Florida @ Mississippi preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 14, 2020 ) Mississippi 55, Florida 71

After back-to-back losses to top 25 foes Auburn and LSU, Ole Miss bounced back with a surprising 84-70 triumph over South Carolina on Wednesday that pushed coach Kermit Davis' career win total to 500. Now the Rebels turn their focus to hosting Saturday's rematch with Florida after the Gators dominated the previous meeting 71-55 on Jan. 14.

"Totally different team," Gators coach Mike White told reporters about the earlier victory over the Rebels. "We were fortunate to beat Ole Miss without two (of their) starters (guard Breein Tyree and power forward Khadim Sy)." The Gators held Ole Miss below their season averages in scoring, field goal percentage, 3-point percentage and 3-point field goals made in that win, but the Rebels figure to pose a much bigger challenge this time around with both players in the lineup. Tyree ranks third in the SEC with 18.9 points per game and he comes in after scoring a career-high 38 points against South Carolina for his third 30-point game of the season and the fifth of his career. But the Gators come off a huge victory of their own behind a career-high 25-point performance from sophomore point guard Andrew Nembhard, rallying from 22 down in the second half to defeat Georgia 81-75 and equal the largest come-from-behind victory in team history.

TIME: 2 p.m. ET. TV: ESPN2

ABOUT FLORIDA (14-8, 6-3 SEC): Nembhard spurred the victory over Georgia, scoring 19 of his 25 points over the final 12 minutes, including 11 of the team's final 12 points. Kerry Blackshear Jr. (13.9) and Keyontae Johnson (13.4), the team's top scorers for the season, also finished in double figures with 12 and 15 points, respectively, as the team caught fire in the second half, nailing 60 percent of its shots from the floor and 63.6 percent from 3-point range. A concern for the Gators is their struggles with defending top shooters, like Tyree, as they couldn't contain Georgia freshman Anthony Edwards, who lit up the scoreboard with 32 points thanks to hitting 6-of-9 from deep.

ABOUT OLE MISS (11-11, 2-7): Tyree has been especially productive in SEC play, averaging 22.8 points per game to top the conference and he advanced to 10th on the Ole Miss all-time scoring list after his 38-point game against South Carolina. Guard Devontae Shuler was held in check with just seven points against the Gamecocks after consecutive 20-point outings, while Sy is averaging 12.5 points and a team-high 6.3 rebounds over the last four games. Shuler is one of four SEC guards to rank in the top 10 in the SEC in both steals (1.8) and assist/turnover ratio (1.6).

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Gators are 67-46 in the series with the Rebels but just 23-30 on the road.

2. Ole Miss G/F Blake Hinson recorded his first career double-double (16 points, 11 rebounds) in the earlier meeting with Florida.

3. The Gators are shooting 46.2 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from 3-point range in SEC play, both tops in the conference.

PREDICTION: Ole Miss 77, Florida 74