps add to his dangerous scoring ability.

It also doesn't hurt that he has two physical big men down low to help scoop up boards. Murphy Holloway and Reginald Buckner were huge down the stretch for the Rebels, and they can run the offense even with Henderson locked down. 

The Rebels weren't lucky to draw a team as solid as the Badgers in their opening game, but their confidence level is at an all-time high and they won't be discouraged if they go down early.

Twice in the SEC Tournament, the Rebels faced big deficits and were able to will themselves to victory. Henderson started out 2-for-9 in their game against Florida, and when nearly nobody in the arena believed he could turn it around, he did.

Henderson is no stranger to the big stage and the negative talk that comes with it. In fact, he embraces it. 

Fans and players all over the country have been trying to knock him off his game this season, and he has run away with more than 20 points per game. 

If Henderson can keep down the turnovers and let the offense come to him, the Badgers will be in for a long night.

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Marshall Henderson’s brand of basketball can perhaps be best summed up by the famous Hooters slogan:

“Delightfully tacky, yet unrefined.”

Ole Miss star shooting guard continued to wow in the SEC tournament final on Sunday, dropping 21 points on the Florida Gators, taunting fans (as he’s wont to do) and earning his team an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament.

What did he do after? Braise a pork chop and queue up Doctor Zhivago on Netflix? A Lean night? 

No, Henderson kept shooting, first by calling the rest of the coaches and teams in the SEC "losers," and then switching his target to smaller, frothier receptacles later in the night.

Me my brothers ! Marshall done won him an SEC championship ! Haha I love it ... #OleMissSports @ChiefBrown18 pic.twitter.com/CUkbVSb6cb

— zennyphantom (@denzelnkemdiche) March 18, 2013

jst had to say .... 10 IN A ROW IN PONG!! WHO WANTS TO SEE US?!?!

— marshall henderson (@NativeFlash22) March 18, 2013

"im in my zone, im feelin it ... stop blowin my buzz, QUIT KILLIN IT!! THEY TRIED TO SHUT US DOWN BUT WE STILL IN THIS BITCH!!!"

— marshall henderson (@NativeFlash22) March 18, 2013

As the tweets suggest, it would appear Ole Miss football player Denzel Nkemdiche and others hung out with Henderson later in the night Sunday and lost mightily in “pong” to the shooting guard.

For everyone on the underage-drinking alert, if the 22-year-old guard in fact imbibed, it was legal. But considering how handily he destroyed the competition in pong, he does appear a bit tuckered out.

We can hope this was just his Weekend at Bernie’s impersonation, but considering it’s Marshall Henderson we’re talking about here, there are at least 10 other reasons that could explain his strange posture.

Indeed, Henderson and No. 12 seed Ole Miss are definitely "still in this" and face the No. 5 seed Wisconsin Badgers on Friday.

H/T USA Today

If you need me, I'll be on Henderson watch: Dr__Carson

Welcome to the college basketball spotlight, Marshall Henderson.

Ole Miss' talented junior guard has become one of the most talked about players in college basketball after his breakout 2012-13 campaign. He is averaging 20 points per game this season and recently led his team to the SEC conference championship with another standout performance.

But while Henderson does show up on the basketball court, he also loves to let opposing fans know just how good he is. In fact, this kid can take the term "showboat" to a whole new level.

Let's take a look at some of Marshall Henderson's most memorable moments of the 2012-13 college basketball season.

For starters, take a look here as Henderson pops his Ole Miss jersey to the Auburn student section during a 63-61 win over the Tigers back on Jan. 26.

Just notice how livid these Auburn fans get, especially the old guy sitting in the front row. So much so that Henderson's teammates and coaches have to pull him away from the madness.

Henderson didn't stay out of the media spotlight for long following that incident at Auburn. In fact, the Rebels' star guard was right back at it three days later when Ole Miss traveled to Kentucky to take on the defending national champs.

During the game, a fan from Kentucky's student section decided it would be a good idea to throw ice at Henderson while the game was going on.

Henderson didn't take too kindly to that gesture, as he picked the ice up and chucked it right back into the Kentucky student section.

Henderson is certainly one of the most entertaining and animated players in college basketball, so of course he saved his best for last.

After trailing by 12 points at halftime, Henderson led Ole Miss to an epic 66-63 come-from-behind victory over Florida in Sunday's SEC championship game.

As the final minutes ticked off the clock and Ole Miss held on to the lead, Henderson made sure to let Florida fans have it by doing the famous Gator Chomp, directed right at the Florida fanbase.

With the NCAA tournament set to begin this week, all we can do now is wait in anticipation to see what Henderson has up his sleeve next.

Get your popcorn ready! 

With March Madness right around the corner, there are several teams that are on the bubble heading into bracket season. 

In this, one of the final weeks before the tournament begins, there is a good handful of games featuring bubble teams that will be fun to watch. For teams like Maryland and Massachusetts, big wins are needed in order to make their case for the tournament.

As we reach the end of the regular season, many teams need to get hot and close out the year strong in order to reach tournament play. Here are four bubble teams to watch this week.

Maryland Terrapins

The Terrapins have had a decent season but need to close out this year strong in order to make the tournament. 

The Terps have a date with UNC tomorrow as well as a game at home vs. UVA next week. It will certainly be a tough task to take down the third and fourth-best ACC teams, but if UMD can somehow put the pieces together, then it could jump right into tournament contention.

Massachusetts Minutemen

The Minutemen have been looking good as of late and are currently on a two-game win streak. With an upcoming game against Butler this Thursday, UMass would surely bolster its case as a tournament team. 

They haven’t beaten any of the heavyweight programs yet, but a win over Butler would help prove their worth as a contender. 

If they do in fact defeat Butler, and close out the season with a win over Rhode Island, then Massachusetts could very well be apart of the tournament.

Villanova Wildcats

Following their three-game win streak, the Wildcats have dropped two in a row to Seton Hall and Pittsburgh. 

These losses make its regular season finale against Georgetown a must-win game for Nova. When the Hoyas travel to Villanova, it will be for all the marbles. Georgetown is the top team in the Big East and a win against that school would mean a lot for Villanova’s tournament hopes. 

Mississippi Rebels

Following their back-to-back wins against Auburn and Texas A&M, the Rebels lost in an upset to Mississippi State. 

Ole Miss has two games remaining at home against Alabama and away at LSU. These games have become must-wins following that disappointing loss. 

If the Rebels can manage to defeat both Bama and LSU then they will be in pretty good shape heading into Selection Sunday.

With a 88-55 win over Auburn on February 23, Ole Miss' Andy Kennedy became the winningest coach in Ole Miss basketball history. Having recorded 145 wins in Oxford, Kennedy surpasses former Rebel head coach B.L. Graham's mark of 144 wins from 1950-1962.

Only in his seventh season with the Rebels, Kennedy became the all-time win leader six years faster than Graham. At 145-85, the fiery head coach has won nearly 65 percent of his games in Oxford. The 2007 AP SEC Coach of the Year has led his club to five 20-plus win seasons in his seven years with the team, never finishing a season with a losing record. 

The Louisville, MS native has been a winner his entire life, as early as his high school playing days (1982-1984) at Winston Academy where he was a two-time All-State pick. In 1986, Kennedy was named a Parade All-American and Mississippi Player of the Year for his work on the hardwood.

During his first year of college ball at N.C. State (1986-1987), Kennedy was coached by the legendary Jim Valvano. In fact, the Wolfpack went on to win the 1987 ACC Tournament Championship.

After a year at N.C. State, he transferred to UAB to be coached by the great Gene Bartow. While a Blazer, Kennedy led his team to the 1989 Final Four and ended his career as UAB's second all-time scoring leader with 1,787 points. Ultimately, it was through the advisement of his mentor, Bartow, that Kennedy would pursue a career in college coaching.

Following a brief stint as a professional player, including a period with the NBA's Charlotte Hornets, he became an assistant coach at South Alabama in 1994. An assistant coach at various schools until 2005, Andy Kennedy accepted the opportunity to become a head coach at Ole Miss in 2006.

Having led the Rebels to five postseason appearances, two SEC Western Division Titles (2007 and 2010) and two NIT Final Four appearances, Kennedy's current squad is desperately trying to stay alive for an invite to the NCAA Tournament in 2013. It's the one glaring omission from a remarkable coaching career at Ole Miss, and a void he hopes to fill this season.

For a successful coach only about to turn 45 in March, there is ample reason to believe Andy Kennedy still has yet to hit his coaching prime. There's no doubt the late, great Gene Bartow is smiling down on his former guard as he became the all-time win leader at Ole Miss.

In fact, you may actually see a shadow of Bartow when the Rebels win a close game. Kennedy explained to Jon Solomon of al.com why he departs the court so quickly after a close victory:

"After UAB won a close game, Bartow would say a couple words to the team and then literally be out the door wearing his trench coat. I wondered where in the world is he going to so fast? He would say, 'They can't take 'em back, Andy.' So now when I win a game that we win in the last second, I'm just like that. I don't want the officials to tell me to come back to the floor. When you get 'em, you take 'em and get out of the building."

Behind the play of Kennedy-esque G Marshall Henderson, Andy Kennedy hopes he gets to walk off the court quickly at least a few more times this year as postseason play nears.

Follow @SephTalksSEC

Controversial Ole Miss Rebels star guard Marshall Henderson was removed from the starting lineup for Saturday's game against Southeastern Conference foe Auburn.

UPDATE: Saturday, Feb. 23, at 7:11 p.m. ET by Alex Ballentine

Missing the start didn't slow Henderson down in the least. The guard lit up the Tigers for 28 points on the strength of eight three's. According to Ole Miss Basketball's official twitter, he tied a school record.

Rebels rout Auburn 88-55 behind Marshall Henderson's school record-tying 8 3-pointers. Henderson finished with 28 points.

— Ole Miss Men’s Basketball (@OleMissMBB) February 23, 2013

---End of Update---

Ben Garrett of the Ole Miss Spirit initially broke the news on Twitter:

Marshall Henderson isn't starting. Coach's decision, we've been told.

— Ben Garrett (@SpiritBen) February 23, 2013

Although he is shooting under 38 percent from the floor for the 2012-13 season, Henderson is the focal point of the Rebels offense. He is averaging a team-high 19.3 points per contest and makes Ole Miss a very dangerous team when he's on.

Henderson does come with some star baggage, though, and has flashed a hot temperament at times with teammates, fans and even his head coach Andy Kennedy.

As USA TODAY reporter Scott Gleeson documented, Henderson taunted Auburn fans in the teams' last matchup on Jan. 26, which was a 63-61 victory. When his own fans didn't like a call in a game against Kentucky by throwing ice on the court, Henderson threw it back at them.

The Rebels started off 17-2 and 6-0 in SEC play, but have struggled since then. Now they have a 19-7 overall record, including five losses in the conference to the Wildcats, Florida, Missouri, Texas A&M and South Carolina.

If Ole Miss is meant to seriously make some noise in the NCAA Tournament in March—or avoid slipping out of it entirely—it will need Henderson to tone down the antics and play more efficient basketball on the offensive end.

More than anything, Kennedy's squad simply needs to turn it around, which will help offset the negativity that comes with Henderson's personality.

The experiment in Oxford to sit Henderson is going rather well in its infancy stages, as Henderson has come off the bench and knocked down two of three three-point attempts for a team-high six points. Mississippi leads Auburn at home midway through the first half.