Mississippi @ Penn St. preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 30, 2013 ) Penn St. 76, Mississippi 79

An SEC-Big Ten football battle might have more intrigue, but Wednesday's NIT Tip-Off game between Penn State and Ole Miss should nonetheless be an interesting matchup of teams that have a combined 9-1 record during the first month of the season. Penn State comes to the Barclays Center undefeated and Ole Miss' only loss is 87-86 to No. 20 Memphis.

Penn State is 5-0 for the second time in three years after squeezing past Yale 58-56 on Saturday. The Nittany Lions, anchored by veteran senior starters Lamar Stevens and Mike Watkins, have displayed consistency by using the same starting lineup in all five games. Ole Miss made 12 3-pointers against Memphis on Saturday and nearly overcame a second-half deficit in its first road game of the year. Wednesday's winner and loser will face Syracuse or Oklahoma State on Friday.

TV: 5 p.m. ET, ESPN2

ABOUT MISSISSIPPI (4-1): The Rebels are averaging 20 3-point attempts per game and shooting 34 percent from long range while outscoring opponents by 16 points per game (75-59). Breein Tyree, an All-SEC selection last season, leads Ole Miss in scoring at 16.2 points per game but is shooting 38 percent from the field and 21.4 percent on 3-pointers. KJ Buffen is one of four starters scoring in double figures (14.0) and also tops the team in rebounding (7.6).

ABOUT PENN STATE (5-0): The Nittany Lions' closest game before Yale was a 15-point victory over Georgetown in the Gavitt Tipoff Games on Nov. 14. Stevens leads Penn State in scoring (16.8 points) and rebounding (8.4). All five starters have scoring averages in double figures (Stevens; Myles Dread, 12.6; Myreon Jones, 11.8; Izaiah Brockington, 10.4; and Watkins, 10), which accounts for Penn State outscoring opponents by an average of 22 points per game (82.4-60.4).

TIP-INS

1. Stevens is the fourth player in Penn State history with 1,500 points and 700 rebounds after posting his 12th career double-double against Yale with 13 points and 13 rebounds.

2. Brockington, a transfer from St. Bonaventure who sat out last season, has scored in double figures in three of five games and finished with a season-high 15 points against Yale.

3. Blake Hinson returned Saturday after missing Ole Miss' first four games with an injury and went 5-for-9 from the field, including 4-for-7 from 3-point range, for 15 points against Memphis.

PREDICTION: Mississippi 84, Penn State 82