Mississippi @ Wichita St. preview

Wichita State looks for a seventh straight victory when it hosts Ole Miss in a non-conference contest on Saturday. The No. 23 Shockers are coming off a win over East Carolina on New Year's Day, while the Rebels enter the game on a four-game winning streak after an easy 17-point win over Tennessee Tech on Dec. 29.

Ole Miss has been getting balanced scoring during its current winning streak, with all five starters averaging in double figures over the four games. Breein Tyree leads the Rebels, averaging 17.1 points on the season, with Blake Hinson adding 12.4 points and Devontae Shuler and KJ Buffen contributing 10.8 points apiece. The Shockers have balanced scoring as well, with six players averaging between 8.9 and 12.9 points, led by Erik Stevenson. But it's at the defensive end where Wichita State has been having its best success, holding opponents to just 62.7 points per game and recording a turnover margin of plus-4.5, which ranks 25th in the country.

TIME: 4 p.m. ET. TV: ESPNU

ABOUT OLE MISS (9-3): The Rebels are looking for a bit more consistency in their last game before Southeastern Conference play begins, especially after their first-half performance against Tennessee Tech. Ole Miss shot just 1-of-12 from the 3-point line and committed nine turnovers in the first 20 minutes against the Golden Eagles, but rebounded to shoot 50 percent from beyond the arc in the second half and committed just two miscues. Coach Kermit Davis blamed the slow start on the Rebels' eight days between games over the Christmas holiday, but starting slow against the Shockers on Saturday and against conference opponents won't be so easy to come back from.

ABOUT WICHITA STATE (12-1): With a near-perfect record, Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall doesn't have a whole lot to be upset about, but he certainly has one thing: The Shockers' performance at the free-throw line. On the season, Wichita State has hit just 69.2 percent of its free-throw attempts, but over the last three games, it's been even worse, as the Shockers have hit just over 60 percent. Stevenson was the only Wichita State player with multiple free-throw attempts to hit over 50 percent (6-of-8) against East Carolina in a game that the Pirates had the ball in a one-possession game with a minute to go before the Shockers pulled away to win by six.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Hinson had a career-high 10 rebounds in the win over Tennessee Tech, becoming the first Ole Miss player to grab double-digit boards in a game this season.

2. Wichita State G Tyson Etienne is hitting 2.62 3-pointers per game to lead the American Athletic Conference and rank seventh among all freshmen nationally.

3. The Shockers have won the turnover battle in 11 of their 13 games this season and finished with 10 or fewer turnovers in five games.

PREDICTION: Wichita State 77, Ole Miss 69