CSU Bakersfield @ Mississippi preview

Ole Miss has faced a very difficult early-season schedule heading into Saturday’s home contest against Cal State Bakersfield, playing six of its first eight games against undefeated opponents and three of the past four matchups against ranked teams. The Rebels are 0-3 in games against No. 18 Memphis, No. 24 Butler and No. 25 Oklahoma State, falling 67-58 at home to Butler on Tuesday after allowing 8-of-17 from 3-point range.

The Rebels starting lineup had a different look against Butler as coach Kermit Davis brought leading scorer Breein Tyree off the bench after he was late to practice. “It’s just one of those things,” Davis told reporters of the senior guard, who is averaging 16 points and is the SEC’s active leading scorer with 1,315 points. “He took it great and just led, and didn’t worry about it.” Tyree scored 22 points on 8-for-16 shooting, going 4-for-8 from 3-point range, and added a career-high eight rebounds. The Roadrunners, coached by former Ole Miss player and coach Rod Barnes, opened December with a 64-60 home defeat Tuesday against UC Santa Barbara.

TV: 2 p.m. ET, no TV

ABOUT CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD (4-6): The Roadrunners have featured a balanced scoring attack with six players averaging 7.7 points or more, led by junior forward Taze Moore’s 12 points on 52.2 percent shooting from the field. Junior guard Czar Perry is shooting 52.1 percent from the field and averaging 9.8 points along with a team-best 2.6 assists, and led Bakersfield with 23 points Tuesday. The Roadrunners have outrebounded opponents by 10.3 per game (11th nationally entering the weekend).

ABOUT OLE MISS (5-3): Sophomore forward KJ Buffen averages 11.1 points and seven rebounds but only scored two points with four boards and four turnovers Tuesday before Davis benched him. Sophomore guard/forward Blake Hinson, who missed the first four games with a blood abnormality, is averaging 11 points with five rebounds since returning. Even with Butler’s strong shooting performance Tuesday, the Rebels are still limiting opponents to 27 percent shooting from 3-point range.

TIP-INS

1. Ole Miss junior F Khadim Sy, who leads all Rebels newcomers in scoring (7.3), scored a season-high 12 points against Butler.

2. Tyree registered his fourth game of at least 20 points Tuesday and moved into 19th on the school’s all-time scoring list.

3. Rebels junior G Devontae Shuler matched a career high with six assists Tuesday.

PREDICTION: Ole Miss 77, Bakersfield 68